The Wembley maths teacher voted one of the top 10 teachers in the world is back in the borough eager to put the finishing touches on his website.
Colin Hegarty, a maths teacher from Preston Manor School in Carlton Avenue East, was pipped to the winning spot at the Varkey Foundation Global Teacher Prize by Hanan al Hroub from Palestine.
Returning yesterday from “a crazy few days” in Dubai, where the winner was announced by Pope Francis, Mr Hegarty said: “I’m very happy Hanan won it. I spent a lot of time with her over the two days. She’s actually into maths as well, she’s such a legend, the loveliest woman you’ll ever meet and I think her story needs telling, it was the right thing that she won.”
He added: “It was a crazy few days, I didn’t get any sleep, there were all sorts of things going on like Matthew McConaughey was there, I was speaking to Tony Blair, to Sheikh Mohammed, the leader of Dubai, I was talking to everyone.
“It was great to be with the 50 other teachers. They lifted my expectations; it was the best week of my life.”
The award-winning teacher, who grew up in a council flat in Kilburn, started his website four years ago to help out a pupil who was forced to move abroad to care for his father.
He has been on sabbatical from Preston Manor while he builds a new upgraded website hegartymaths.com with fellow teacher Brian Arnold and former student Dan Keeble which includes assessments and quizzes.
His core concept remains free maths tutoring for those who are least able to afford the extra help.
He added: “Right now I’m interesting in getting my website out as quickly as I can and making a difference. I’m going to put some work into getting some sponsors or technology company who will help me get this thing scaled up quickly.
I need to get my head down and get to work with this thing that we’ve built.”
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