View Profile

What’s your name?

My name is Athena Hah and I am a Mathematics teacher.

What’s your teaching experience?

In 2009, I began my very first part-time tutoring job, working for the university I attended – Iowa Wesleyan University, USA, for over 3 years. Along with my excellent grades and thoughts about my future career, I made a bold attempt to impose for the tutoring position, because I had constantly supported my peers academically in maths and science courses. My requisition was approved, and I was given the status of ‘peer tutor’ on campus. There was a full-time teaching position waiting for me to fill in at the local public school before I even finished my bachelor studies. I worked there for a year, but eventually returned to Malaysia. However, I never stopped teaching because I enjoy seeing the bright smiles on the faces of students who had previously struggled with maths. Students from all around the world are recruited by the international school where I work. In 2018, I developed my teaching abilities further and mastered online teaching. I have pupils from all over the world, including those from the United Kingdom, China, Korea, Japan, Indonesia, South Africa, and other countries.

How do you teach that helps students learn efficiently?

I believe that getting to know my students and planning lessons that target their capabilities is the key to effectively supporting them in the subject. This includes learning about their strengths, weaknesses, interests and prior knowledge. I generally start a discussion with an interesting opener that includes one or more warm-up problems that they can relate to. It is a way to review and assess students’ prior knowledge before introducing them to new concepts.

Moreover, I make sure to show multiple ways to solve the same problem, which is a practice to validate the correct answers while at the same time demonstrating the fact that there are many possible approaches to problem solving. I think that the more approaches and strategies students are exposed to, the deeper their conceptual understanding of that topic will be. By asking them to come up with their own independent solutions, I can encourage them to be creative as well as promote a well-rounded understanding of the concepts taught.

On the other hand, providing feedback is an essential part of the lesson for me. The constructive feedback I have provided to my students has enabled them to make steady improvements over time, and they have greatly benefited from being engaged with it. The positive feedback they received has also boosted their confidence, independence, ability to perform on tests, and ultimately enhance their passion for learning.

Why do you enjoy teaching?

First of all, teaching maths is a marvellous opportunity due to its challenge. Every student tackles maths problems from their own unique perspectives, which can often differ from mine. In my role as a teacher, I am grateful to have the moments to encounter various ways to understand maths from different standpoints, which is one of the most powerful and fascinating aspects of maths. This is something I get to experience every day as a teacher and I learn from my students as well. I like the challenge of the subject both personally and in terms of how it can be conveyed to others.The creativity involved in teaching appeals to me. I consider teaching maths to students who show no interest in the subject as one of the most challenging jobs in the world. However, when I gain their trust and express my concerns with their academic achievements, some will eventually realize the value of what they do, resulting in them coming around with a positive attitude and becoming more motivated. Authenticity and building good connections with my students are crucial aspects of my work. Seeing my students flourish has been the most rewarding aspect of my teaching career.

What’s one fun fact about you?

A straight-up fun fact that I can think of is closely related to my profession. I used to claim that being a teacher was the last thing on my mind when it came to potential careers. I was a mischievous kid back then. We used to make fun of our teachers because I was in a class with a lot of goofy pals. Despite the fact that all of our instructors were extremely close with us, I always believed that we were a handful to deal with as youngsters, and that all of our attentive teachers were saints. I used to believe that only people who are out of their minds will choose to be “tortured” by a bunch of students. From my experience, I’ve learned never to say never.