Each day, Mr. Lynus Vuong stands in the doorway and welcomes students with a morning greeting. As the bell rings, he gets ready to teach the complex workings of Human Anatomy and Physiology.
Despite being a relatively new teacher, Vuong has developed an effective method to help students excel. He incorporates group work and individual work into one, often combining a variety of materials, such as microscope lab work, dissections, coloring packets, craft projects, and bone models. Students not only gain an in-depth understanding of anatomical functions and labels, but are often tested with practical exams where they are required to determine the functions or labels of body parts on the spot.
Although a difficult challenge, these challenges often push students to strive for success and prepare for difficult curricula in the future. This precisely aligns with his philosophy of “trauma builds character.”
“I don’t think at any point I would be like, ‘the only reason I’m getting a bad grade is because Mr. Vuong is a bad teacher,’” Caitlyn Snyder (12) said. “It’s kind of up to you to put the work in, and his teaching style is him interacting with us and then leaving the rest to us so I appreciate it.”
Much of Vuong’s teaching style comes from his experience as a tutor. He likes to see that learning is very collaborative and ensures everyone gets the support they need, dedicating office hours to those who are struggling. During class time, he often checks in with students as they work in their table groups, answering any questions they have.
“He doesn’t wait for us to come up to him—he kind of pokes at us first,” Synder said. “I like his attitude because he is just a nice person.”
Though his path to teaching was not a straightforward one, he has found belonging in the calling of teaching.
“Before I started teaching, I was a student in pharmacy school. After completing a single year, I decided it wasn’t really for me. I would rather do something that has a lot of variety, and I always loved working with students,” Vuong said. “That’s why I pursued teaching and I have been happy with that decision ever since.”
He teaches an elective class, so his periods consist of students who lack credits for a science class or are preparing to go into medical professions. Since Anatomy and Physiology is a class that covers comprehensive content about the functions and workings of the human body, many find the class useful for their careers in healthcare.
“Taking this class, considering that I want to pursue nursing, I believe that it’s a helpful class,” Andrew Piatos (11) said.
Through his dedication to teaching, Vuong not only inspires students to open up with their questions, but also helps them learn collaboratively, just as they would in college study groups. In the process of figuring out what he truly enjoys in a career, he has helped students make use of their knowledge and skills.
“I like how every single day, every single hour, it’s always very, very different,” Vuong said. “Just seeing how students learn is very fun.”
