After 27 years of working in the preschool sector, from a young and confused teacher to a good manager is the result of continuous efforts and striving of teacher Vu Ngoc Du. She was the youngest preschool principal in Cau Giay district at the time of taking office.
Graduated with the highest degree in the Faculty of Preschool Education, Hanoi National University of Education, 14 years of winning the title of "Emulation Fighter" at the grassroots level, 3 years at the city level; Certificate of Merit "Good at public work - Good at housework" at all levels; 2 times received Certificates of Merit from the Hanoi People's Committee, 2 times received Certificates of Merit from the Hanoi Department of Education and Training; Certificate of Merit from the Prime Minister; Excellent Teacher; Third Class Labor Medal in 2021 and is one of the 40 Outstanding Teachers of the Capital's education sector in 2022... those are some of the achievements that Ms. Vu Ngoc Du received after many years of passion and dedication to the Preschool Education sector. Ms. Vu Ngoc Du (born in 1975) is currently the principal of Anh Sao Kindergarten, Cau Giay District, Hanoi.
Ms. Vu Ngoc Du is currently the principal of Anh Sao Kindergarten, Cau Giay District, Hanoi. Photo: Tao Nga
Female principal passionate about preschool teaching
After graduating from high school in 1993, Ms. Vu Ngoc Du decided to choose the Faculty of Preschool Education, Hanoi National University of Education to pursue her passion of becoming a teacher. During her studies at the school, she continuously received scholarships and graduated as valedictorian of the Faculty of Preschool Education in 1997.
With these outstanding achievements, Ms. Du was then introduced to teach at Viet Trieu Huu Nghi Kindergarten, Dong Da District, Hanoi. After 11 years of teaching here, with the support and assistance of the principal and colleagues, and the trust and love of parents, Ms. Du was able to unleash her creativity and was recognized as an excellent teacher at the city level.
In 2007, Ms. Du was assigned to be the Vice Principal of Mai Dich Kindergarten. More than 2 years later, at the age of 35, she was appointed as the principal, also the youngest principal in Cau Giay district at that time.
Taking on the new assignment also coincided with the period when the Preschool Education Department and the Hanoi People's Committee were piloting a high-quality school model - a completely new model, without a template. Mai Dich Kindergarten was chosen as one of the pilot schools in the capital.
"This was the explosive period of my youth," Ms. Du recalled.
Ms. Du has received many certificates of merit. Photo: NVCC
From her teaching and management experience, Ms. Du has built facilities, functional rooms, improved the quality of the team, care activities, applied advanced educational methods, focusing on students. She boldly invited experts to train the teaching staff. After 10 years of working here, from a young school, it has become a pilot school of the city, many times welcoming teachers from 63 provinces and cities to visit and study, a bright spot in the education sector. The school has received the emulation flag twice, is continuously an excellent labor collective, a certificate of merit from the City People's Committee, a Third Class Labor Medal and many teachers at the school have personal achievements.
In 2020, Ms. Du was transferred to Anh Sao Kindergarten - another opportunity for her to demonstrate her love, passion, and enthusiasm in her management position. At that time, the school's facilities were not as good as they are now. She and the teaching staff worked diligently like bees to build. Especially, this was the time when the Covid-19 epidemic broke out, forcing social distancing, preventing students from going to school. The teachers did not sit still but created clips to send to parents to teach their children at home.
In the first 3 years, the school completed a sand and gravel pool for students to play with an area of over 100m2, a rural market area of 100m2 and a steam education area of over 100m2. She completed the library, gym, computer room and art room. She decorated with lots of trees and miniature landscapes for students to relax and get in touch with nature everywhere, from the classroom to the hallway, stairs and school yard. Ms. Du also built a happy school, friendly toilets, beautifully decorated with scented candles, music and lights that are loved by students and rated 5 stars by parents.
The creativity of teachers and students has helped Anh Sao Kindergarten to be recognized as a national standard level 2 in 2024. For 5 consecutive years, the school has received a certificate of merit from the city, achieved excellent labor collective status and welcomed managers and key teachers from provinces and cities to visit and study.
