Meet Yehuda Friedman – Wiingy’s student favourite math tutor
By Wiingy on Apr 09, 2026
Updated Apr 09, 2026
In this article
Yehuda Friedman · Math Tutor · Ottawa, Canada
Part of the Wiingy Tutor Spotlight Series – where we go beyond the profile page and introduce you to the real people behind your lessons.
The best math tutors aren’t always the ones who found math easy. Sometimes the best person to guide you through something hard is someone who had to fight to understand it themselves.
That’s Yehuda Friedman. A Computer Science graduate from the University of Ottawa, programmer, gamer, and self-confessed former math avoider – who once skipped every single one of his Grade 12 math classes. Today he’s one of Wiingy’s Student Favourite tutors, helping high school and college students go from completely lost to genuinely getting it, one visual explanation at a time.
He sat down with us to talk about how he learned to love math the hard way, why he makes everything visual, and the meme his students would definitely make about his handwriting.
Who is Yehuda Friedman?
Yehuda holds a Bachelor’s in Computer Science from the University of Ottawa and brings a programmer’s systematic mindset to every lesson. His approach is built on one core belief: no student should be staring at a formula that means nothing to them. Before tackling any problem set, he makes sure students actually understand what they’re working with – where the math comes from, what it looks like, and why it matters.
Outside the classroom he’s a programmer and a gamer, and both sides of that show up in how he teaches: methodical, visual, and completely judgment-free when students need to go back to basics.
The interview
Beyond being a Wiingy tutor, who are you in real life?
“I’m a computer science student, a programmer, and a gamer. That pretty much sums it up.”
Take us back to your first Wiingy lesson – were you calm or in full “please don’t let the WiFi crash” panic mode?
“I was a little bit worried, but I had some tutoring experience before that, so it wasn’t too stressful. It went pretty smoothly, a good experience overall.”
What’s one small moment that made you feel like, “This is why I teach”?
“Every time I’m able to bring someone from not getting something to having a concept click, that really feels awesome. That moment where they go from totally lost to suddenly going, ‘Oh, that’s what it means.’ That’s what I enjoy most about tutoring.”
How he makes math actually make sense
When we asked Yehuda what his trick is for making boring topics interesting, his answer cut straight to the problem most students have with math.
“I try to make things visual as much as possible – showing graphs, showing how they move depending on how you set the numbers. With math, people hate word problems, trying to decipher where the math is inside a story. So I try to give everything a concrete meaning instead of just being a series of formulas that don’t seem to mean anything.”
This is exactly why students keep coming back. It’s not about making math easier, it’s about making it mean something.
What are your top tips for students who want to improve faster?
“Do a little practice between sessions, and focus on the stuff you find really challenging. You’ve got to hit those problem areas if you want to get past them.”
If your teaching journey was a movie, what would the title be?
“‘Learning to Love Math.’ When I was in high school, I actually skipped all my Grade 12 math courses – I didn’t really care for math. Then I decided to go into computer science, had to go back and take those courses, and discovered that math was actually pretty cool. I found YouTube channels that explained it in really compelling ways, and I learned to appreciate it a lot more.”
“I actually skipped all my Grade 12 math courses. Then I discovered that math was actually pretty cool.” – Yehuda Friedman
What kind of student were you – top scorer, last-minute procrastinator, or somewhere in between?
“A bit of both, honestly. Top scorer and procrastinator. If I was really interested in the course material, I’d do well. If not… I might slack off a little bit.”
On AI and learning
Yehuda is one of the most transparent tutors we’ve spoken to about AI – he uses it openly and encourages students to understand it properly.
“I use AI, but I don’t use it secretly – I’m very open with my students about it. It’s a useful tool, and for math, it’s pretty freaking accurate. Now, it’s not great at fully being a tutor because you don’t have that back-and-forth personal relationship. But if you’re stumped on a math question and throw it at AI, it’s probably going to give you the right answer.”
On whether AI makes students smarter: “I don’t think it’s making people smarter. It’s the kind of thing where you have to use it responsibly. Most students I’ve talked to understand it’s not foolproof – it does make mistakes. But if you understand where it’s strong and use it there, it definitely speeds up a lot of things.”
The story that says everything about him as a teacher
The best tutors don’t flinch when a student is missing foundational knowledge. Yehuda has turned that into an art form.
“Sometimes I’m taken aback when students are missing certain foundational knowledge. But I always try to keep a straight face – you don’t want people to feel bad about not knowing things. So sometimes you have to go, ‘Okay, let’s take three steps back and lay the foundation.’ Make sure we actually understand what an exponent is before moving forward.”
No judgment. No impatience. Just three steps back and a solid foundation. That’s exactly the kind of tutor students rate as their favourite.
Rapid fire with Yehuda
| Strict or Chill? | Chill |
| Coffee first or Class first? | Coffee first |
| Planner or Improviser? | Improviser |
| Handwritten notes or Typed notes? | Handwritten |
| Googled something mid-class? | Yes |
| Early bird or Night owl? | Night owl |
| Homework: Essential or Optional? | Optional |
| Movie or Reading? | Movie |
| Life’s warning label? | “Warning. Sarcastic.” |
10 seconds to convince you
We gave Yehuda ten seconds. Here’s what he said:
“I make it as fun as I can, and I think I’ll help you understand the concepts better.”
Short, honest, and exactly what you’d expect from someone whose students keep coming back.
Ready to learn math with Yehuda?
If you’ve ever stared at a formula and felt nothing but confusion, Yehuda is the tutor for you. He’s been exactly where you are – and he knows the way out. Whether you’re struggling with high school algebra or working through college-level calculus, he’ll make sure every concept actually means something before you move on.
Book a lesson with Yehuda Friedman
Explore more spotlights in our Student Favourite series, or browse all Wiingy tutors to find your perfect match.
Apr 09, 2026
Was this helpful?
