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My favorite thing is to go where I have never gone. Books have taken me to a far away place, a journey into my lifelong dream- a dream that brought me to America years ago as a foreign student. How surprised and happy I was when I discovered that there were libraries everywhere- city libraries, county libraries, college and university libraries, high school libraries, intermediate school libraries, elementary school libraries! And what I, when I was growing up in that faraway land without the luxury of libraries, wouldn't have done to be able to trade places with an American kid- Libraries. Graduated with two master degrees, education and library science, I had an ambition to establish libraries everywhere in Vietnam, but my dream was vanished because of the Communist took over of the country in 1975. Reading, books, and libraries have contributed tremendously to the academic success of my three children. Jennifer was a Valedictorian and Veronika was a Magna Cum Laude graduate of Westfield High School. Marc is following his sisters' step. They have "graduated from Mom's school", said they from time to time, before they went to kindergartens. I equipped them with a powerful skill- reading to get ahead. My family and I traveled extensively in Europe during the three years my husband stationed in Germany. Twice a recipient of the Fulbright national grants, I had an opportunity to see more of Asia. Of journeying, the freshness it brings to the heart, the seeing and hearing of marvelous things, the delight of beholding new cities, the meeting of unknown friends, the learning of high manners, and the making of positive connections. The world is a global village. It is important to help students learn about and value the diversity in the world around them. I want to instill in my students a dream of their own and provide them relevant learning experience outside the boundary of the classroom walls. Thomas Carlyle, the eminent eighteenth century English author and philosopher stated, "The true university is a collection of books." Think of it:--the true school is a library! Carlyle showed me the way: My career choice has been to intertwine my dual skills of teacher and librarian, in an effort to imbue the students whom I touched with a dual love- books and self-learning. I believe that each year that I both teach and act as a school librarian, that skills in accomplishing this dual objective is enhanced: my students are "touched" to a greater degree. Students today are the citizens upon which America must be able to depend on tomorrow. In an ever more frenetic technological revolution, only Americans who are lifelong students, who know the value of libraries and books, and how to use them, will succeed. Success, being successful, learning how to succeed- Those essential skills that can only be taught and learned at an early age, skills that can be engendered and enhanced through books, and libraries--self-learning skills. Helping to do that is my role. Teaching America's students of today to be the lifelong successful of tomorrow is my vision.
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Master
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