Men as preschool teachers: I admire!

"In spring, who goes to pick flowers? I go to raise children"

The song may sound strange, but it is a story about the example of men who work as preschool teachers. Teacher Nguyen Phuc Hieu, 54 years old, is teaching at An Phu Kindergarten, An Phu Commune, Cu Chi District, Ho Chi Minh City, is an example. In early October 2022, I visited the school to see Mr. Hieu. When he saw me, he immediately boasted that he had graduated from Ho Chi Minh City University of Education, Department of Preschool Education. If his health permits in the future, he will continue his postgraduate studies.

When meeting Mr. Hieu, one can always see his passion for the preschool teaching profession. He designs teaching aids that are friendly to nature such as: using large leaves to make hats and headdresses; using coconut leaves to make grasshoppers, wristwatches, and pinwheels; cutting bamboo pieces longer than 2 inches to make percussion instruments when children practice singing; using cardboard to cut into flower shapes or fold into trash cans...

These materials are available everywhere, making school supplies not only saves money on shopping, but is also close to students, in line with the industry's policy. During class, students can comfortably observe and boldly answer the teacher's questions.

At the beginning of the 1990-1991 school year, Mr. Hieu graduated from Ho Chi Minh City Pedagogical High School and was assigned to teach at Bong Sen 4 School in Cay Trom Hamlet, Phuoc Hiep Commune, Cu Chi District. He confided to me: "On the first day of work, teachers at the school and parents were a bit surprised to see a preschool teacher. Many people thought 'how can a young man teach preschool?' But Mr. Hieu was not worried, he was determined to prove to everyone that men can also teach and teach preschool children as well as female teachers."

Mr. Hieu applies his teaching experience into practice; he applies appropriate teaching methods to each subject, so children love to learn and they make clear progress. The teacher is always enthusiastic in competitive movements such as registering for teaching demonstrations, teaching conferences, and competitions for excellent teachers at school and district levels.

There was a time when he had to temporarily leave the podium to work abroad due to difficult family circumstances. In 2009, Mr. Hieu re-applied for the teacher recruitment exam and was assigned to teach at An Phu Kindergarten, Cu Chi District until now.

Ms. Le Kim Tuyen, Principal of An Phu Kindergarten, had words of praise for Mr. Hieu, both in terms of expertise and heart. Mr. Hieu's house is more than 15 km from the school, but every day he arrives at school 10-15 minutes early to pick up the children. He is always loved by his colleagues, trusted by parents, and very secure and satisfied when their children are directly taught by Mr. Hieu.

Teachers who raise children also always take on the difficult part themselves, such as in the 2021-2022 school year, he taught class 5 - a class with many students who are children of workers, poor families, and who study 2 sessions a day but do not eat lunch. To educate children to share difficulties with students in the class, preschool teachers let them raise piggy banks, and at the end of the year give gifts to students in difficult circumstances in the class...

Special feelings for preschool teachers

Reading the article on Thanh Nien Newspaper with the topic " Men become preschool teachers, why not?" I was very interested, because for many years I have had special feelings and admired teachers who have chosen this special profession. I was interested, because of the way the question was posed from the question of a male candidate in the Exam Season Consulting program of Thanh Nien Newspaper. That is also the concern of many male students on the threshold of choosing a career: "I am a man, can I study preschool education? My parents do not support me because they say that profession looks 'weak', what should men do to be strong".

I call preschool teachers "special" because they are stronger, the strongest teachers compared to male teachers in secondary, university and post-graduate levels. They are strong because they choose the difficult. Teaching preschool is more difficult, more tiring than other levels. Teaching preschool requires more diligence, hard work and patience than other levels. And more special, they are the strongest because they overcome prejudices and barriers to reach young children.

At the beginning of the 2023-2024 school year, I spent an entire class showing reports about male preschool teachers so that teachers and students could interact, so that students could have a new perspective and appreciate their teachers. Many students learned for the first time that men choose preschool teachers, and I had new messages and perspectives to give to my students.

I believe that the Exam Season Consulting program as well as the articles written about men working as preschool teachers from Thanh Nien Newspaper at the beginning of 2024 will contribute to spreading, adding confidence and strength so that 12th grade male students (and even lower grade students) can be confident and proud when choosing preschool education as a lifelong career.