Phung Nguyen Ngoc Anh, 22 years old, recently completed her four-year journey at the Department of Mathematics and Informatics, Hanoi National University of Education, with an excellent degree. With a GPA of 3,98/4 (equivalent to 9,34/10), she was one of the top students in the high-quality Mathematics Education program. Most of Ngoc Anh's specialized subject scores were above 9, with many achieving perfect scores.

Few know that Ngoc Anh, who twice won third prize in the national excellent student competition, had a challenging start with mathematics. She recalled that during junior high school, her math ability was "average". Despite being on the school team, her performance stagnated. Feeling stuck at times, Ngoc Anh considered giving up mathematics to switch to chemistry or English.

Phung Nguyen Ngoc Anh. *Photo courtesy of subject*

A turning point arrived in grade 8 when she joined an extra math class. The teacher's new teaching method inspired her, helping her develop mathematical thinking. Her knowledge gaps gradually filled, leading Ngoc Anh to a breakthrough: she won second prize in the city competition in grade 8, then first prize at the provincial level in grade 9. This success paved the way for her admission to the specialized math class at Vinh Phuc Specialized High School.

"I gradually realized that math is not only an interesting subject but also helps with self-study and reasoning in life, especially enhancing logical thinking when learning English", Ngoc Anh said. During her three years of study there, she twice won third prize in the national excellent student competition, earning direct university admission.

Despite this, upon entering Hanoi National University of Education, Ngoc Anh faced challenges, particularly with specialized subjects from her second year. Besides Calculus, which she had encountered in high school, linear algebra and algebraic structures made her feel like a "blank slate". To catch up with the curriculum, Ngoc Anh identified self-study as crucial. She systematically recorded all knowledge, found exercises corresponding to theories for practice, and proved concepts herself. For difficult problems, she read guides and then rewrote them in her own understanding, occasionally re-solving them to reinforce memory using the spaced repetition method.

Additionally, Ngoc Anh earned bonus points by attending all classes, actively participating, and completing homework. For her, speaking up not only boosted confidence but also provided opportunities to discuss with lecturers and deepen her understanding in class. Before each exam, Ngoc Anh planned her revision early and set specific goals. She also combined watching online lectures with reviewing notes and syllabi from previous courses, even studying reduced content to gain a deeper understanding. "I always believe that each subject should be learned one time, so I must learn to understand, not just to get by", Ngoc Anh shared. During stressful times, she chose to walk to relieve tension, helping her mind relax before returning to her studies.

Consequently, Ngoc Anh's specialized subject scores were always above 9, some even reaching a perfect 10, notably in probability and statistics. She particularly enjoyed this subject due to the lecturer's engaging teaching methods and its practical relevance. Ngoc Anh found that probability and statistics supported many concepts like random variables, probability distributions, and standard deviation, which could be applied in stock investment or gold prices.

Despite her nearly all-A transcript, Ngoc Anh admitted to having "weaknesses" in abstract theoretical subjects like psychology of education or political economy. These were the two subjects where Ngoc Anh did not achieve an A. Beyond her coursework, she had a research project that won first prize at the departmental level and third prize at the university level. However, she believes she is not destined for research and is more interested in teaching.

She began honing her pedagogical skills early, working as a tutor during high school and as a teaching assistant at a center from her second year of university. She joined professional clubs to learn how to prepare lectures and design interactive games to make lessons less dry. During her final semester at Hanoi National University of Education, Ngoc Anh returned to Vinh Phuc Specialized High School for her internship and was subsequently hired by the school.

Le Xuan Dai, head of the Mathematics and Informatics Department at Vinh Phuc Specialized High School, was Ngoc Anh's former team coach. As a former student of the school who returned to teach, he was delighted that his student chose a similar path. Mr. Dai's impression of Ngoc Anh was also shaped by her passion, diligence, and strong mathematical thinking. Despite being the only female student on the math team back then, Ngoc Anh displayed personality and high competitiveness. He hopes she will soon establish herself at her former school.

Ngoc Anh plans to pursue a master's degree specializing in probability and statistics to continue her career as a high school teacher. "I hope to achieve success in teaching specialized math classes and the national team", she shared.

By Hai Yen