The maths teacher whose audience grew from one to millions

Humble Greenwood College maths teacher Harold Walden isn't your standard YouTuber.

He's not chasing likes, subscribers or internet fame. For him, the real measure of influence is helping his audience develop a deeper understanding of mathematics and the world around them.

On World Teachers' Day, we're shining a light on what makes our educators amazing, and for Mr Walden it's how he is making a difference, one video at a time.

His YouTube channel began with an audience of one: his younger sister.

When she was in Year 10, Mr Walden began creating videos to help her work through her maths homework.

"She was living in Geraldton and was having difficulty understanding some of the mathematics she was studying," Mr Walden said.

"I wanted to help her, but the distance between us made sitting down together and working through problems difficult.

"So, well before I became a classroom teacher, I started recording short videos explaining the concepts she was struggling with. She could watch them whenever she needed it, pause when something didn't make sense, and revisit it as many times as necessary."

Fast forward to today, and that small act of brotherly support has grown into an educational resource of more than 420 videos, attracting about 2.4 million views across 140 different countries.

"What started as a way of helping one person gradually developed into something much bigger," Mr Walden said.

"I realised that if my sister was struggling with a particular concept, there were probably other students experiencing the same difficulty. Rather than keeping the explanations between us, I began making them publicly available."

Mr Walden can spend up to 30 hours of his own time making videos designed to feel like a one-on-one tutoring session rather than a formal lecture.

"Wherever possible, I use diagrams, different representations and connections to familiar ideas to help students understand not just how to solve a problem, but why the mathematics works.

"One of the advantages of a recorded explanation is that students can work through it at their own pace, which isn't always possible in a busy classroom."

For Mr Walden, the real reward is knowing that something which began as a way to help his sister is now reaching students he will probably never meet.

“For me, that's the real promise of educational technology. It doesn't replace the relationships, encouragement or professional judgement that make good teachers so important. But it can help extend the reach of those things, making opportunities to learn available to students regardless of where they happen to live."

That belief in the power of education was shaped by Mr Walden’s own experiences growing up in Geraldton.

His public school education and participation in the Education Department's Gifted and Talented online program showed him how technology could overcome geographical barriers and open doors for regional students.

“I was incredibly fortunate to have access to some outstanding teachers and educational programs. I don't think I fully appreciated it at the time, but those experiences really did change the trajectory of my life,” he said.

Now, through his own teaching and his growing library of lessons, Mr Walden hopes to have an impact on the next generation.

“If I can have even a tenth of the impact on the next generation that some of my teachers had on me, I’ll consider my time well spent.”

"Looking back, I realise that many of the opportunities I've enjoyed throughout my life can be traced to educators who saw potential in me and took the time to nurture it."

To view Mr Walden’s maths videos, visit his YouTube channel.