CHAPTER 2: A PASSION FOR EDUCATION
Growing up in a family with a strong academic tradition, I have always felt a deep connection to and respect for the values of knowledge and education passed down by my grandfather and ancestors. My ancestors were renowned teachers of classical Chinese, imparting not only knowledge but also lessons in ethics and character to generations. This legacy has inspired in me a desire to contribute to education—not only to share knowledge but to foster a love of learning within the community.
Wide Eyes Project
To connect, I brought my instrument and used music as a bridge. Through simple melodies, I gradually built a bond with the children and deepened my commitment to education.
As the Co-founder and President of the Wide Eyes Project, I managed 15 members divided into four main teams: Content, Finance, Logistics, and Media. Each team played a specific role in contributing to the project’s success. Together, we designed lesson plans for English, music, and creative thinking, offering free classes to the children. Every month, the project organized one online English class and four in-person classes, providing educational opportunities for 25 orphaned children at Quang Phuc Pagoda and 17 at Hoa Binh Temple.
Trang Khuyet Project
Trang Khuyet was a teaching project for children with autism that I launched in May 2024. In addition to supporting instruction, I served as the Head of Content for the project, creating detailed plans for bi-weekly volunteer trips to the Phuc Yen Autism Center in Nam Tu Liem District, Hanoi. During these visits, we organized drawing sessions with colored pencils and traditional games for 70 children. I closely coordinated with nurses, caregivers, and the management team to ensure smooth operations. Additionally, I successfully secured sponsorship from the American Center, U.S. Embassy in Hanoi, to host the “For All” art exhibition in January 2025, showcasing 45 paintings themed on modern Vietnamese literary characters, created by 23 autistic children at the Gia An Center.
Participating in the Trăng Khuyết project gave me a unique opportunity to connect deeply with children with autism, helping them open doors to self-confidence and self-expression through art. This project spread a positive message about the abilities and value of autistic children within the community. For me personally, it was a chance to develop organizational and leadership skills in charitable work. For the community, it served as a concrete effort to raise awareness and foster empathy for children with autism.
Personal Ielts Training
Since November 2023, I have been directly teaching and helping numerous high school students at HUS High School for Gifted Students raise their scores from 5.5 to 7.5+. To maximize effectiveness, I researched teaching methods, took additional courses on Coursera, and developed detailed lesson plans to optimize learning pathways, helping students quickly reach their goals. Each week, I teach three online classes, each with three students, focusing on comprehensive development across all four IELTS skills with a target overall score of 7.0. As a result, 10 students have successfully increased their scores from 5.5 to 7.5+, while I maintain a stable monthly income of 4,000,000 VND from this work.
Teaching IELTS not only provides me with a stable income but also offers an opportunity to develop my teaching skills and engage with modern instructional methods. Each session helps me refine my communication skills, better understand students’ needs and challenges, and design effective learning plans. Above all, seeing students improve their scores and gain confidence brings me immense joy and motivation.
Viet Uc Edu Links
At Viet Uc Edu Links, a leading educational technology company in Vietnam, I served as a Teaching Assistant in an English class for 8-year-olds. Over 20 sessions, I supported live translation for foreign teachers, bridging language and culture to help students gain confidence. Before each class, I set up the projector, arranged seating, and organized materials for an effective learning environment.
I designed engaging, age-appropriate slides and provided parents with detailed feedback on their child’s progress. Weekly, I submitted reports to the Head of Training, analyzing session outcomes and suggesting improvements. This role offered invaluable experience in classroom management and deepened my insight into education.