Bringing more than just maths

We asked our Maths Circle mentors to tell us about themselves and what inspires them and found that they are among the most interesting people in the world. Read on to get to know them.

When people think of a maths mentor, they often imagine someone who can solve equations at lightning speed, explain complex concepts with ease, or help students finally understand calculus before an exam. Yes, mentors at our Maths Circles do all of that.

But what makes them truly exceptional goes way beyond mathematics.

Our community of maths mentors has some of the most interesting people you’ll ever meet. Alongside being deeply-skilled professionals with a serious command of maths, they bring an extraordinary range of life experiences, careers, passions, and perspectives into every session and students are all the better for it.

“I am a practitioner of Taekwondo and am a black belt (1st degree).”

“I started out as an international tax consultant, and via a three-year stint as a researcher for MPs in Parliament, am now a full-time tutor in maths and economics. I am also a dual-code rugby player and a respectable standard chess player, who is currently trying to attain a title by reviving opening gambits that are considered the least sound.”

Many of our mentors have worked in fields where maths shapes real-world decisions every day. Some come from engineering and data science backgrounds. Others enjoy careers in law, finance and even politics. Some are musicians, writers, or avid travellers. Others have worked across cultures and countries, bringing a global perspective to how they think and teach.

“I've lived in 6 different countries, teaching maths in some form, and once had to cross an international border every day to get to work. I've loved seeing how different cultures approach maths differently and tried to learn from all of them in my teaching.”

This diversity matters.

When students ask, “When will I ever use this?”, our mentors don’t answer with clichés. They respond with stories from real experience.

“I spent a few years in chemistry research using computational modelling. Some of the ideas in the Maths Circles programme overlap with that, which is very exciting to see.”

They can explain how algebra powers coding, how geometry influences design, how probability shapes business strategy, or how mathematical thinking helps people make better decisions in everyday life. Suddenly, math stops feeling abstract and starts feeling connected to the world around us.

“My favourite function of the Maths Circle is to get the students using their understanding and imagination to solve problems instead of wracking their memories for the correct algorithm. It means they get excited about solving problems, which often don't even look like Maths but involve much more difficult problem- solving techniques.”

She captures the sentiment that the best mentors don’t just teach formulas. They teach confidence.

A student struggling with maths can  often  be struggling with other concerns: fear of failure, lack of confidence, pressure to perform, or the belief that they are simply “not a maths person.” Great mentors recognize this immediately.

“There was one student, I guess with anxiety issues. She never turned her camera or microphone on but after a few sessions she was one of the most active students. She always communicated by typing and also drawing on the whiteboard. She was brilliant.”

The perspective illuminates that because many mentors have navigated demanding careers, solved difficult problems and pursued ambitious goals themselves, they understand what perseverance looks like in practice. They know that learning is rarely linear and they bring a mix of empathy, motivation and reasonable challenge into every interaction.

“There are lightbulb moments every week! The pupils learn how to use the whiteboard to articulate their reasoning and then often the answer suddenly becomes clear to them. For example, drawing a tree diagram to represent a game strategy and realising that  there are more solutions to the problem than first thought!” 

In a world increasingly shaped by complexity, students need more than textbook knowledge. They need critical thinking, adaptability, creativity, and confidence. They need role models who show them that intellectual rigor and human experience go hand in hand.

That’s what makes our mentors special.

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