Passionate and inspirational teacher on the Ia Grai border

Mr. Duc talks with students about English.

The more difficult the hardship, the more you hold on, the harder you work, the more you don't give up.

Head of the Departmentof Education and Training of Ia Grai district, Pham Van Dai, introduced us to teacher Tran Van Duc. So we eagerly marched to the border area. Having made an appointment, teacher Duc came to the school gate to welcome us. His quick, open, and friendly demeanor towards first-time visitors dispelled the fatigue of the long journey. At first glance, the teacher born in 1974 was quick, healthy, mature, open, and confiding, his eyes exuding determination and determination...

Mr. Duc pondered, counting on his fingers the time he had been in the border area: "It's been almost 30 years, brother!". Recalling the early days of hardship, effort, and dedication as a young man to bring "literacy" to the children of ethnic minorities, Mr. Duc could not hide his sadness because it contained many memories, memories of hardship and difficulty... But according to him: "Difficulties make us stay longer, hardships do not give up, brother".

Born in Kim Tan town, Thach Thanh district, Thanh Hoa province, Mr. Duc has been attached to the mountains and forests of the Central Highlands for nearly 30 years. With his dedication and passion for the profession, he has contributed many achievements in the career of "growing people" in Ia Grai district, a district located on the Vietnam - Cambodia border.

As an English teacher, with solid professional knowledge, engaging and creative teaching methods, students are quite eager and look forward to every hour Mr. Duc teaches. Although he has become a good teacher, he has constantly trained, researched, and learned from colleagues and reference materials to improve his knowledge, skills, and teaching quality. With a youthful enthusiasm and passion for the profession, from when he was a teacher to when he took on management work at Chu Pah District Secondary and High Schools, then Ia Grai District Secondary and High Schools; Tran Hung Dao Secondary School, Ia To Commune; Tran Phu Secondary School, Ia Der Commune, Mr. Duc has always been a party member who has excellently completed his annual tasks.

As a passionate person, every class hour, Mr. Duc devotes all his heart and the most beautiful things to his students. He always keeps in mind and tells his students to live passionately and enthusiastically with what they do, do not be afraid of failure, do not be lazy, do not be afraid of making mistakes so that you do not dare to commit. When you are young and still have strength, live life to the fullest.

Inspiring and inspiring, especially English, to ethnic minority students is a job that Mr. Duc always cares about and pursues. When teaching in Ia Grang commune, the socio -economic conditions were especially difficult with over 95% of the students being ethnic minorities. From vice principal to principal, he and the team of teachers built Phan Dinh Phung Secondary School to become stronger and stronger. From a remote school with poor infrastructure, it has become a spacious, clean school with an improved quality of education every year. In particular, there are many excellent students at the district and provincial levels that were not seen before. Typical examples include Puil Thoan, Luu Hoang Anh Tuan, Le Thi Kim Thuy, etc. Ksor Ng H'Lao, a Gia Rai ethnic, was taught by Mr. Duc from his first steps and is now an English teacher in Ia Grai district. She confided: "Mr. Duc instilled confidence and inspired me to confidently step into life." Nguyen Thi Quynh Nga, who won third prize in the provincial English competition and is now a PhD student teaching at the University of Medicine and Pharmacy in Ho Chi Minh City, also shared the same sentiment: "Without Mr. Duc, I would not be where I am today."

It can be seen that, in any position, with exemplary and pioneering actions in all work, combined with a simple and humble lifestyle, he has created love and attachment among comrades, colleagues and students. Mr. Duc expressed: "As a party member, whatever I do, wherever I am, I must put all my heart and effort into it."

Teacher Tran Van Duc regularly tests students' knowledge.

Back to school with new aspirations

From the 2023-2024 school year, teacher Tran Van Duc was assigned to be Party Cell Secretary and Principal of Hung Vuong Secondary School. This is the school that he was attached to when he graduated from Gia Lai Pedagogical College. "I returned to my old school with new responsibilities and new beliefs! That motivated me to concentrate my efforts on building and developing the school," said Mr. Duc. True to his word, he organized and implemented educational tasks synchronously and effectively, creating a vibrant, substantive, and comprehensive emulation movement that was recognized and highly appreciated by all levels and sectors.

Teacher Nguyen Thi Phuong, Deputy Secretary of the Party Cell and Vice Principal of the school, said: Mr. Duc focuses on building a spirit of solidarity and unity in the collective, creating consensus from the Party Cell to cadres, Party members, and teachers, wholeheartedly taking care of the school's tasks; arranging work in detail, scientifically, and effectively. Each task is thoroughly, logically, reasonably, and smoothly resolved by him... He has the style of a leader who knows how to observe, listen, and constantly learn, dares to think, dares to do; cares about innovation, improving the quality of teaching and learning, regularly organizes class observations, visits, and monitors teachers' teaching practices; encourages teachers to promote students' thinking, initiative, and creativity.

Vice Principal Tran Xuan Cuong confided: “Mr. Duc is always the one who takes the lead and does things first; carefully studies documents before meetings and listens to opinions from professional groups with an open-minded attitude, discussing and finding reasonable solutions. His working style is decisive, concise and effective; when in meetings, he is required to reflect firmly on the content, speak to the point, and make clear and specific conclusions.”

Mr. Tran Van Duc shared: “To unite and work together, the leader must be democratic, impartial, open and fair in all activities and assessments. In the emulation movement, we must know how to motivate and promote the self-awareness of each member, not causing excessive pressure in the work. The consistent spirit of the school is “only discuss work, not discuss backward, always look forward”.

Teacher Tran Van Duc (third from right) exchanges expertise with teachers.

Returning to the old school, nearly 2 years ago, Principal Tran Van Duc and the Party Committee and political system of Hung Vuong Secondary School started to build and change the school with nearly 50 teachers, staff and nearly 1,100 students. Focusing on building a plan to innovate and develop the school; identifying key tasks and planning directions, stabilizing the team, and connecting the internal into a unified bloc. Building the landscape and educational environment from the outside to each classroom, closely following the motto "taking students as the center", gaining the support of local authorities and the consensus of parents. From there, promoting the potential of the school's staff, teachers and employees. That is also the factor and resource for the school to increasingly affirm the quality of education.

In the middle of the frontier, our conversation continued until late afternoon. I felt from him a source of positive energy, an abundant spirit of enthusiasm. Every story about education became interesting, endless. Principal Tran Van Duc had many concerns and thoughts about new models, good ways of doing things with the goal of comprehensive and synchronous development of the school. I felt deep inside the rustic, sincere, and generous nature of this fifty-year-old principal was a passionate heart, carrying the heavy responsibility of a party member in the land of Ia Grai, which is striving to move forward.

“I clearly identified my motivation as accepting a task that the organization trusted, always striving to complete the tasks assigned by the Party with all my heart and responsibility. I did not avoid any difficulties in the process of striving and until now, I still have the same aspiration and enthusiasm as when I first entered the profession,” Mr. Duc shared.

Saying goodbye to Ia Grai, the image of the majestic, splendid, and fresh Hung Vuong Secondary School will always follow us... Principal Tran Van Duc held my hand very tightly as a commitment, filled with faith and aspiration to move forward on the red basalt land.../.

Source: https://dangcongsan.vn/thi-dua-yeu-nuoc/thay-giao-giau-nhet-huyet-truyen-cam-hung-tren-bien-gioi-ia-grai-684863.html