3 x Australian mathematics competition high distinction winner teaches year 5-8 mathematics in Canberra and online.

Find out more about Anthony

• 1) When did you develop an interest in your chosen field and in private tutoring?

  1, I had an interest in math and science from a young age as both my parents worked in STEM. In year 6, I began helping my friends, and later, people that weren't my friends in math, chemistry and physics. From year 7, a friend recommended a tutor for me who specialized in competition maths and from his inspiration I had a desire to help others in different places from different backgrounds.

• 2) Tell us more about the subject you teach, the topics you like to discuss with students (and possibly those you like a little less).

  2, I can teach a broad range of subjects from Math and Chemistry all the way to Computer Science and Rowing, I enjoy discussing algebra, number theory, chemistry, physics and python with my students. While i do understand the point of learning is to, well, learn, I think that making learning fun, makes it more effective in the real world. As for subjects I like 'a little less', I don't particularly enjoy creative writing although I have begun trying to relearn it.

• 3) Did you have any role models; a teacher that inspired you?

  3, A valuable role model for me is a tutor who we'll call N, N was an inspiring person with a different upbringing however brought this energy and passion into our lessons, while he taught incredible level of competition math and did competition math himself, I saw in him what I aspire to do. N was a genuinely good person and made learning very enjoyable.

• 4) What do you think are the qualities required to be a good tutor?

  4, Qualities needed for being a good tutor include hard work, grit, determination and leadership. The concept of hard work really hits me from this quote 'talent loses to hard work when talent doesn't work hard'. I don't need a tutor that is talented but refuses to put in effort, a tutor should be someone who shows genuine effort and determination.

• 5) Provide a valuable anecdote related to your subject or your days at school.

  5, Unlike other teachers, Mr T did not limit himself to teaching mathematics. He honed your cognitive abilities. In the algebra classes conducted in our class, I was always the first to complete all the tasks; not because I completed them quickly, but because the systematics of solving equations and systems of equations was understandable to me. While my classmates were still comprehending the problem, I began experimenting with various methods of solving it. I remember when Mr T once noticed this feature of mine. He did not praise it, but treated my skills as something that needed polishing, rather than just admiration. Once, while completing a set of tasks that was deliberately complicated, I completed all of them quite quickly but hesitated at one task, which seemed to me somehow wrong. Not continuing with further tasks, I re-examined this problem from a different perspective. Mr T passed by, saw my work, and, without a single word of praise, remarked quietly, "This is the difference between speed and sharpness."

• 6) What were the difficulties or challenges you faced or are still facing in your subject?

  6, I faced difficulties visualizing complex 3d integrals but at some point I realized, visualizing it isn't the problem, what is the problem is my inability to adapt to questions, I would see one type of questions and i would learn how to solve it but never knew how to apply it diversely. That is the difference between someone who gets 100 and someone who get 96.

• 7) Do you have a particular passion? Is it teaching in general or an element of the subject or something completely different?

  7, I have a passion of algebra. Something I genuinely spend hours on is complex proof problems, I enjoy the thinking of problems and the breaking it down piece by piece, while I love a simple integral, proof problems are my calling.

• 8) What makes you a Superprof (besides answering these interview questions)?

  8, I help students involve them self into the actual math, not just applying it to one problem. I explain to the the actual concept and I often check in on them to make sure they are no confused and know exactly how each part works, if not, they are free to ask problems and no question is ever a bad question.