Education has the potential to transform lives and uplift entire communities. Teachers and parents are pivotal in steering this process, providing guidance and support as kids navigate academic obstacles and personal struggles. Veronica Han-G, an esteemed educator, has made it her life’s mission to empower every child to fulfill their unique potential, regardless of their initial circumstances.
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Currently, Han-G serves as a middle school math teacher at Plato Academy in Clearwater, Florida, while also leading the Legacy Tutoring Center, a K-12 tutoring hub she founded to offer personalized academic support to students. In addition, she works with adult learners for Clearwater Adult Education located within St. Petersburg College, Tarpon Springs, Florida.
Going into education as a profession was never part of Han-G’s original plan. Her foray into teaching was purely accidental. “I kind of just fell into it, to be honest,” Han-G says. She had serendipitously met a teacher, and their conversation inspired her to become a substitute teacher.
This spontaneous start in education quickly became more than just a job for Han-G. She discovered a new calling in the classroom, surrounded by curious and eager young minds. What began as merely supervising students became an interactive experience that ignited her passion as an educator.
“I think it was just very natural for me. I loved it. Being in a room with kids who were excited to learn was a transformative experience and hugely satisfying.”
In 2018, she founded the Legacy Tutoring Center. At the time, she had been sporadically tutoring. There happened to be an office space available, so she leaped at the opportunity. This way, students could come to her, and she would be able to help multiple kids at the same time.
The center quickly grew into a haven for students struggling in their academic journeys. Han-G’s approach is deeply personal and hands-on, ensuring that each child receives the attention they need to succeed. She has a keen eye for selecting the most talented and exceptional tutors. Veronica is involved every step of the way, starting from the first phone call.
As both a middle school math teacher and a tutoring center director, Han-G has a unique perspective on the current state of education in the United States. She is candid about the myriad of challenges facing educators today, from the overwhelming influence of social media on classroom dynamics to the alarming shortage of teachers.
“There is so much that grabs kids’ attention. Kids are dialed into social media, including YouTube shorts and TikTok, all with content that lasts seconds to a few minutes. Educators have to compete for kids’ attention with these apps that are designed to engage for only a minute or two and then move on. Well, classrooms don’t work like that. Classrooms require sustained attention and we, as educators, are sometimes pressured to entertain over educate.”
The rise of digital distractions has created an environment where students’ attention spans are increasingly short, making it difficult for educators to maintain students’ focus via traditional learning methods.
The pandemic significantly impacted classroom dynamics and academic performance. Pre-existing issues, like a lack of participation and attention retention, were made worse by remote learning. Social distancing also hindered the ability of kids to develop social skills.
“There was so much information that was not learned and so many skills not developed that kids had to do a lot of catching up to do. The impact that the Covid-19 pandemic wrought on the attention span of students cannot be overstated.”
Technology has also changed education with the advent of AI and its popularity among students. AI has raised concerns among teachers about academic integrity.
“Technology is great, but if it is abused and misused, it can be extremely detrimental. As teachers, we are experiencing the overwhelming influence of artificial intelligence in the classroom. The truth is that I can give my kids math work to do but if they’re going to go do it on ChatGPT, they are not learning.”
An effective solution to tackle the challenges of the tech era is to enroll children in tutoring sessions, providing them with personalized one-on-one instruction. “I can really assess kid’s learning gaps and get to the root of the problem, ” she says.
“What we do at Legacy is all about individualized attention,” Han-G says. “We go back to the basics, figure out where the student is struggling, and build from there. It’s about filling in the gaps so they can confidently move forward.”
This separate space for learning can also help kids feel more comfortable with their curiosity and challenges.
“It just allows the students to make mistakes and feel OK making them as they are in a safe space. Students are free from feeling embarrassed or bullied. Many kids, especially those in middle school, don’t want to raise their hand in class and draw attention to themselves. Their fear is that their peers will say or think, ‘Oh, that’s a stupid question.’ In my experience, kids actually want to learn, and we help them do that.”
Legacy Tutoring Center customizes each plan for each child. It all starts with a phone call, which is filtered through Han-G. She takes the time to talk to parents and understand what they want for their child. After that, she schedules sessions for the student with a tutor.
