“Fortunately, there is sinus! The latest video posted by Wonderwomath on TikTok sums up the character well. A 28-year-old maths teacher who is comfortable in her shoes and who has decided to give her discipline a less austere image. “I try to make math more glamorous,” assumes her real name Estelle Kollar, who teaches at Louis-Armand College in Nancy. And it was precisely his students who found him his nickname on social networks.
“It was when I wanted to launch a Youtube channel during confinement”, recalls the Lorraine, who first tried longer videos. Until discovering TikTok, “by dint of receiving it from a girlfriend”. “I registered in January 2021 and I saw teachers who were doing either lessons or comedy. But not math so I thought “why not me”! »
Today, Wonderwomath has nearly 360,000 subscribers on the platform, not to mention an account instagram to nearly 20,000 followers. Either way, she shares “a video every day. “Not only lessons but also quite funny sequences, typical of social networks. Despite everything, his job and maths are never far away…
“Fortunately, there is sinus”
Here, they are precisely set to song (“Luckily, there is sinus”), there, the various operations are entitled to a little dance. Without forgetting, of course, these short insights on specific points of the program, especially college. “My students often inspire me. When I see that they are blocking on one point, I tell myself that it might be worth making a TikTok out of it, ”continues the teacher, aware of the limited scope of her productions. “I focus on a concept, not an entire chapter. It’s just a point so it’s suitable for TikTok, where it has to go fast because people want to swipe. »
Far from her the idea of replacing face-to-face lessons. “Nothing will ever replace a teacher in front of students. Also because he can answer questions, which I can’t do when I have 5,000 comments for example. Sometimes, Wonderwomath also takes up questions from its community for its videos. Or, she proposes problems and everyone must think of the solution.
“I try to arouse curiosity and trigger reflection,” summarizes Estelle Kollar, who suffered a few askew looks at the start of the adventure. “My colleagues and relatives teased me. I was sometimes told that it was for young people, that I had nothing to do on TikTok. But since I drilled, everyone thinks it’s nice! she laughs. Even his leadership. “My principal gave me compliments and I haven’t heard from the rectorate, so good news! »
“I received condescending and sexist comments”
On social networks, the young teacher also read remarks that were sometimes inappropriate. “It’s in the minority but I received condescending and sexist comments. I was even asked if it was my job… As if seeing a woman in science was not possible”, annoys Lorraine, who fights precisely “against this cliché of girls less good in maths than boys. It’s a ridiculous stereotype”.
Next for her? Wonderwomath does not see itself stopping its publications tomorrow, which have no profit motive for it. “From the start, I had to release 700 euros but I didn’t take them. It wouldn’t be worth it for the taxes and you would have to apply for the accumulation of activities…”, laughs Estelle Kollar, who favors the notion of pleasure. “For the moment, I have time and I post when I feel like it. The goal is that it does not become a constraint. »