Insights from a Mathnasium of Nutley Instructor

May 24, 2023 | Nutley

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

A: Most new students have low confidence in math and tell us that they don't like the subject because they don't understand it. They are usually shy and embarrassed that they lack the basic foundational skills. We try to have them feel comfortable and open up by talking about the rewards, games and other non-mathy things. We show them examples of how other kids have benefited from Mathnasium and that we are there to help them succeed in school and in life!

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

A: Don't wait until your child is doing poorly in school to get additional help. Notice early signs like low confidence, not completing or understanding homework, avoiding the subject, unable to do simple mental math etc. These early signs can snowball into them falling further behind and making it that much harder to catch up. Math is like building blocks, if there are holes and gaps in the foundation, the tower is eventually going to tumble down.

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

A: They don't let themselves be distracted from their work and they know that there is work time and play time, but not at the same time. They are eager to learn and not afraid to ask questions when something is confusing or if they need a refresher.

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

A: We teach math using several methods such as written, verbal, mental, visual and tactile. For example, if a student is learning long division, a written approach of teaching is used because it is important for the student to learn the steps. However, if a student is learning about fractions or money, we will pull out fraction tiles and real coins to use as a visual learning aid. It is also important to connect previously-learned skills to what they are currently learning and to tie it back to real-life scenarios whenever possible.

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

A: It would be hard to name one but the coolest thing about Mathnasium is introducing math to students in a new light where they understand and learn in a way that makes sense to them. Our reward system really motivates students to come in and do their best. Seeing them improve and gain confidence, and go from "I don't like math" to "Math isn't so bad" or "I love math", is a big win for us.