Dec. 17, 2021, GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. -- Always remember, at GRCC, you are surrounded by people who want you to be successful and are ready to walk with you on your educational pathway. We are here to help!
Meet Wayne Hsieh. You will find Wayne in the Math Department or in the Math Prep & Learning Lab at GRCC. Wayne teaches courses from algebra to precalculus, but primarily teaches MA 97 and MA 98 classes, which the Math Prep and Learning Lab supports.
When asked his favorite class he shared, "I think I'd pick MA 97 because it has a lot of daily applications like percentages, rates and geometry."
Helping students connect math to their daily lives is just one of the ways Wayne connects students to the material when he is teaching and tutoring.
"I get to help students from a variety of math backgrounds and it can be very challenging at times," he says." "Tutoring helps me realize that it’s not only about knowledge in math, but also about presenting information in multiple views that the student can understand -- since no one learns the same way."
Wayne is also the Coordinator of the Math Prep & Learning Lab, where he helps students in developmental math classes with homework questions. He also helps students in other programs that are trying to brush-up on their math skills.
The Math Prep and Learning Lab offers both in-person and online tutoring support for students to:
- Get help navigating the study tool in ALEKS PPL in order to improve their math placement score.
- Brush up on their skills before enrolling in MA 97.
- Access services specifically designed to help students prepare for and succeed in MA 97 and MA 98.
Wayne, and tutors across campus, are focused on meeting the needs of individual students.
"I really enjoy it when students come back and tell us they passed the test or class, and show us how important the lab is to them," he said. "In the lab, all we want to do is to help students learn and be more successful. We are a fun bunch to work with!"
Wayne has been tutoring throughout his educational and professional career, with a brief stop when he took a position in global supply chain procurement -- specializing in China and Taiwan.
"I've always enjoyed tutoring," he said. "I was a student tutor at GRCC and at GVSU. When I had to do my internship, I became a professional tutor at GRCC. I left GRCC for a full-time position with benefits, was laid off, and came back to GRCC and have been here since."
Wayne attended GRCC after high school. This was the right choice for him because the cost was low and he was able to live at home. He earned his associate degree from GRCC before attending Western Michigan University, and then earned a bachelor’s degree in Math and Psychology from Grand Valley State University. He returned to GVSU to earn a Master's of Education, Adult and Higher Education with an emphasis in mathematics.
You can contact the Math Prep and Learning Lab through email at MathPrepLab@grcc.edu and by phone at (616) 234-4729. Additional information is here.