Two memorable math teachers

     There were quite a few math teachers who had taught me were truly outstanding. However, among them, Mr. X and Mrs. Y had impacted my understanding of math teaching and learning the most. 　 　
     The first individual who sparked my interest in mathematics was Mr. X, my first-year calculus instructor. I was very successful in his class and received the highest grade; however, he always challenged me with complex and difficult problems on top of my regular homework. He could answer any of the math-problem at any time without hesitation. So, we called him “The God of Mathematics.” His rich knowledge in the subject area got me interested into mathematics .He would assign a couple of extra problems so that I always have something to work with. On the other hand, he would reduce the work load of some students in half if he saw them struggling through the required curriculum due to their personal hardships. Moreover, he asked me to lead a group of two or three students who had difficulties in understanding the mathematical concepts. By doing this, those students not only felt more comfortable learning from their peers; but also, I was able to reinforce my understanding and practice my mini-teaching skills. From this social context, I believe that to become a teacher, one needs to be passionate, competent, and be the expert in the subject area of teaching. However, the flexibility that Mr. X had demonstrated highlights how important it is for teachers to be sensitive and thoughtful so that they may reach their goals in teaching to a diverse body of students.
     The other individual was Mrs. Y, my first math instructor in Canada. I was in her grade 10 math class, after receiving 100% on the first midterm, she told me that if I could get the highest mark in four consecutive math courses then I would win a math scholarship. Since then I worked very hard on the following three mathematical courses and partnered with a fellow student, who was constantly thinking dropping the course due to a learning disability in mathematics. I was his free personal math tutor at the time. This not only helped him to improve his math skills but also I reinforced my own mathematical understanding. The final outcome was, I won the math scholarship and he passed all of his math courses. Not surprisingly, I was given the scholarship for excellence in math. However, at the ceremony, one thing that surprised me was the fellow student whom I tutored also received the award for “the most improved in math.” This award was sponsored by Mrs. Y. The fellow student then went on to start his apprentice career at BCIT. The award of “The most improved in math” shows that the education is not the privilege of the elite. Mrs. Y had vividly demonstrated the meanings of “education without distinction” and “excellence without distinction.”