Take Five with Triet Nguyen: Seventh-Grade Math Teacher at Farnsworth Elementary

Take Five is a series that highlights some of the many members of the CPS community who are going above and beyond for our schools. If you know someone who is making a difference, nominate them to be featured here.

Meet Triet Nguyen, a seventh-grade math teacher at James B. Farnsworth Elementary School. A CPS graduate himself, Mr. Nguyen has been a middle school teacher for nearly 30 years. He is known as a dedicated and engaging educator, and he takes every opportunity to help his students believe in themselves, build their self-esteem, and show them the infinite possibilities that exist for their futures.

In addition to teaching middle school math, Mr. Nguyen oversees many different extracurriculars, including volleyball, martial arts, flag football, and chess. One beloved club he organizes every year is called “Lego League,” where students use Legos to learn STEM skills like coding and building robots. This year, he is also coaching Farnsworth’s team in the Future City competition, which asks students to design cities and present solutions to sustainability challenges. With Mr. Nguyen’s guidance, Farnsworth students have won multiple awards for "Best Electronic Solution for Improving the Quality of City Life" and "Best Land Surveying Practices.”

Educators like Mr. Nguyen are critical to the success of our schools, as they give so much of their time and energy to mentor and uplift students, both inside and outside the regular school day. Read more about Mr. Nguyen below!

Can you describe your teaching style?

Everything I do is 180 degrees from what I was exposed to growing up. When I was in school, the style was just to tell students to open to page 101, do the odd numbered questions, and check the answers in the back of the book. When I’m teaching, I make every lesson relevant and connected to real life. At the beginning of the year, I ask each student to set a short-term and long-term goal. I read every single one and keep their interests in mind while I’m teaching. If we’re talking about the Pythagorean theorem, for example, and I know a student loves to skateboard, I’ll relate the lesson back to building a skateboard ramp. 

What made you want to teach middle school?

I had a difficult experience when I was in middle school. My family moved from Vietnam when I was eleven, and I was experiencing a new language, a new culture, a new everything. I felt very lost. I like teaching at the seventh and eighth grade levels because I can share some of what I learned during that period of my life, as well as give my students someone they can rely on if they are also struggling.

How would your students describe you?

Crazy and unconventional, which I take as a compliment. I also like to use a little mild sarcasm here and there to keep students’ attention.

What is a piece of advice you would give an aspiring middle school math teacher?

I always tell my student-teachers to “be who you are.” Have fun with it—laughter is a requirement in my classroom. It’s okay to be vulnerable and let your students see that you’re just a person. And I tell my students this all the time because I really believe it: if you like what you do, you’ll never work a day in your life.

What do you like to do when you’re not teaching?

I am actively involved with my family of 3 kids.  If I were to sit down and just do nothing, I would get sick mentally and physically. So I stay very busy! I am always gardening, and I try to keep my brain as active as possible.