From small beginnings come great things--this is evident in the case of Robert Nguyen. Having attended Fountain Valley High School and Cal State Long Beach, Mr. Nguyen currently serves as a student teacher at our very own Bolsa Grande High School. A Garden Grove native, however, he takes pride in his humble beginnings.
Nguyen was born into an Asian family, making it difficult to escape impossible expectations. “My parents wanted me to become a pharmacist when I grew up,” he laughed, “or maybe a doctor. Either one of those.” He decided to go against the odds, however, and chose to pursue a career in teaching.
“Teaching is fun; it’s engaging. There’s nothing better than interacting with a student and helping that student.”
“I hope to learn many things from Mr. Cho. He’s a great teacher and person in general.”
Obviously, all jobs come with interesting occasions. We asked him about any peculiar observations in class. “There’s a guy in one of my classes that stands in front of the fan for about a minute everyday before class starts. It’s so weird because he just stands there.”
Despite the wonderful things about being a teacher, Mr. Nguyen also expresses the more unpleasant things that he must endure while teaching. When asked about the worst aspect of being a teacher, Nguyen replied by stating that grading is his least favorite part. "Grading tests, quizzes. I don't like to limit students' capabilities."
Through the struggles, Nguyen represents the epitome of a teacher who strives for the welfare of his students. “The one thing I love about teaching the most,” he pondered, “is that instant feeling of gratification once a student finally understands something he or she has been struggling with. When that light bulb flickers on and that student gets it. That’s probably one of the greatest things.”