Making Math Make Sense

 If you read my blog post the other day, you know how important math is to me.  

With that said, I am sharing with you a blog post from a new friend... a public school mom. 


Confessions of a Public School Mom:

Homeschooling was not an option for my children. Private school was out of reach so public school was the only choice for our family.  I am in awe of moms who home school their children. It is an amazing act of love. However, in our case it would not work because of my history of learning disabilities.

As the mother of 5 children, I had to quit helping my kids with math about 2nd grade because it was important for them to advance to 3rd grade and beyond. Seriously though, I clearly was not a parent who could help my kids with math.  There had to be a better solution than
depending solely on the teachers at school and the little bit if time their dad had available to help them.

Then I discovered a place that not only loved math, but that’s all they do: teach kids how to do math.
Mathnasium is a learning center where kids go year round to improve their math concepts and skills.  Members usually attend twice a week for 60 to 90 minutes per session. Similar to a gym or health club, members pay a monthly fee, and attend at their convenience.

The goal is to enhance each child’s math skills, understanding of math concepts, and overall  performance. Mathnasium issues this warning: Your child could become crazy about math!

I have seen this through first hand experience. My daughter began faithfully going to Mathnasium in the seventh grade. Kristin was an A-B student, but could never really sustain that A in math. After attending Mathnasium she has become a straight A student, and has a new self assurance and academic confidence. She asks to go to prepare for tests and to get clarification when she does not have a clear understanding of what she is being taught. She has learned the importance of knowing the principals to build on to go to the next level, and she wants to make sure she understands everything.

As a parent, I am comforted to know she will receive the individual attention required for her to master each skill.  She is in an environment where she is encouraged to thrive and grow. Each achievement is celebrated and rewarded. The instructors get as much joy with each advancement as she does.  Each instructor is genuinely excited with every advancement and report of a successful outcome.

The environment is positive and uplifting. The emphasis is to help each student succeed and master more than math skills alone. Somehow by building my daughter’s math abilities, Mathnasium is building her up on several levels. She is more confident in everything she aspires to learn and do. She feels empowered in a way that wasn’t there before.

Mathnasium allows me, as a parent, a luxury I have not known before. I can give my gifted daughter an education that is better than what I could offer her myself. Because of Mathnasium, Kristin will be able to accelerate to more advanced levels than she would have otherwise been able to learn.  Another benefit is she will return in the fall without the "summer slide." Not only will she maintain what she already learned, she will cover material she has not yet been taught at school. This will open doors for her as she reaches higher grade levels that she may not have been able to reach without Mathnasium.

Mathnasium allows my daughter an opportunity to reach higher than she would have because she is receiving individual enhancement. The instructors who work with her recognize her strengths and weaknesses. They build their tutoring program around her needs. Kristin is bright and through this assistance she has already benefited from higher grades. In the future I can see her easily getting into programs she might have missed out on without this program.

The Mathnasium instructors are Kristin’s coaches for her future. Just as a gifted athlete needs coaches to enhance their skills, Kristin is benefiting from the skills she is mastering now.

I believe so passionately that every child can benefit from Mathnasium. I have watched children who are struggling to keep up, and kids who are so bored in their classrooms that they have  just "checked out," each find their "sweet spot" and learn to love math.  There is a positive energy there that cannot be denied.

If you want your child to succeed in math and rise to a level of higher self-confidence, eliminate the frustration and tears that come with unmet math skill needs, and end the fights over math homework, then Mathnasium offers the solutions you are searching for. Better grades are just the beginning. Better understanding of math can change your child’s attitude and life. With understanding comes passion, and before you know it your child could be crazy about math.

 From Good4Moms.com

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1 comment:

Bon Crowder said...

As the math mom, I've taken a look at many of these programs. Generally, I say that parents should do whatever works. If the kids love it - do it!

Even more generally, if I were to recommend a place, the first one would be Mathnasium. The story behind how it got started is moving, powerful and really shows the commitment to math learning.

Thanks for sharing!

12 grade year of homeschooling, Finishing Strong

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