The secret to becoming the valedictorian of the whole school of a "mother in her 40s"

(Dan Tri) - Overcoming the difficulties and hardships of studying, working, and taking care of a young child, "U40 mother" Nguyen Song Chau excelled and became the valedictorian of the whole school when graduating with an average score of 3.7/4.0.

Nguyen Song Chau graduated with honors in English (Photo: Huyen Nguyen).

"There were nights when I lulled my child to sleep and studied at the same time. When my child was sick, I had to bring my laptop to the hospital to do my homework," Nguyen Song Chau - valedictorian of Gia Dinh University (GDU) - recounted his memorable learning process.

Attending the graduation ceremony with his mother, Minh Khang (5 years old, Chau's son) chattered and asked his mother what it meant to go to university, what a graduation ceremony was, why his mother was the representative to give a speech, receive flowers and certificates of merit... A series of questions from his son made Chau emotional.

She shared: "Every time my child asks, I feel like I need to try harder to set an example for him. I want him to understand that no matter how difficult it is, with perseverance and effort, we can all achieve our goals."

Song Chau (born in 1995) is one of the older candidates graduating in the March 2025 graduation ceremony of Gia Dinh University. The female student made a strong impression with her journey of conquering herself and pursuing her dreams.

More than 3 years ago, Song Chau decided to study English language when she was old and had children. The young mother at that time determined that she would have to face many difficulties. In addition to studying in class, she also had to work part-time to earn extra income, take care of her children, and take care of everything in the family.

"Before coming to English language, I studied at another educational institution, but I realized that I was not too interested in the chosen major. Therefore, after giving birth, my husband and parents encouraged me to pursue my passion. I chose to study a new major, going to university and taking a bartending course to share the financial burden with my husband," the valedictorian said.

Family is both the motivation and the spiritual support that helps Song Chau overcome all difficulties and challenges to fulfill her dream of becoming an English teacher (Photo: Anh Khuong).

The English language industry requires a large investment of time and effort, from learning vocabulary, practicing listening - speaking - reading - writing skills, to studying many specialized subjects such as interpretation, translation, British - American culture... For Song Chau, this pressure is doubled when she has to balance between studying, working and motherhood.

However, Song Chau is not discouraged, always tries to arrange work reasonably, and takes advantage of every opportunity to study.

The secret of the new graduate is passion for the field of study and time management, scientific work management. This is also the important factor that helped Song Chau successfully complete the English language program and become the valedictorian of the entire class of 2024.

Not only stopping at studying in class, the mother of one also actively participates in many extracurricular activities to improve practical skills such as: being class monitor, head of the school's English club, participating in many academic competitions... Another way of learning is to regularly watch movies and listen to podcasts in English to improve listening and language reflexes.

"I don't have as much time as young people, so I have to make the most of what I have. Every minute is precious," Song Chau shared.

Nguyen Song Chau (far left) enthusiastically participates in faculty and school activities (Photo: Character provided).

MSc. Nguyen Thi Ngoc Anh - Director of the English Language Program, Gia Dinh University - was impressed with her student Nguyen Song Chau because of her obedience, studiousness, always showing a progressive spirit and willingness to learn.

"Song Chau is an exemplary class monitor, always supporting teachers and classmates. She is also the head of the English club, always a strong arm connecting friends in all activities, "keeping the fire" for the club. She is always trusted and loved by teachers and friends", Ms. Ngoc Anh shared.

Sharing about her future plans, Song Chau said that she wants to become an English teacher to help people gain more knowledge, be confident in their work and be able to conquer all challenges thanks to good English. This is also the key for people to open the gate of human knowledge, communicating with many people around the world.

Currently, Song Chau has a TESOL teaching certificate and is working at English centers. When her job is more stable, the valedictorian said she will continue to study for a master's degree to gain more knowledge and skills.

Source: https://dantri.com.vn/giao-duc/bi-quyet-tro-thanh-thu-khoa-toan-truong-cua-ba-me-u40-20250322205358478.htm