Meet Johnathan–a computer science student at York University with ambitions of starting his own tech company! He has been with Kidzwhiz for 3 years and knows how to relate to kids and help them overcome learning challenges. Learn more about Johnathan below!
Tell us about yourself !
My name is Johnathan Loganathan, I’m currently in my last semester at York University for Computer Science. I plan on pursuing a masters in Computer science in the future but also have my eyes on starting my own tech company!
What is your teaching philosophy?
Being relatable. It’s easy to forget what it’s like to be a kid learning something foreign or new. It’s important for us as instructors to show our students we had to learn these concepts ourselves once upon a time. And to remember what we struggled with and how we were able to overcome them while passing that knowledge to the kids in the process.
Why do you enjoy teaching?
That light bulb moment when something clicks! Having a student who is struggling with a concept, figure it out on their own, and seeing the glimmer in their eyes is something I continue to seek out while teaching. I love to see the confidence it instills in the student when they are able to solve a problem with their own way of thinking and show it off to their parents and their peers. I also like to be surprised by my students when they solve a problem with a solution I have never thought of, it shows me how to think outside the box and how flexible technology really is.
Why is technology important to you?
Technology and programming specifically gives me an outlet to solve problems. I love puzzles and the quest to finding their solutions so technology is the perfect avenue for me to flex that part of my brain!
How long have you been with Kidzwhiz?
I’ve been an instructor for 3 years now!
What attracted you to Kidzwhiz (how did you get started?
I had tutored first years in university and I wanted to try teaching in a more professional setting. So when I found Kidzwhiz it was a perfect opportunity for me!
What makes Kidzwhiz a special place to work for?
The team and what Kidzwhiz stands for! The team of instructors, admins and the owner Matthew are like family, we help each other out and a staff like that is hard to find anywhere else. Kidzwhiz puts the learning of the students as a top priority with a goal of helping every student that walks through their doors gain an understanding and love for tech. This aligns with my views for what an educational institution should be and that’s why I continue to enjoy my experience working there!
What is a fun fact about yourself?
I love to make myself and others laugh! I tend to remember small details from events and interactions with others so I can tell a compelling story later on and hopefully get a good laugh out of all of us!
What is one of your favorite classroom memory?
I had a student named Lina many semesters ago. From the very first class, she was very unruly and it was hard to get her to want to be in the class let alone listen. But by the end of the course I was able to adapt my style of teaching to keep her engaged. A moment I won’t forget is when she ran into my class sick with a cold and her mom told me she couldn’t keep her in bed cause Lina didn’t want to miss my class. The parent was honestly confused cause Lina rarely ever wanted to go to any of her extracurricular classes so this was a first for her. Lina later took my class for a second time and to this day that memory still puts a smile on my face!
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