Photo at Anh Sao Kindergarten. Photo: NVCC
Few people know that Ms. Du has 3 degrees in 3 different fields: a degree in Preschool Education, Hanoi National University of Education; a degree in Corporate Finance, National Economics University and a Master's degree in Educational Management, Academy of Social Sciences. She has all the knowledge of a preschool teacher, an educational manager and a financial manager. However, for Ms. Du, books only give her knowledge of thinking, theoretical science, and in practice, when she starts working, she has to explore and learn from her colleagues. Throughout her journey since graduating, Ms. Du shared that she has always tried her best, been passionate about her job, and done good things for the school, teachers and students.
Sympathy for hard-working preschool teachers
Having worked as a preschool teacher for more than 10 years before becoming a manager, Ms. Du understands and shares with her teachers. This is a very hard, arduous job, with pressure from work, parents, and society, even though the working hours are up to 9-10 hours with continuous intensity.
Meanwhile, preschool is the lowest level of education, not only eating and sleeping but also playing and learning activities by topic.
"A class has 2-3 teachers looking after 20-40 children. In the morning, we welcome the children, let them do exercises, then organize learning and playing activities in the class into groups according to topics. Then the teachers prepare the table for the children to eat. Unlike at home, where you just sit at the table, here the teachers have to wipe the table according to standards with 1 wet towel and 1 dry towel like in a hotel. The children's dishes must be washed, dried and brought up to the teachers for the children to eat.
Before eating, the teachers organize the whole class to wash their hands, then sit at the table to eat. To have a scientific and orderly meal like that is very hard for the teachers. After that, one teacher watches the children finish eating, another teacher cleans the classroom, spreads the mattresses, lets the children go to the bathroom and go to bed. At 2 pm, the teachers wake the students up to prepare for dinner, the process is the same until the children leave.
Not to mention having to be close to the students, ensuring their safety, correcting and comforting them. There are students who run around the classroom, tearing up all the decorations in the classroom, refusing to study... The teachers have to divide the students into groups to correct them.
Ms. Du regularly participates in the council to comment on circulars and drafts; the reporter shares topics with key teachers. Photo: NVCC
"The teachers are so busy all day that I always wonder how to make it easier for preschool teachers. The government has paid a lot of attention and tried to have preferential policies for preschool teachers, but I hope that preschool teachers need to be on par with general education teachers. Many university graduates, even with master's degrees, work in more toxic environments, but preschool teachers' salaries are always lower," Ms. Du shared.
One more thing, Ms. Du hopes that parents will be more sympathetic, open-minded, think positively, acknowledge, accompany teachers, and consider preschool education not the school's job. In fact, when parents understand the nature of the job, it will create more motivation instead of pressure for teachers.
Happy to see students progress
As a busy manager, she doesn't have much time to interact with students, but Ms. Du is always happy when she sees them progress every day. "Many new students still have the habit of eating with their hands, but after being corrected, they can eat well with a spoon. Some students had to wear diapers to school but then they were able to take them off. Or some students only know how to say "hello dad" and "hello mom" but don't have the word "yes". After 1 week, I learned to say "hello dad/mom" and stand in the correct posture. Parents happily told the teachers that they couldn't practice with their children at home, so they were surprised to see their children change after going to school," Ms. Du recounted.
Even Ms. Du herself was happy when students noticed the principal's change in hairstyle. "Every year I get a haircut and still wear my hair pinned up. Once, right after I got my haircut and pinned up my hair like that, a student saw me and asked, 'Ms. Du, you have a new hairstyle.' I was really happy," Ms. Du said.
It is known that Ms. Du has 2 children born in 2000 and 2008. Her first daughter studied at Hanoi - Amsterdam High School for the Gifted, then went to university to study Business, and actively participated in student support activities. Her second son is in grade 11, just won first prize in Chemistry at the school level and is studying for the cluster level exam.
"I participate in many activities at school so I don't have time to be with my children. They study and participate in activities on their own. I am very lucky that my family members support and create conditions for me to pursue my career. My husband takes care of the house and children, my children support me with information technology, advise me on shopping and always ask me if I am tired from work. I consider my children as friends and do not impose on them. Whenever there is time, the family is together," Ms. Du shared.
Talking about her upcoming plans, Ms. Du said that whenever she has the opportunity, she will continue to learn new international educational methods and improve the quality of the teaching staff. "The quality of teachers is synonymous with the quality of the school," Ms. Du said.
Source: https://danviet.vn/nu-hieu-truong-o-ha-noi-tung-tot-nghiep-thu-khoa-nhan-huan-chuong-hang-ba-toi-rat-thuong-giao-vien-20250307075646828.htm
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