87-year-old teacher takes graduate school entrance exam: Don't let time pass by in vain

Mr. Nguyen Tan Thanh surprised and admired many people when he still took the master's exam at the age of 87 - Photo: LAN NGOC

On May 26, Tuoi Tre Online met and talked with Mr. Nguyen Tan Thanh (87 years old, residing in Tan An ward, Ninh Kieu district, Can Tho city) when he was busy translating documents, books... for customers.

Rooster raising 4 chicks

Mr. Thanh shared that to him, time is money. He cherishes every hour and every minute to make his working and resting day effective and reasonable.

"Since my wife passed away early, I have been taking care of my four daughters alone. That period of time was extremely difficult as I was both teaching and raising my children. There were times when I felt very discouraged, but for the sake of my children, I was determined to overcome it. Now that all four of them have stable jobs, I can feel at ease...", Mr. Thanh confided.

Recently (May 25), Can Tho University organized an entrance exam to assess foreign language proficiency for graduate level. Among more than 300 candidates, Mr. Nguyen Tan Thanh was the most "special" because he took the exam at an "old" age. He registered for the graduate exam in Vietnamese literature.

Talking to us, he always showed his full energy. He shared that he always kept himself happy, and that he always maintained a healthy and peaceful lifestyle in his daily life and studies. Perhaps that is why, even though he is 87 years old, he is still agile, clear-minded and sharp.

With determination, anything is possible.

For him, self-study and self-discovery are the "keys" that help him teach and write better literature - Photo: LAN NGOC

Now that he has taken care of all four children, he continues his dream of achieving a master’s degree. Taking the exam at an age that is “rare”, Mr. Thanh confided that if you have determination, you can do anything. Self-study is very important when we want to achieve our goals in our education.

Mr. Thanh used to be a high school teacher of literature. Besides, he knows and teaches many foreign languages ​​such as English, French, German, Italian, Korean, Japanese, Spanish... In his free time, he composes literature, poetry, composes music, and paints, considering it as a hobby in his old age.

"With students, I always try to help them approach and visualize translation work specifically. From there, they will have an overall view of what their future work will be like so they won't be surprised. Learning must go hand in hand with practice, as well as having determination and a spirit of self-study and a spirit of inquiry to study well...", Mr. Thanh said.

Currently, his main job is translating documents, books, etc. for customers. He also supports and guides students to learn and practice translation and interpretation.

"Learning is lifelong, as long as you are determined, no matter what age you are, it is not difficult. The most important thing is the spirit of self-study and exploration. If you just sit and wait for others to hold your hand and show you how to do things, time will pass in vain," Mr. Thanh added.

Source: https://tuoitre.vn/thay-giao-87-di-thi-cao-hoc-khong-de-thoi-gian-troi-qua-mot-cach-phi-pham-20240526130416228.htm