How can students feel safe, heard, and confident enough to try?

Driven by a deep concern for students’ learning experiences, a team of dedicated teachers – Ms. Nguyen Thi Hue, Ms. Le Nguyen Thuy Tram, Ms. Tokyas Linda Gabriel, and Mr. Robinson Aucila Rubio Jr. – joined forces to develop the project “From Shy to Shine: Empowering Young Presenters”. Their innovative approach successfully impressed the judging panel at the “Innovative Teaching Awards 2025″, earning them the First Prize.

– Congratulations to the outstanding teachers of Sydney School. Could you share more about your project and the challenges you encountered during its implementation?

For the readers of RT Connections Issue 29, our project focused on developing presentation skills for Year 6 students, with a strong emphasis on building confidence in public speaking. The project’s primary goal was to help students gain confidence within a relatively short period of time. For many students, standing in front of the class to present is not merely a skill to be learned but a significant challenge by psychological barriers.

How to help students feel safe, heard, and brave enough to try was our greatest concern. Therefore, our team adopted a step-by-step approach, emphasizing encouragement, positive feedback, and the creation of a low-pressure practice environment. Witnessing students gradually become more confident was the most meaningful and rewarding moment for our team.

– Trong quá trình triển khai dự án nhóm, việc phối hợp và phân chia công việc là yếu tố then chốt. Thầy Cô có thể chia sẻ cách phân công nhiệm vụ nhằm tận dụng hiệu quả năng lực của từng thành viên không?

To ensure the project’s effectiveness, our team agreed to divide tasks based on each member’s professional strengths and practical roles. Each teacher was responsible for a clearly defined area, including academic content development, activity design, classroom implementation, evidence collection, and report compilation.

At the same time, we maintained regular communication, offered mutual feedback, and supported one another to ensure consistency in both objectives and quality. This close collaboration allowed us to maximize individual strengths and complete the project in a highly effective manner.

– In your opinion, how do professional competitions such as the “Innovative Teaching Awards 2025” contribute to teachers’ professional development?

Professional competitions like the “Innovative Teaching Awards 2025” play a vital role in teachers’ professional growth. They provide not only an opportunity for our team – and educators in general – to systematically reflect on teaching practices, but also a platform for self-assessment, adjustment, and continuous improvement in instructional quality.

Through the process of developing, discussing, and presenting teaching initiatives, teachers are encouraged to innovate pedagogical approaches, effectively integrate technology and skills, and adopt a student-centered mindset. Moreover, these competitions foster an environment of learning and experience-sharing, helping spread effective teaching practices within the educational community and contributing to the sustainable development of the teaching workforce.

We sincerely thank the teachers for their inspiring and thoughtful sharing. Congratulations once again on your remarkable achievement at the “Innovative Teaching Awards 2025″. We hope this accomplishment will continue to strengthen your confidence and motivation as you further nurture your educational journey with RT Holdings.