Isaac Wu
Mr. Chao teaching his Algebra class.
Ask any of his former students and they will tell you the same thing: Bryan Chao, math teacher, never stops pushing students to learn and excel in the classroom. This year, he took his own advice, stepping into the role of student himself and finishing with a master’s degree to show for it.
Chao’s journey was driven by genuine passion for the subject of math. “I wanted to continue learning graduate level math because I really enjoyed that level of mathematics. I also wanted to see if I could create more connections with the math that I teach my students.” he said.
Besides his personal interest in learning advanced math, he looked to improve his mathematics to allow him to teach his students at a higher level, giving them different perspectives and details about math that would allow the students to excel.
Balancing full-time teaching and graduate school was no easy task. Chao admits the time commitment was one of the biggest challenges, especially when classes overlapped with his teaching hours. While he never struggled with the academic work itself, doubts crept in when he was faced with writing a thesis. “I thought, I can’t quit here because how would that affect my image as a person who specializes in math?” he recalled.
Former students remember Chao not only for his achievement but also for his steady support. Ethan Tran, senior, described him as “calm, collected, and smart.” Tran recalled a time when Chao personally guided him through a difficult math problem, making sure he understood each step. That patience, Tran said, helped him “succeed in algebra 2 the next year.”
Another former student of Chao, Chace Hoang, described him as “Honest, Sympathetic, and strong.”
His core memory of Chao began when he saw Chao help another struggling student who wasn’t even part of the class on their math homework. Both of these former students believe that Chao is a great teacher and his choice of reentering school to get his Masters made him an even better one.
For Chao this achievement was deeply personal. He feels that he has learned and grown so much from his program and is very grateful for the many connections he’s made with the many professors. When asked what he hopes his students take from his journey he says “I hope my students take away that even if something gets difficult, then you shouldn’t give up and keep working towards your goal.”
Looking ahead, Chao believes the degree may open new opportunities, such as lecturing at the college level or even pursuing a Ph.D. While he has considered continuing his education, for now he plans to stay in the classroom where he feels he can make the greatest impact.