“From that point on, my tutors are required to write a summary of the actual session. Those summaries are extremely important.”
Once the notes are compiled, they can be conveniently shared with the child’s instructors and parents. Through her dedicated tutoring, she has witnessed tangible improvements in her students.
“During this past marking period that included state testing every student under our supervision achieved a passing score. So, for me, that’s how I can measure growth. I also measure growth by the happiness of both parents and students. I ask them, ‘Is it helping?’ If it’s not helping, what can we do to make it better? I let them know that I am here for them and want to deliver them what they need and what they’ve paid for. That’s why I am here.”
According to her, when a student doesn’t respond to tutoring, it’s often attributed to a mismatch in personality with a tutor. With a keen eye for matching students with the perfect tutor, Han-G ensures that each child is paired with the most beneficial mentor.
“I know my tutors’ personalities. I know their strengths. I know their skills and availability, and my job is to match my clients with that tutor.”
In addition to year-round tutoring, Legacy Tutoring Center also offers a summer camp that blends academic instruction with enrichment activities. Launched in 2024, the camp has been a resounding success, providing students with a balanced schedule of learning and fun.
Summer camps can also help supplement a student’s education, helping them reinforce and retain the information they picked up during the school year.
“When kids return to school in August and September, they have typically experienced what we call the ‘summer slide’ and have forgotten lots of material. As an educator, it was important that my camp address this slide in academics and help students review in a hands-on way what they have forgotten.”
The camp includes morning academic rotations focused on reinforcing key math, reading, and science concepts, ensuring students continue learning over the summer break. In the afternoons, students participate in STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, and Math) projects designed to stimulate creativity and critical thinking.
“Kids need to be able to understand that they can actually create an item from their ideas and imagination. I think technology is wonderful and has a truly beneficial impact on students. I want my kids to know that they can create, manipulate, and operate and feel proud of their accomplishments.”
She has a flexible method to make STEM subjects more approachable and engaging for students who might find them intimidating.
“In my classroom, I say, ‘Let’s just try. Let’s try building something together. Let’s see what happens. Let’s do it your way and try it because that is what learning is.’ Learning is thinking creatively, and having a safe space to test out theories is crucial. I don’t want to just teach my kids, ‘This is the only way to do it,’ because there’s no one way.”
Not every kid will jump in right away. Some kids may sit back and think more deeply about it before attempting to solve a problem.
“What I love most, more than anything, even in my math class, is when my kids are in groups, and they talk about how to tackle a problem. How do I solve this problem? Let’s talk about it. Then let’s share those ideas because that’s how you learn.”
America is trailing behind in STEM education among comparable nations, and Veronica believes a lack of resources is a big reason why.
“Unless a school has grant money or unless they were given bonus money or state initiative funding for programs, we’re not getting a lot. We are trying to do STEM and STEAM activities with plastic cups, straws, and elastic bands. These simple tools can be great, but it is nowhere near the learning that can be gained with higher-end manipulatives, including robotics.”
Across America, teachers often buy classroom supplies from their own salaries. When discussing teachers’ challenges, Han-G also addresses the issue of teacher shortages, attributing it to various factors.
“The teacher shortage we are experiencing is really disturbing. One of the main reasons that there’s a teacher shortage is the low pay.”
She discusses how the average salary is insufficient for many teachers to cover their bills. With it being so difficult to be a teacher, the only reason someone would take the job is because they truly love being an educator.
“Our rent and overall cost of living is outlandishly high, as it is in many parts of the country. So, how are people supposed to afford anything, let alone on a teacher’s salary? This is why teachers have to work two or three jobs.”
Some of the other changes she thinks are necessary to better support teachers are for them to get more help through teacher aides or administrative support.
“Teaching is hard. It’s not a joke. It’s an everyday job, 365 days a year. People say teachers are off during the summer. We deserve our summers off because not only are we relaxing our brains, but we are also planning for the next school year. We’re constantly planning.”
Han-G has also worked with adult learners since 2021, helping them prepare for the GED exam. Many of these adult learners have returned to school after years away, juggling their studies with full-time jobs and other responsibilities. Veronica’s role is to provide them with the support and guidance they need to overcome these challenges and achieve their educational goals.
