Q: Tell me about a time when having math skills came in handy
A: My math skills come in handy in day-to-day situations. Being able to quickly think about how much time something will take, and when I will end it. This helps greatly with timing. College entrance exams were the most important aspect for math too. For example, doing the math portions on the SAT required having quick math skills. Thanks to them, I got an almost perfect score! Getting a job (like here at Mathnasium) required having great math skills.
Q: Tell me about a memory you have of learning math
A: In third grade, my teacher was teaching the concept of Fractions, and the students were struggling to understand them. To help with understanding, my teacher used manipulatives, and this helped greatly as we were able to visualize the parts and the wholes. In other cases, my teacher would use Socratic Teaching rather than directly teaching the concepts outright, as this would help us use our preexisting math skills and make new connections.
Q: What are some of the benefits of the Mathnasium Method?
A: The Mathnasium method is the best method as it aims to make math make sense to everyone. This is unique, in that everyone learns and understands things differently. So by teaching in different methods, we can ensure that everyone has a strong grasp of understanding the true concept. The differentiation between Socratic Teaching and Direct teaching is also very important.
Q: What could Mathnasium have helped you with when you were a student?
A: Mathnasium would have been very helpful as there are a few tricks I have learned even now as a college student while teaching students. For example, I have learned new methods for learning about percents that I wish I knew before. Having an instructor and mentor as well would have decreased the time I would have had to spend feeling clueless about math concepts, as I would have someone who could sit down with me and either use Socratic Teaching or Direct Teaching.
