Teacher Dinh Thien Loc: "Everyone deserves the opportunity to take their first steps."“

Mr. Dinh Thien Loc is currently a lecturer in Business English Translation at Viet My College. To those around him, Mr. Loc might seem like an introverted, reserved, and somewhat taciturn person. But in the eyes of his students, Mr. Loc is a completely different person. He is a friend with whom they can share fun stories from class and listen to their concerns about their work lives.

A brief introduction to Teacher Dinh Thien Loc

Mr. Dinh Thien Loc's journey with students at Viet My College spans half of the college's history. He began working at Viet My College in 2012 as the secretary of the Foreign Languages Department. In 2015, after graduating with a Master's degree from the University of Social Sciences and Humanities, he returned to the college to teach.

APC: Why did you decide to pursue a career in education? And what subjects do you enjoy teaching the most?

Teacher Loc: I enjoy teaching, partly because teaching itself helps me broaden my knowledge. This knowledge isn't just gained through lesson planning, but also through what I learn from colleagues and especially from my students. Personally, I enjoy teaching all subjects. I hate boredom, so I like teaching many new and interesting subjects even more.

APC: Could you share why you decided to return to Viet My to continue teaching after graduating with your Master's degree?

Teacher LocWhen I was working at the Foreign Language Department in 2012, it was Ms. Mai Trang who encouraged me to continue my studies at the postgraduate level. So, when Ms. Trang contacted me and offered me a return to teaching at Viet My, I immediately accepted.

Actually, besides Viet My, I also teach at a few other schools. Personally, when choosing a workplace, I don't prioritize the school's reputation, but rather focus on places that best suit me. Teaching has certain pressures, but at Viet My, I find more joy. The support staff is very enthusiastic, and the superiors are also understanding. Furthermore, the students at Viet My are a great motivation for me to continue on this path. In them, I see youthful energy, dynamism, and creativity; they are very aware of their academic responsibilities and adhere to high standards of conduct.

APC: In your opinion, what difficulties do students often encounter when studying Business English Translation?

Teacher LocFirst of all, it must be said that business English interpreting is a difficult field. And since people start from different points, some of you have to work much harder to compensate for your lack of foundation and knowledge.

The students' stories were heartbreaking. One student told me that once, upon seeing their college diploma, they were flatly rejected. Such experiences can easily make students feel like, "Am I really that useless...?" And this isn't just happening at our school; it's the same for college students everywhere. Judging ability solely based on a diploma, in my opinion, is wrong. Regardless of the degree, it demonstrates a person's efforts and hard work. What's important is giving people opportunities to develop and improve. Everyone needs opportunities, except for high-level positions that require experience; generally, everyone has to start from scratch. If I were the recruiter, attitude, demeanor, and perhaps abilities would be the most important factors. But everyone has different perspectives; if one place doesn't hire you, you can find another. The student who was rejected is now working at VUS, a much better center than the one that rejected their APC diploma. Generally speaking, most of our graduates find jobs. With this field of study, you can work in many different areas such as education, tourism, office work, etc., so unemployment is the real problem.

APC: What are your thoughts on the students at Viet My School?

Teacher Loc: The students in my class are very well-behaved! They listen attentively to lectures, obey everything I say, and are afraid when I yell. My students are ambitious and have excellent attitudes; they're not childish and know right from wrong. They're not the type to say, "If the teacher forbids me from taking the exam, I'll hate the teacher." For me, the most important thing is that they acknowledge their mistakes, their areas for improvement, and strive to correct them. Overall, after each course, all the students show improvement, and some even show unexpected progress.

I also greatly admire you all for your willpower in overcoming obstacles and prejudices while studying at Viet My School. Sometimes, when I hear you talk about your lives, I think that if I were in your situation, I'm not sure I could manage. In class, I find it very funny to hear you tell stories; there's no stress at all. Sometimes, when I get home and think about the stories you told in class, my family asks me why I'm sitting here laughing to myself all the time.

APC: Do you have any advice for Vietnamese-American students, Professor?

Teacher LocYour outstanding strengths are your dynamism and diligence. However, some of you seem to be too focused on having fun or spending too much time on other activities instead of truly investing in your studies. At Viet My, you only learn what is necessary for your future career, so I hope you will be more proactive and responsible in your studies, making the most of your time in school to improve your knowledge. Because later in life, your boss won't spend 30 hours giving you detailed instructions.

Generally, you all lack confidence, thinking you can't do this or that, and believing your limits are only so far, which is why you lose motivation. I want to share with you, Viet My students, a rather famous quote: "We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act, but a habit." I wish you all a youth full of memories and knowledge with Viet My.

Thank you, Professor, for taking the time to share such fascinating stories and incredibly helpful advice with Vietnamese-American students. APC wishes you continued success in the future.Hey!

Author: Viet My College - Date written: September 8, 2019

Category: Business English interpreting, News - Events

Tags: APC, Viet My College, lecturer, Business English interpreter, Master Dinh Thien Loc, Teacher Loc