Three Problems with Math (that Mathnasium Students Don't Have)

Three Problems with Math (that Mathnasium Students Don't Have)

The Myth of the “Math Gene”: Have you ever said something like “I was never good at math either, my student never stood a chance”? The notion of the “math gene” can indeed cause problems in students’ learning… but only if they’re allowed to believe in its existence. Because here’s the thing -there is no such thing as the “math gene”. Perpetuating the myth of the “math gene” encourages students to accept that they just weren’t meant to be good at math, and are therefore inherently incapable of doing math. At Mathnasium, we firmly believe that every student is capable of doing math and we reinforce this belief constantly in our students. They can do math, they just need to be taught in a way that makes sense to them. That’s why we offer individualized instruction that allows each student to work at their own level and at their own pace. Do your child a favor and don’t let them hear you say anything that makes them think their genes just aren’t wired for math - because regardless of who you are or how you did in math when you were in school, your child CAN do math.

Math Anxiety: 67% of teachers report that math anxiety is a barrier for their students. Whether it’s getting up in front of the class to do a problem on the board, raising their hand to ask a question, or sweating through a math test, many students have very real and very negative emotional reactions to doing math. Generally, these are students that have gotten behind in math and now feel stupid and frustrated every time they attempt it. At Mathnasium, we foster an encouraging, low-pressure environment that allows students to develop confidence in their abilities. Because our students are able to work at their own individual level, rather than the level their teacher expects them to be at, they begin to realize that they are, in fact, completely capable of understanding math. Their confidence and self-esteem blossoms as they work with our patient tutors, and we constantly get feedback from both parents and teachers that they’ve seen a change come over their student. The tears over homework stop flowing, the classroom participation increases, and the student starts to believe in their own intellectual abilities.

Math Isn't Fun: Let’s face it – most people do not see math as a fascinating or glamorous subject. It’s that dry, conceptual class that doesn’t relate to our world. But maybe that’s just because we need to take a different approach to teaching it. At Mathnasium, we fully believe in combining fun and math. We constantly have fun activities in our center for our students, and we are big believers in rewarding students for doing math, whether that’s with treats, toys, or gift cards. Math is hard work, and students should be rewarded for their effort! One of my favorite things when I hear feedback from our parents is the disbelief in their voice as they tell me that their student somehow actually enjoys coming to our center to do math. That’s right, as unbelievable as it may sound - we really do make math fun.