Insights from a Mathnasium of Ladera Ranch Instructor

1. What is the most common thing you see in new students coming to Mathnasium for the first time?

A: The most common thing we see for new students at Mathnasium is that if answers or concepts aren't immediately apparent, it becomes more of a hassle and source of frustration rather than an interesting challenge. Students then become math-avoidant, and start to lack confidence in themselves, their intelligence, and their math skills.

2. If there was one thing you could tell parents before they bring their student to Mathnasium what would it be?

A: I would tell parents to trust the process; building a solid math foundation takes time, energy, and a lot of effort, especially for students! That said, the Mathnasium philosophy of teaching, and the positive, patient environment here encourages and even maximizes the math learning process.

3. What things do the most successful students have in common?

A: The most successful students here have positive attitudes. They are willing to meet instructors halfway, regardless of their opinion of math. Beyond this, they value their own time and efforts spent learning while they are here.

4. What are some of the ways you teach math to your students?

A: I am a visual learner, and a lot of students are as well! So I love to teach by drawing pictures while simultaneously discussing problems or concepts. I also love to apply certain concepts to real life scenarios when I can, to emphasize the importance and relevance of math to all students.

5. What do you think is the coolest thing about Mathnasium?

A: The coolest thing about Mathnasium is being able to see the tangible progress all of our students make. Sometimes, students need to hear that math challenges a lot of people- that it is difficult but learnable, and that they are intelligent and capable of math. And being able to emphasize this while validating how they're feeling, and all the while, seeing the progress made in their confidence and math skills, is truly the most coolest and most rewarding experience.