Teacher Spotlight: Ray Chang

With Justin Yuen

What is your favourite memory here at RCHK?

At the end of my first year of teaching here, the Year 11 extended maths class all came in with my face as masks. I guess that was a nice memory; one of the favourites.

When did you realise you wanted to be a maths teacher? Did you have any other possible career choices before deciding on teaching maths?

In the UK when I was at school, I always thought I would be a good teacher because I was always explaining things to my friends. It was deciding what to do in university and thinking about that - I didn’t know what I wanted to do so I chose a maths degree. The other option would have been medicine, but I didn’t want to do medicine because the predominant fact when I was 17 [was that] most of my family were doctors and I wanted to do something different. I decided on maths because it was the thing I was best at. 

I always thought I’ll be a teacher, but I wanted to put that off, sort of do my maths degree. The common avenue was consultancy or finance, so I thought about that, but then teaching was the best choice. When things went about - because I did a year abroad - I went travelling, and when I came back from travelling, it was like [the] perfect timing to get on with the teaching course. I always thought I would go back to teaching once I’d done something else. 

What’s your favourite unit in math?

In Diploma, I like teaching … … I dunno, they’re all pretty good, it’s a tough one. Sequences is a good one because it relates so much to what you guys do in the MYP and algebra, but it’s also visual and you can put it into financial stuff. So I guess that’s similar to Year 11. I like the Year 9 stats unit best, mainly because I helped develop it, so it’s kinda like my thing. 

What is your favourite mathematical concept?

I guess this idea of limits. The limit of a function - basically the idea of infinity. So abstract. 

What is your favourite part of being a teacher? 

Favourite part of being a teacher? That “aha” moment amongst students when they sort of get something, and then they’re like “that’s what that means” or “that’s how I can use that.” Just seeing students mature as well, it’s been a really nice thing. 

Other than maths, what’s your favourite subject?

Maths. There is no favourite subject. I like PE and I like Physics, but Physics is just Maths so I guess it would be PE because I like sports. 

What was your least favourite subject?

When I was at school, [my least favourite subject] was probably art because I wasn’t very good at it. Now, at the moment, because I’m teaching it, TOK. [It’s] because it’s new to me, I’m struggling to get my head around it. 

What hobbies do you enjoy outside of school?

Sports - football mainly, but any sport. I [also] like cooking, and I like live music. Enjoying the outdoors [too], which is good [since] Hong Kong is good for that. 

What advice would you give to students struggling in maths?

Join the Maths Mentoring Club *chuckles*. Ask questions. Basically, ask questions and practice.

If you could tell every student one thing, what would it be?

Use your time wisely.