There are three keys to success with the Mathnasium program. If all three components are in place, we can guarantee your child will improve his or her math skills, abilities and confidence.
Key 1: The Right Material
This first key – the right material - is our job. It's our responsibility to be certain we have the right curriculum and materials for each and every child as an individual learner. This starts with the initial, in-depth math assessment which gives us a snapshot of the child’s strengths and challenges in math. It gives us a starting point - it is not the Gospel because children anxious about math will naturally make some mistakes in areas they do know. That's OK because we have systems set up to minimize teaching kids concepts they already know.
It doesn’t matter if a child's math gaps started in second grade or ninth grade or are in material not yet covered, the objective of the assessment is to understand how the child thinks about math, what their particular learning style is and what are their specific areas of challenge. Our job however is not finished with the initial assessment. Our team of amazing instructors and directors is constantly adjusting our students’ individual learning plans and curriculum based on our work directly with the student and in collaboration with the child’s teachers and through conversations with the parents. Additionally, we give a Mastery Check, similar to a quiz, at the end of every packet to gauge the child's understanding and retention, and then we reassess each student every time they complete eight packets of material (approximately 80 pages of work) on the topics we have taught them. When they have completed their full learning plan, we give a final assessment over all the topics they covered with us to gauge their retention and improvement. We expect at least a 20-30% improvement in their final scores over their initial assessment score, depending on how much room for growth there was initially.
Key 2: The Right Support
The second key required for our program to be successful is the right support. The responsibility for ensuring this key is in place falls mostly upon the parents and other adults in the child’s life. The parents’ job includes paying the monthly tuition to have their child or children attend learning sessions at Mathnasium of Cherry Hills. It also includes making sure there is space on the family schedule for students to attend Mathnasium at least twice per week, ideally 3 or more times if we have identified significant gaps. This means making supplemental math education a big rock in the family agenda - something other activities fit around, not visa-versa.
The second key may also require the parents driving their children to the center if they are unable to drive themselves or requiring older children, who can drives themselves, to make their math education an immovable appointment on their own agendas. The second key can include teachers being willing to discuss the child's math progress with us and being willing to support them getting help outside of the classroom.
Finally, for our program to be successful, this second key also includes adults supporting the children’s math efforts. This means praising them for their accomplishments and effort, playing math games at home as instructed by the Mathnasium team, and limiting negative math-talk at home or around the children. Phrases such as “I’m no good at math so it is no wonder Johnny is not good at math” or similar need to be eliminated from the family conversation! This may also mean not making math a punishment! Many parents think by taking away a child's favorite sport or hobby or phone, they can punish the child into making better math grades. Very rarely, if ever, does this method work. Even if the grades go up temporarily, the child will build up resentment and dislike toward math and the adults trying to force the behavior they want.
Key 3: The Right Effort
The last and final key to the success of our program, the right effort, is often the easiest to achieve if the other two keys are in place - especially for our younger students. It can be challenging to achieve with older high school students as their schedules are super busy and motivating kids who hate math or who don’t see a need for math to make a consistent effort to come in and work on math can sometimes be very difficult. Just think about doing a task you hate or don't feel successful at. How often do you want to do it?
When I ask children in 9th grade and younger whose responsibility they think the last key belongs to, they always answer, sometimes reluctantly or sheepishly, “Mine?”
“You bet it is! The third key to success is your responsibility as a student!” I always answer with a smile.
“What do you think that job is?” I ask them.
“Do good in math?" they ask.
"Nope!"
"Do my work?” they say.
“Definitely! We try to make it fun for you, too!”
Most students really enjoy coming to Mathnasium. They begin to understand concepts that have frustrated them for a long time and they start to see success in math. Suddenly, they want to come in and practice math. Plus, we have a variety of incentives to help keep them motivated, especially at the beginning. Combine that with a safe, supportive environment that is fun, and who wouldn’t want to come in and practice math?
There you have it! The three keys to success of the Mathnasium program - right materials, right support and right effort. If all three are firmly in place, there is no stopping what your child can learn in math. Call us today at 720-474-1878 and find out what we can do to help your child in math.
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