Top teacher Eddie Woo appointed Education Ambassador
Dean of the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences Professor Annamarie Jagose said: “While Eddie has been called ‘Australia’s most famous maths teacher’ thanks to his innovation and dynamism in the classroom, he is also an advocate for the importance of all teaching and is dedicated to nurturing the next generation of school leaders.
“In the decade since he graduated from the University of Sydney, Eddie has generously donated his time, talent and expertise to a number of our initiatives, including volunteering with the University of Sydney’s Widening Participation and Outreach program, where he has personally guided and motivated more than 1400 students from disadvantaged backgrounds. I am delighted to partner with Eddie as our Education Ambassador and know that he will continue to play an important role in the learning of our graduates and Australia’s future teaching professionals.”
Commenting on his appointment Eddie said, “Education has the power to fundamentally change the trajectory of an individual life, a family, and the wider community – so I’m delighted to work with the University and have the opportunity to inspire and guide educators of the next generation.”
Since graduating with a Bachelor of Education (Honours) in Secondary Mathematics and Information Technology in 2008, Eddie has gone on to have a varied and successful career.
In addition to his more-than-a-decade of experience working as a high school maths teacher, Eddie has built a global profile with his YouTube channel “Wootube”, amassing more than 450,000 subscribers and 25 million views for his videos, while helping struggling students across Australia and around the world to develop confidence and competence in maths.
Earlier this year, Eddie was named Australia's Local Hero of the Year and shortlisted as one of the top 10 teachers in the world in the Global Teacher Prize. He was appointed Leader of Mathematics Growth by the New South Wales Department of Education, a role that allows him to travel around the state to run workshops and professional learning while still remaining in the classroom and having direct contact with students. He also added the title of popular author to his resume, signing a book deal with Pan Macmillan Australia and publishing his first book Woo’s Wonderful World of Maths. He was also the host of ABC’s Teenage Boss.
Eddie was recognised for his outstanding achievements in the University of Sydney’s 2017 Alumni Awards.
For his first engagement in the new role, Eddie returned to campus on Saturday 15 December for Info Day 2018, where he met with prospective students and gave keynote addresses about his journey and the power of education. He also participted in a take over of the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences Instagram account on the day, broadcasting live from the University of Sydney campus and answering questions related to teaching, education and his own experience.
