World Teachers’ Day – celebrating the NSW teachers who help students thrive now and beyond. Francisco Dominguez reports.
In the lead up to World Teachers’ Day in NSW on Friday 27 October, join us in recognising the outstanding work of teachers across the state.
Thao Vu has been the Mathematics Coordinator at Clancy Catholic College in West Hoxton for 3 years, where she leads a team of teachers inspiring the students she calls the next generation of “great learners and great mathematicians”.
In this role, and across her 14 years as a Mathematics teacher, Thao said that she shares her infectious enthusiasm for her subject with students across Years 7 to 12 in the hope of nurturing an interest that lasts far beyond the HSC.
She introduced numerous initiatives to help students gain an understanding and a passion for the subject. Their Targeting Mathematics program offers ongoing support for students and Back to Basics sessions give a refresher on the fundamentals of Mathematics bookwork.
After producing full sets of videos on Mathematics during the pandemic, Thao noticed videos still had an important role after students returned to the classroom. Her team now records video explainers on the topics their students find the most difficult, an invaluable resource for students who need help catching up.
This year, she also established a range of Application of Mathematics activities in collaboration with the College’s Technological and Applied Studies team. Clancy Catholic College students studying Measurement – Length/Perimeter, Area, Volume and Rates and Ratios now participate in activities that demonstrate their relevance across Timber, Food Technology and Construction.
Thao explained she places great emphasis on encouraging her students to become lifelong learners too, equipping them with skills to learn how to learn.
“I hope that students know that we are all learners and those who are successful continue to learn through mistakes and failures.”
Her encouraging, attentive approach to her students and teachers pays dividends when she sees them demonstrate their learning, overcoming obstacles and completing their HSC.
Thao said, “Many students who could get through the HSC came back saying that it was because I believed in them. Many students whose hardships were noticed by me and due to many conversations we had, they could get through their life challenges. Those were the moments when I knew that I had made a difference”.
Celebrate a teacher in your local community by adding them to the NSW Teaching Gems map: Map | NSW Education Standards
