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By: Felicidad Tan-Co January 6, 2006 This article appeared on the January 1, 2006 issue of the Philippine Star - Starweek Magazine. IT'S A LONG WAY FROM being a substitute high school teacher to winning the highest accolade given to mathematics educators. This year, Dr. Simon Chua will be the first Filipino educator to receive the Paul Erdos Award in the hallowed halls of Robinson College, Cambridge, England, amidst peers and prominent members of the World Federation of National Mathematics Competitions. Every two years, the award is given in memory of Hungarian mathematician Paul Erdos, considered the greatest mathematician of the 20th century. Chua, 52, is president of the Mathematics Trainers' Guild of the Philippines (MTG), which celebrated its 10th anniversary last year. While this is still a generation short of realizing the full impact of its programs, MTG has already shown some immediately results in the hundreds of medals its young students bring home each year from international math competitions, bringing honor not only to themselves and their schools but to the country as well. MTG students competed in Hong Kong's Primary Mathematics World Contest, World Youth Mathematics Inter-cities Competition, International Mathematics and Science Olympiad for Primary Schools, Australian Mathematics Competition, USA Mathematical Olympiad for Elementary and Middle Schools, Canadian Mathematics Competition, American Mathematics Competition (8, 10 & 12), South Africa Primary Math Olympiad, Asia Inter-cities Teenagers Mathematics Olympiad, among others. "It was a pipe dream," Chua and his fellow MTG visionaries say of the initial years of struggle when MTG had to seek support from teachers, students, parents and even government agencies and the private sector. MTG officer Anthony Ang points out, "It was not uncommon in the early years that Dr. Chua had to dig into his own pocket just to get projects moving." Robert Degolacion, MTG executive director, adds that Dr. Chua funds the printing of teaching materials distributed to teachers in remote provinces. MTG designed the first-ever year-long, nationwide math program that identifies the country's top young mathematical minds and trains them for international competitions. To equalize opportunities, MTG spread its program throughout the archipelago. Although a lot of the students come from private primary and secondary schools in Metro Manila, MTG made sure that effort is made to identify and train math wizards, whether from the private or public sector, from the 17 regions. MTG currently has 26 training centers throughout Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao, each headed by volunteer math teachers who believe in the vision that good math students make good leaders. "That program turned out to be successful, as year after year, the Philippines reaped award after award in the international arena," says Carlo Brian Nerecena, from the first batch in 1996. "In the process, it changed the lives of many young Filipinos, including myself, who became part of this program." Nerecena, an Atenean, is setting an example by mentoring the current batch of MTG students. An important part of the program is the training of math trainors to ensure that teachers are constantly updated in the best math pedagogy. "Dr. Chua employs the use of unusual methods of pedagogy to motivate learners to love math just as he loves it," shares Degolacion, who has an MA in Education, major in Math from the Western Mindanao State University and a BS in Elementary Education, major in Math from the Ateneo de Zamboanga. Chua's ability to attract the most dedicated math educators to volunteer their time is a feat in itself. "People really see my sincerity and my clear aims. They see that everything I do is not vested with self-interest. I always place the welfare of my students above anything else," Chua explains. "My goal is to make mathematics alive in the lives of my students." But he is quick to credit the many partners–teachers, parents, schools–for sharing the vision of uplifting math education in the country. He also noted the exceptional support given by Science and Technology Secretary Dr. Estrella Alabastro and the Director of DOST's Science Education Institute Dr. Ester B. Ogena. "They are God-sent. Indeed, when we care for others with deep sincerity, our heart of love is the noble seed that brings great blessings," adds Chua, who is also principal of Zamboanga Chong Hua High School. Perhaps he has investing too much time in teaching, Chua has remained a bachelor. A good singer, he plays several kinds of Chinese musical instruments. Like most Pinoys, he loves watching Korean and Chinese soap operas. And like most intellectuals, he collects books--with an extensive library of math books, some of them his own. Chua has designed numerous training materials for MTG and authored several math textbooks-21st Century Mathematics (nursery up to 4th year high school), Soaring 21st Century Mathematics from Nursery up to Grade VI Levels, Exploring Geometry, Appreciating Trigonometry, Living With Statistics, Discovering Pre-Calculus Mathematics--all published by Phoenix Publishing House. He is also Project Director of SIBS Progressive Series Mathematics Books. Chua graduated from the University of Santos Tomas with an MS in Mathematics, with a Meritissimus Award, and earlier on, from Feati University with a BS in Mathematics, with distinction. He earned his Doctorate of Technology with specialization in Computer Education from the Technological University of the Philippines. Recognizing the need to constantly update math trainers, MTG also took on the task to equip teachers with tools for math education. Chua organized workshops for teachers to raise the level of mathematics competencies. His dream is to make math teaching in the country at par with international standards. Chua initiated the International Seminar-Workshops where he invited world-renown mathematicians to facilitate the workshops. Through the years, many lecturers visited the Philippines upon Chua’s invitation, including Professor Qiu Zonghu, the former Vice Chairman of Chinese Mathematical Olympiad Committee; Dr. Andy Liu, a well-known Canadian mathematician; Dr. Leng Gangsong, the principal coach of the Chinese Mathematical Olympiad National Team, among others. Trainer's workshops were conducted from Baguio, Naga, to Bohol, Iloilo to Davao, Cagayan de Oro and Cotabato to enable teachers in the regions to attend. Chua is a towering figure, yet mild-mannered and soft-spoken. Humility is a valued trait. He believes that the role of the teacher is not authoritarian, but one of responsibility. He takes to heart Max Rafferty's remarkable words that "teaching (is) the most dangerous duty ever entrusted to man by humankind." "I cannot stop thinking of the impact teachers have in students' lives," Chua says. "In other words, I cannot afford to make any mistake in teaching because I fear that my mistake may affect eternity." The author is an artist by education, a journalist by profession, but a mother above all. |
