The Journey of NTTU Early Childhood Education Valedictorian – Nguyen Huynh Phuong Uyen

Graduating as the valedictorian of Early Childhood Education at Nguyen Tat Thanh University (NTTU) with a cumulative GPA of 3.28, Nguyen Huynh Phuong Uyen also made her mark with an internship score of 9.4 and a job offer at an international kindergarten right after graduation. Yet, when recalling her university years, alongside her academic achievements, Uyen remembers most fondly a small candy placed in the palm of her hand during her third-year internship. That simple gift helped the valedictorian gain a deeper understanding of her chosen profession.

Conquering the Valedictorian Title Through Perseverance and Love for the Profession

“What helped me go from a bewildered freshman to today’s valedictorian title is perseverance and love for the profession. This achievement also reminds me to keep learning and striving for self-improvement,” shared Nguyen Huynh Phuong Uyen as she looked back on her learning journey at NTTU.

For Uyen, her university years were a time of discovering the field of Early Childhood Education through many interesting experiences. Hours of practicing dance, playing the piano, honing pedagogical skills, or handcrafting teaching materials became a familiar part of student life. To complete a lesson plan or educational aids, there were nights when Uyen had to stay up late preparing.

It was also then that she realized the work of a preschool teacher requires a combination of knowledge, skills, creativity, and meticulous attention to detail. Things that seemed small during her studies contributed to cultivating the essential qualities needed before entering the professional environment.

In particular, practicums and internships at various public and bilingual kindergartens in Ho Chi Minh City provided Uyen with opportunities to experience real-world work. Building on the knowledge acquired in lecture halls, she had the chance to observe classroom management, apply pedagogical skills, and directly participate in caregiving and educational activities.

“The greatest lesson the university gave me was embedded in those internships. When working directly with children, I realized that knowledge is the foundation, but understanding and love are what bring a teacher closer to them,” Uyen expressed.

Uyen admitted that her first days of interning felt overwhelming due to the pressure of classroom management. A carefully prepared lesson plan might not be applied intact when each child has a unique personality, emotional state, and way of reacting. The practical environment helped Uyen learn how to observe, flexibly adjust activities, and remain calm in unexpected situations.

In return, the tiring hours spent preparing lesson plans and teaching tools were rewarded by the joy of seeing the children’s smiles every morning. Those experiences fueled Uyen’s motivation to persevere with her major while helping her gain a clearer understanding of a teacher’s responsibility toward students’ development.

Those efforts were recognized with multiple semesters achieving Good and Excellent academic standings, along with merit-based scholarships. Uyen graduated with High Distinction (Good classification), achieving a cumulative GPA of 3.28 and becoming the valedictorian of Early Childhood Education at NTTU. Notably, during her internship at Son Ca Kindergarten in An Dong Ward, she was evaluated as having completed her duties excellently with a score of 9.4.

For Uyen, these results represent joy and recognition for her hard work, but the greater value of her college years lies in her maturity in awareness, skills, and love for teaching.

Hours of practical training, observation, and interning at kindergartens helped Phuong Uyen accumulate pedagogical skills and grow step by step in her career

A Small Candy and a Lesson Not Found in Lesson Plans

Among her memories at NTTU, Phuong Uyen particularly remembers an incident during her third-year internship.

When assigned to lead a class, Uyen met a rather shy child. For days, the child just sat crying in the corner of the classroom, clutching a pillow. Faced with that situation, Uyen chose to sit beside the child, listen, and gently hold the small hand every day, giving the child time to get used to the environment and feel closer.

Then one afternoon, the child proactively approached Uyen, placed a small candy in the student intern’s hand, and smiled.

“The moment the child took the initiative to come close, give me a candy, and smile truly moved me. At that very moment, I became even more certain that I wanted a long-term commitment to being a preschool teacher,” Uyen recalled.

The candy became an unforgettable memory because, after days of patience, Uyen earned the trust of a young pupil. From that experience, she realized that besides organizing activities and applying pedagogical methods, teachers must respect emotions, take time to understand, and choose appropriate approaches for each child.

The story also helped Uyen appreciate even more what she had learned at NTTU. Practical classes provided conditions for students to hone skills, while internships offered opportunities to test, adjust, and refine that knowledge in real environments.

In particular, Uyen shared that the faculty had a significant influence on how she viewed her profession. Their dedication to teaching, professional guidance, and opportunities to access modern educational methods helped her gradually build confidence when standing before a class.

“My lecturers helped me change my perspective on the profession. A preschool teacher needs solid professional expertise, proactivity in adopting modern educational methods, and application of technology, but the most important thing is to always maintain compassion when working with children,” Uyen shared.

To the valedictorian, the teacher she aspires to be does not stop at performing caregiving and educational duties well. It is also someone who knows how to innovate methods, pay attention to the unique characteristics of each pupil, and continue learning to meet the increasingly diverse demands of the job.

Confidently Entering an International Environment, Continuing to Nurture the Teaching Dream

After years of studying and directly experiencing the work, Phuong Uyen hopes to contribute to changing the perception that Early Childhood Education is simply a job of “babysitting.”

According to her, the early years of life play a vital role in shaping character, mindset, and emotions. Alongside caregiving, teachers need to build an appropriate educational environment that creates conditions for children to explore, form skills, and develop cognitive abilities.

“Caring for children is only one part of the job. To me, what matters more is creating an environment where children can explore, develop thinking and emotions, and gradually shape their personality. Preschool teachers are the ones who help lay the very first foundation for that development,” Uyen expressed.

From that mindset, Uyen determined that learning would not stop with a bachelor’s degree. She plans to continue attending training courses on modern educational methods such as Montessori, Reggio Emilia, and STEAM, while enhancing her foreign language proficiency to expand career opportunities in an international environment.

Notably, right after graduation, Uyen secured an opportunity to begin working at an international kindergarten in Ho Chi Minh City. This is an important transition step for her to apply the knowledge and skills accumulated at NTTU, continue learning from practice, and enhance her professional capability. Looking further ahead, the valedictorian aims to develop herself toward management positions in the field of early childhood education.

From a bewildered freshman to a valedictorian title, from practical classes in lecture halls to an opportunity to step into an international educational environment, Phuong Uyen has step-by-step transformed her love for the profession into concrete goals through perseverance and a self-improving spirit.

When asked about the most important thing she learned to become a teacher, Uyen shared: “I learned to listen even when children haven’t spoken full sentences yet, to understand the emotions behind tears, and to share in their tiny joys. To me, that is also what a teacher needs to preserve throughout their career.”

Nguyen Tat Thanh University warmly congratulates Phuong Uyen on her title as valedictorian of Early Childhood Education. The university is proud to have accompanied her during her college years, witnessing her growth and remarkable accomplishments. Wishing Uyen continued firm steps on her chosen path, constantly developing her expertise, preserving her love for the profession, and bringing the values accumulated from NTTU lecture halls into her work, contributing to building a wonderful educational environment for generations of young pupils.

By: Cam Thach

Graphics: Hong Quang

Photos provided by the subject