What Can New Students Expect at Mathnasium of La Grange

Q: What is the first thing a new student would do upon entering Mathnasium?

A: The first thing a new student would do upon entering Mathnasium is a verbal interview with the center director to familiarize and connect with each other. After doing so, they take a tour of the place with an instructor. They are introduced to the rewards cabinet, the most exciting part of the center, but most certainly not the only. They are introduced to the contests of the center such as the monthly candy estimation contest, and the $100 for 100% where they have a chance to win $100 if they bring in a 100% test from math class! They then play cards with different math tricks for a chance to win a full star card, that they can spend in the same day! Before they leave, they get to spin our rewards wheel for a chance to win anything between one full star card and one free prize from the rewards cabinet.

Q: What does the first session look like for new students?

A: The first session for a new student consists of familiarizing themselves with the instructors they will be seeing when they come in. The first thing they do is grab their binder, a pencil, marker, and eraser to work out their math on our white board tables! To do so, they work one-on-one with an instructor in the very first activity of their session which would be number of the day or the cards exercises. After they do so, they earn some stamps. Then, they get to personalize their very own binder spine before they jump into their work to keep earning stamps. If they bring in homework, we work on that together some time during the last half of the session. At the very end of their session, they spin our rewards wheel to earn some more stamps, star cards, or free prizes from the rewards cabinet!

Q: Have you seen a student’s attitude towards math change?

A: Yes, there has been many instances where a student's attitude has changed towards math. One student hated coming in to do math, especially after a long day of school. She would yell "I hate math," as she stares into space and refuses to do any work. After a few sessions, she began to earn so many stamps, and she was able to ring our bell (which students ring when they complete a certain amount of pages or mastery checks) and became so proud of herself. Her self esteem was boosted, and she comes in to Mathnasium with a smile on her face every day! She even let us know that she taught her peers some cool math tricks that she learned from Mathnasium.

Q: What do you wish students and parents knew before they brought their student to your center?

A: Math is like a puzzle! Your student may not get it at first. Your student may find it extremely challenging and frustrating. But, consistency is key. After a few sessions, your student will become a pro! With practice and consistency, students will begin to love math. It just takes time to solve the puzzle.

We'd like your new students to feel at home in Mathnasium too. Visit our website for more information today!