WHEN Eddie Woo's student was diagnosed with late stage cancer, filming mathematics class was the least he could do.
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It's what followed that nobody expected.
His YouTube, or WooTube as he calls it, quickly took off as kids all across the country started to tune in.
Now, he's in Tamworth sharing his special something extra with teachers and students.
"I am that kid who doesn't get it and has to think for hours," he said.
"Maths is only inaccessible because it's been taught by people who felt it was obvious and that they didn't have to explain it in a simple way.
"You have to be passionate about the subject matter because if you're bored, what hope do the kids have in being engaged and interested?"
Mr Woo teaches at Cherrybrook Technology High School in Sydney, he has a cool 625,000 YouTube subscribers and last year was named Australia's Local Hero by former Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull.
I am that kid who doesn't get it and has to think for hours.
- Eddie Woo
At the time Mr Woo was shocked to be nominated, once he won and had time to calm down his perception of the award changed.
He was the first teacher ever to give the Australia Day address in NSW. "I was so taken aback I lost sensation in the bottom half of my body," he said.
"But after that I realised it was a cultural statement about the value of educators. "It's about every teacher who does their work silently behind the classroom door, who doesn't get thanked or paid very much but without them this wouldn't be the country it is."
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Wendy Morse is a Department of Education curriculum adviser and organised the presentation in Tamworth, along with a Skype session with outlying schools in Armidale, Bundarra, Moree and Manilla Central.
"It was all about the playfulness, using collaboration and curiosity, that was his message to the teachers," she said.
"It took a while because all the kids wanted to take selfies with him."