Culture at Math Academia

Math Academia has come a long way since it first entered the tuition industry. From teaching in a rented classroom a few years ago at Lakeside, we are now one of the leading premium math specialists in Bukit Timah. From running the entire operations alone, my team has expanded to 5 tutors and 3 administrative officers.

When there was a need to hire, it was a no brainer to hire ex-students as students of the past and present are all treated as part of the Math Academia family. It is this closeness that we share that sets Math Academia apart from the rest.

I first joined Math Academia back in 2017 as a J1 right before the promotional examinations as I was getting undesirable grades throughout the course of the year. After hearing my peers speak highly of Mr Peng and how effective his lessons are, I decided to give it a shot. Initially, I was rather hesitant about joining Math tuition as I believed that the key to excelling in Math was through constant practice and drilling and that was something I could manage on my own without external help. However, Mr Peng proved that to be false as instead of just delivering concepts, he makes sure that you fully understand them. Through his many tips and analogies, it definitely made my learning process a much more smooth-sailing and enjoyable one! Although results were not shown immediately as I had joined rather last minute, Mr Peng was quick to assure me that results took time to show and not to be demoralised. I decided to continue with Math Academia after the promos intensive and it eventually led me to clinch an ‘A’ at the ‘A’ Level Examinations last year!

Fast forward 2 years, I am now back at Math Academia working for Mr Peng. This job opportunity has been nothing short of amazing as it provides many challenges for me and exposes me to many skill sets in areas such as marketing and designing. At the same time, I get to forge valuable friendships and communicate with the parents and students at the centre. Being surrounded by familiar faces at work and being able to work alongside Mr Peng and my previous tuition classmates is also a privilege and a really fun process as we are able to bounce ideas off one another comfortably and have fun at the same time! Math Academia has become a place that is more than just a tuition centre/workplace and has become a place I would consider home.

When I first went for tuition at Math Academia at Lakeside, I was quite nervous because my Math results were so bad – I was scoring ‘U’ grade for all my common tests and term exams. I was desperate for Math tuition because I believe that Math is a subject which I can do well with enough and consistent practices. I was seeking Math tutors by myself online until my friend introduced me to Math Academia. When I first met Junyang, he was very welcoming even though he wasn’t feeling well. However, I personally felt that I could understand his explanations really well. He does examples on the board before letting us try out some ourselves. Whenever I face a difficult question, I would not be hesitant to ask him because he is very friendly and approachable, hence, his lessons are very enjoyable to attend! Through his lessons, I was able to do a lot of practices in class every week and I was able to grasp the concept of each chapter. In my JC2 year, he gave us a lot of practice papers to complete which exposes me to many different types of questions, and I find that very helpful because it stretches me further and be more prepared for the ‘A’ levels. I’m glad to score from a ‘U’ grade to a ‘B’ grade for ‘A’ level H2 Mathematics!

Working at Math Academia has taught me many skills which are useful in the future when I go into the workforce. Since I was his ex-student, it was comfortable working in the centre because we became friends after I graduated since he’s not teaching me anymore. We were able to speak casually and voice out any opinions or suggestions which would help the centre. The tasks at Math Academia aren’t difficult and it is very manageable. He gives us reasonable deadlines to meet and this helps us in our productivity and efficiency. Also, it is also a place where we can do our things comfortably and peacefully as the centre is a very conducive environment! I feel that through this working experience at Math Academia, I am able to show my skills and experiences in my future career.

I joined Math Academia around the second half of JC2 during Junior College as I desperately needed help with my H2 Mathematics. Tuition was never ‘sian’ and in fact it was enjoyable – the atmosphere was chill and friendly, and my questions were always clarified. As time passed, I started seeing improvements with my grades, which pushed me to even practice more and do better. Math Academia really gives out so many good practices with worked solutions so I could do them at my own pace whenever I was free. I will always be thankful to have joined this tuition centre, which helped me attain my distinction in H2 Mathematics.

As an ex-student, I would say Mr Peng really puts emphasis on forming long-lasting bonds with his student, getting to know each of them and caring for them. So I decided to give back in a small way that I could – work for Math Academia! So far, it has been an enjoyable experience. It is very refreshing and enlightening to see the amount of effort that the staff put in so that students can really learn and have a good time while doing so. I’m glad to be a part of this team!