“The struggle with adult learners is there are so many other demands on their time including work and family. Adult learners have completely different stressors. With adult learners it is often a challenge for them to be consistent and to commit to just getting it done despite the myriad demands of adulthood.”
Even though there are more obstacles to overcome, adult learners approach learning with renewed energy because they are the ones who have decided to make that change.
One way to get kids just as enthusiastic about learning is by enlisting the help of parents. While teachers can encourage students to learn during weekdays, it’s up to parents to encourage that curiosity at home.
“Parent involvement is paramount to a child’s education because you can see such a huge difference when there are parents that are communicating with you, that respond to your emails, that want to help in the classroom or want to help with chaperoning on field trips or just asking, like, ‘Hey, how is my kid doing? What can we do at home to help?’ That is huge, and that is not a lot of parents. I would say maybe if you’re lucky, 2% to 3%, if that.”
As children progress through their academic journey, transitioning from elementary school to middle school and beyond, parents gradually take a step back, perhaps intending to foster a sense of self-reliance and autonomy.
“When they’re in middle school, the parents feel more like, ‘Hey, I’m going to be more hands-off and see how my kid does on their own.’ Sometimes they forget to put their hands back on, or they do it too late.”
At Legacy Tutoring Center, Han-G works closely with parents to ensure they are informed and involved in their child’s progress. She believes a strong partnership between guardians and educators is essential for success.
Parents who are also coping with other issues, such as poverty, may find it challenging to continue being involved. Han-G discusses how education is crucial to ending the cycle of poverty.
“I think education is extremely important because it helps make better decisions. When we’re not educated, it may be easier to be led astray and make very poor and unwise choices. This is why we have people on the street. This is why we have people that are selling drugs.”
It can be discouraging to watch students go through difficult circumstances at home. Many students who live in unstable environments tend to struggle in school due to their basic needs not being met.
“Some of these kids are really strong and are like, ‘You know what, it doesn’t matter. I’m going to keep going.’ So they keep working as hard as they can.”
In light of the plethora of variables that can occur in a child’s life, Han-G thinks it’s critical for educators to have empathy.
“What makes a good educator is empathy, passion, and patience. You have to think and work outside the box. You can’t get your heart broken. For instance, you can say, ‘I understand you don’t have access to a computer. You have nothing. I’m not going to deprive you of getting an A if I think you’re still capable of getting an A, and you can show me in other ways.’ So, I think for a teacher, you need to, yes, still make sure the standards are covered. I still need to make sure that my kids are learning. Every single one of my kids needs to be learning and improving, but I also think the teacher must be open to being flexible, patient, loving, and kind.”
Another impactful factor that comes into play in a child’s education and ultimate life trajectory is their community.
“If you have community sponsorship, from the outside, it does a lot for the school and its morale. Business owners who own businesses surrounding the area also want to see all their kids succeed. I think whatever a business can do helps. It lets the kids know,’ Hey, you know what, it’s not just my mom and dad. It’s not just my teachers. This business is helping us out, and we all get to go to dinner and get some money towards our school to help us with whatever we need help with, whether it’s the arts department, music department, or the sports department.’ So, everyone benefits from that help.”
Han-G believes that community support can be a great catalyst for the success of educational institutions. She advocates for stronger partnerships between schools and larger companies, which can provide much-needed resources and support for students and teachers alike.
“You have multimillion-dollar companies. If you had a business or a business owner that has an excess of money at the end of the year or whatever for their fiscal year before they do their taxes, how about you adopt a school or program or do something to help the community? That would be phenomenal. What does a business owner have to have ten Lamborghinis for? I mean, there’s no reason why you have to have ten. I’m just thinking about the bigger picture, right? It’s all to help kids. So why can’t we just share the wealth? Give the school an extra $100,000, and I know that’s not a lot, but it will help. With that money, the school can get a teacher’s aide to help out.”
She believes increased corporate involvement will also give students internship opportunities. These partnerships may even motivate students to work harder if they can have a tangible example of what they can someday accomplish.
