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After retirement, 80 year-old teacher, Ho Huong Nam, has opened her own doors to teach disabled and disadvantaged children in Hanoi, because of the love for her profession.

Nam's class, in a small room at a school located in Tay Ho District teaches children only for the benefit of seeing them learn. Her youngest student is 8 and her oldest is 31.

Nam, originally from Hue, has taught in Quang Binh Province for two years before marrying and moving to Hanoi in 1957. While teaching at Hoang Hoa Tham Primary School, Nam had already had a dream of opening a classes for disabled students, and, in 1979 opened a class and tried to convince parents to let their children study.

"At first, I had to rent a nursery room. My work as a ward official allowed me to relate to the situation of the local families. It took about a month to convince parents that the classes were worth attending. Now I feel real joy at seeing students' improvement, " Nam said.

Speaking about her time teaching, Nams said that it is not an easy job. Teaching mentally disabled and challenged youth is an especially difficult task. She said, "It has been difficult to even get them to be able to hold a pen and write the letter O."

She has taken on students with a range of disabilities, including those who are deaf, autistic and having physical disabilities.

Still, even after reaching 80, the teacher has not given up on her task.

In teaching special needs students, Nam said that her motto is, "Teaching is soothing", adding that these children are very vulnerable. 

She said that teachers should love their students more than their own career. "Teachers have an opportunity to help disabled children get over whatever complex they have. This is the love of the job."

In 15 years, many parents have offered to pay the tuition but Nam refused. She used her pension, money given by her families to buy snack, pens and notebooks for students, encouraging them to study more.

She said when the class first opened she cried because parents called her 'crazy' for wanting their children study like normal students. But her perseverance, fueled by real affection, has proven to be priceless.

"I'll teach until I can't anymore. But I still worry about the students. Who will teach them after me?"

Her small class

Nam is teaching her students