How Mathnasium of Spokane North helps MOTIVATE students!

Glad you asked! Let’s take a sneak peak inside your local Mathnasium of Spokane North and ask their instructors!

Q: What helps students in your center stay motivated?

A: Math can be a tough subject for many students, but at Mathnasium, we know how to make it a little bit sweeter! At Mathnasium, we believe in rewarding our students for their hard work and dedication. That's why we have a variety of ways for our students to earn rewards. From completing customized work to doing well on a test or quiz in school, there are many opportunities for students to earn Star Cards. These cards are like currency at Mathnasium, and students can use them to buy prizes, candy and drinks, enter drawings, and even cash them in for gift cards.

But wait, there's more! At Mathnasium, we believe in making learning fun, and our reward system is no exception. Our Prize Wheel, Plinko Machine, and Mystery Box offer exciting opportunities for students to win prizes. And, with fun weekly themes, there's always something new and exciting to look forward to. With motivation comes success, and we ALWAYS celebrate our students' achievements, both big and small. That's why we have monthly celebrations for hard work, as well as a Student of the Month program. And, of course, there's always our Brag Board, where students can show off their accomplishments and be recognized for their efforts.

Q: Tell us about the reward cabinet!

A: Our rewards cabinet has something for everyone! We feature whatever special toys and gadgets the kids seem to be buzzing about... They often offer suggestions on prizes that would motivate them through our Suggestion Box at the front of the center. Lately, we've been in high-demand for Squishmallows and Pokémon cards! Some of our students are spenders with Star Cards, but we have a couple savers, too - they're currently working toward our biggest prizes, like an Oculus and a Nintendo Switch!

Q: How do students earn prizes from the reward cabinet?

A: Work hard! It really is as simple as that. Our Star Cards are our currency, and they can be earned in a bunch of different ways, and then cashed in like a dollar.

Every student has a custom binder full of personalized work, and we offer stars for completed pages. Some pages are worth only one star, others are worth more, and mastering a topic earns them a turn with our Prize Wheel, where they can earn a variety of rewards! If students opt to bring in homework or test prep, we also offer stars for time spent and EFFORT on these assignments.

Working hard in school also warrants rewards! If students bring in a test or quiz with a 90% or above, we give them a scratch ticket. These scratch tickets reveal special prizes and more stars to spend on our rewards.

In addition, we have weekly themes for our center - some of these themes involve dressing up, helping us decorate for an upcoming holiday, or completing a challenge. Students have the opportunity to earn stars just for participating! Even better, we offer stars for longevity - the longer you are a student with us, the more stars we offer just for your loyalty.

Q: How does your center celebrate student success?

A: Our students and instructors work so hard, it's impossible to ignore the success that comes from Mathnasium! We have many ways to honor and recognize their accomplishments, but here are a few of my favorites...

The Mastery Check Marble Jar One of our favorite ways to celebrate student success is through our Mastery Check Marble Jar. We set a goal for the month, and when students master that many skills, we reward them with treats like root beer floats, fresh-baked cookies, or popcorn. It's a fun and sweet way to acknowledge their hard work as a TEAM and encourage them to keep it up!

Student of the Month Every month, we nominate a special student to be our Student of the Month. This student embodies the Mathnasium spirit and represents the best of what we're all about. It's a great honor, and we celebrate their achievements in a big way.

The Brag Board And, of course, there's always our brag board! If students do something brag-worthy, they earn a spot on the brag board and get to show off their accomplishments to everyone. It's a great way to recognize their hard work and let them know that we're proud of them.

Q: What is your favorite student success story?

A: We once had a student named Eli, and he is a true success story at Mathnasium of Spokane North. When he first joined us in 2020, he was working at a fourth-grade level in math. But with his amazing attitude and work ethic, he quickly started making great strides. In less than 2 years, Eli went from working at a 4th-grade level to being ready to move onto 8th-grade math. He went from low-confidence in his abilities to working well above grade level, and impressing everyone here at Mathnasium with his newfound love for mathematics! We are so proud of Eli and his success!