“For high school students, that would be phenomenal. Get these kids motivated so we can be like, ‘Hey, this is the bigger picture. You’re going to do this once you get educated, once you get your high school diploma and possibly go to college.’ I think everybody needs to see the light at the end of the tunnel. The kids can say, ‘This is why I’m doing all this, not just to make my parents happy because I’m going to get a college degree. This is why I’m doing all of this work.’”
With a firm conviction, she emphasizes the importance of investing in education to build a prosperous future.
“That’s the whole reason why we have kids, right, to raise them to be independent, productive members of society. It’s through making good educational choices and understanding when a child struggles. They shouldn’t be afraid to say, ‘Hey, Mom, Dad, I’m struggling and need help. Can you get me some help?’ Kids asking for help can be life-altering. When a child does decide to ask for help, it’s important that an educator responds to them kindly and encourages them to continue to ask for help. I respect and admire kids like that because it’s like they understand their weakness, and it’s okay, and they’ve embraced it, but they want to get help. That says a lot about a kid. That says a lot about their character because they care.”
She emphasizes that there is a noticeable discrepancy in the quality of education throughout the United States.
“Admiral Farragut is an International Boarding/Day school in St. Petersburg, Pinellas County, where the kids perform well and also come from extremely wealthy families. Then, down the street, in South St. Pete, it’s just very different. How do you have a school with extremely wealthy families, and then down the road, you’ve got kids that can barely afford necessities? That’s a problem. It’s sad, but it is reality.”
According to her, this issue transcends geographical boundaries and affects the entire nation. There is a significant disparity in the resources provided to various schools, deepening inequality. “We can only do so much with what we have,” she says.
“There’s poverty. You don’t always know if these kids will come to school because they don’t have enough food to eat. They don’t have clean clothes to wear. They don’t have a place to sleep.”
Many parents cannot afford tutoring, and Veronica wishes she could help every child right now. She works to combat this problem in her own way since she understands the anguish of falling behind in school. She recalls from her childhood crying in math class when she didn’t understand something.
“I did not want to make help for their child so crazy expensive that they couldn’t do it. I’ve heard from many people, ‘Han-G, you need to bump your rates up to, like, $65 an hour.’ I’m like, ‘$65 an hour just to help a little third grader?’ Like, no, there’s no way. Personally, with my value system, I cannot do that. I can’t. I’m not here trying to make people poor. I just want to help kids.”
What she loves most about her job is the genuine delight in witnessing the pure joy radiating from children’s faces when they finally grasp a concept they have been struggling with.
“Just seeing the kids smile and giving high fives, oh my God, that is the best. We got our reports from their last state assessment in May, and so many of the kids got perfect scores. They were so excited, and we were so excited for them. We were crying because it was so amazing. Like, you got these kids whose scores were phenomenal. That is the best part of teaching—to see kids smile and happy with their own progress—that they did it.”
When all that time spent in classrooms and tutoring sessions transforms into results, Han-G says that it feels like all the hard work of her and her team paid off.
“All the effort the kids put forth is worth it in the end. It’s outstanding to see when the light bulb goes off, when they get the concept when they can teach the concept to other kids, when they can share their thoughts, and then back it up with evidence and proof.”
These achievements eventually affect how a child shows up in the world, bolstering their self-esteem.
“It’s about witnessing the transition and transformation within that kid. I’ve been teaching for so long. My oldest student is probably 35 now, and it’s so nice to have that as well, reconnecting now that they’re adults.” She often runs into former students. “You can see the kids grow up, and that’s pretty cool,” she says.
“And you know what it is? It’s the craziest thing. I was not lucky enough to have my own children, especially being an adoptee. I always regretted that—not having my own, biological children. But then I was like, you know what? I can’t regret not having children anymore because I’ve been able to make an impact on so many kids all these years. That was my calling in life, not to have my own kids, but to have everybody else’s children.”
Moumita Basuroychowdhury is a Contributing Reporter at The National Digest. After earning an economics degree at Cornell University, she moved to NYC to pursue her MFA in creative writing. She enjoys reporting on science, business and culture news. You can reach her at moumita.b@thenationaldigest.com.
