“Don’t get me fired,” joked Madame Tonhu Hoang before beginning her interview. Insisting that the entirety of her interview be conducted in French, I think it’s clear to see how Madame Hoang’s immersive teaching style brings humor, passion, and knowledge to her classroom. With 20 years of teaching experience, Madame Hoang previously taught at PDS years ago and has now returned after teaching math at the Hun School. This year, she joins both the Middle and Upper School French departments.

Originally settling in the United States in Kansas, Madame Hoang is a dedicated Kansas City Chiefs fan. She loves watching their games;in fact, she once even played Madden for 30 hours straight!

When asked about what she loves most about PDS, Mme Hoang highlighted the K-12 community. She enjoys watching students grow and evolve over the years, and that connection is initially  what drew her to teaching. Her passion lies in helping students learn and continuing to learn alongside them. “Sometimes, I like to believe I’m still a student too,” she says with a smile. Her favorite French dish is the classic beef bourguignon, and outside the classroom, she loves reading and watching NFL games. 

Throughout her career, one of her biggest challenges has been encouraging students to focus on learning rather than grades. Even now at PDS, she continues to inspire them to value curiosity and growth in learning above all else. Let’s give Madame Hoang a beautiful welcome back into the PDS community!