Game of numbers
Eddie Woo is Leader of Mathematics Growth at the New South Wales Department of Education and teaches at Cherrybrook Technology High School, the largest secondary school in the southeastern Australian state.
Although he struggled with Mathematics as a student, he is now known for his innovation and approach to teaching the subject.
It all started in 2012 when he posted videos online for a student who was sick with cancer and missing a lot of school. Before long, his videos found audiences across Australia and the world.
His YouTube channel, Wootube, now boasts more than half a million subscribers and has attracted over 27 million views.
A “late bloomer” in Mathematics, Woo said: “I had a tough time with Maths previously. I quite enjoyed subjects such as History, English and Drama but was not good with numbers.
“I went into teaching because I love children. It’s a great privilege to work with the young. It was only after becoming a teacher that I started to appreciate Mathematics.
“Teaching is still challenging for me. I have to engage with a class of 40 students who are all very different to each other. As a teacher, you have to be able to intellectually wrap your head around complicated concepts and explain them in a simple and understandable way to students.
“What I love is how much difference education makes in the lives of young people. It changes the trajectory of a child’s life.”
Woo added that students disengage with Maths for many reasons.
“Some became disengaged because they missed a few classes then the rest of the syllabus will not make sense because the thing about Maths is that the topics are mostly related.
“Some people say that ‘you’re either good in Mathematics or not at all’ but I believe that Maths is for everyone. It is a practical subject and you can be good at the subject if you work hard at it. Some may take longer than others but we’re all capable of loving Maths and I am the living example of that.”
For Woo, Mathematics is about understanding quantities, patterns and shapes that helps us to see the world more clearly.
Students from SMK (P) Sri Aman, Petaling Jaya, SMK Seksyen 10, Kota Damansara and SMK Bukit Indah, Ampang had a chance to attend Woo’s student session.
Participant Adam Haris Azman, 16, of SMK Seksyen 10 Kota Damansara said that Mathematics has been his favourite subject since he was a child.
“I really enjoyed the workshop and I love numbers even more now. Eddie made it interactive with Maths games so that we wouldn’t get bored.
“Eddie has taught us that it’s all right to make mistakes. That’s part of learning and eventually we will be better while trying to improve ourselves.”
Memorising formulas takes the fun out of solving mathematical equations.
“Sometimes it’s impossible to memorise all the complicated formulas. I do practice exercises on different topics every day so that I am familiar with the types of questions,” added Adam Haris.
SM Bukit Indah, Ampang Form Four student Seeraenthen Muruka Nathan said he gained a new perspective on Mathematics.
“Maths is now more fun to me. Eddie’s approach to Maths is more positive, enthusiastic and enjoyable. I can feel his passion for the subject and it inspires us to keep learning Maths and be excited about it.
“I have learnt that I can easily understand Maths by breaking it into smaller steps especially when it involves many operations,” he added.
Australian High Commissioner to Malaysia Andrew Goledzinowski said that Woo makes Maths fun and accessible to all.
“Many Australians have grown up listening to Eddie’s fascinating explanations of Mathematics. We are so pleased he is here to share his passion for Maths with Malaysian audiences.
“Australia and Malaysia share an enduring partnership in education and both countries recognise that STEM education with a particular focus on Mathematics is vital to equip today’s students to become tomorrow’s innovators,” he said adding that Woo’s engagement at the grassroots level with teachers will inspire Malaysia’s younger generation on their STEM journey.
Petrosains chief executive officer Fedora Zulkifli said it is an honour to partner with the Australian High Commission in welcoming Australia’s most popular Maths teacher.
“With his exciting, creative and fun teaching methods, we are confident that both teachers and students gained interesting insights into Mathematics and were inspired by his infectious enthusiasm for the subject.”