Our staff is built to teach each student individually, to develop the skills they need to thrive in mathematics, and to foster a love of learning.

Jennifer Speer

Owner

Jennifer has a unique perspective that allows her to understand your kids and help them.

She is a successful business owner and homeschooling mom of 3! She has the perspective of an educator as well as a busy parent and knows the challenges of both. Jennifer knows how to engage the kids and hold their interest. She keeps them progressing in math in a way they will actually enjoy!

Jennifer has always had a strong grip on Mathematics, earning her B.B.A in Finance at Southwest Texas State University and then owning and operating a successful business for over 10 years in the Brazos Valley alongside her husband James.

After finding Mathnasium and seeing what it can offer kids, they made a tough decision to sell their successful business with its comfortable lifestyle and start all over again. As scary as that sounds, they knew that parents in the Brazos Valley wanted the best for their children at an affordable price. There was already so much available for the many college students in Bryan/College Station, but not for elementary, middle, and high school students. Now, after being open for several years and expanding to multiple locations, we have hundreds of amazing success stories as a result of our passionate instructors, inspiring learning environment, teaching style and curriculum at Mathnasium! Let us help your student! 

Favorite Math Joke: There are 3 kinds of people in this world... Those who can count, and those who can't.

Fun Fact: Graduated college in 3 1/2 years with a 4.0!

I love Mathnasium because: I get to be a part of a great organization that changes kids' lives! Who wouldn't want to be a part of that?!?

Larry Martinek

Creator of the Mathnasium Method
Larry has spent his entire career finding a better way to teach math. From inner city public schools, to acclaimed magnet schools, to leading private and parochial schools, Larry has served as both a classroom teacher and as an educational consultant. He has designed curriculum, teaching strategies, and teaching materials to help students and teachers learn math more effectively. He has trained teachers in the art and science of boosting students' ability to “do” math, thereby increasing students' math scores and feeling of self-worth. Larry is the developer of Mathnasium’s educational program – one of the most comprehensive and innovative curriculas ever produced for teaching math. While Larry is not an Instructor at our Center, he is a valuable asset we can call on to ask about specific students' scenarios for guidance and advice. This has helped to make visits more productive and enjoyable for many of our students.

Max Duran

Instructor

The Mayor of Mathnasium Award, Fall 2021

Max has a Bachelor's of Psychology from UTSA, where he focused his studies on different cognitive strategies to facilitate learning. In his free time, he gathers tools and supplies for people in need, including collecting donations for Haven of Hope and Childsafe in San Antonio.

Favorite Number: 5. The reason I love 5 so much is because it is easy to use and manipulate in many mental strategies. For example, 250 times 5 is the same as 250 times 10, divided by 2.

Favorite Math Joke: What did the triangle say to the circle? You're pointless!

In five years, I will be: Hopefully opening a nonprofit to help those in need of basic math tutoring. I wish to break the banking model of education and introduce a problem-posing model of learning. This model was introduced by Paulo Freire, and it involves presenting students with worldly problems that relate to their lives. It also pushes them to analyze how and why those problems exist. This empowers people to question their conditions as well as encouraging a mentor-peer dialogue.

I love Mathnasium because: It shapes the learning plan to the child and not the child to the learning plan. I am able to help give students the confidence to tackle their math work.

Nazeeha Lalani

Lead Instructor

Nazeeha has graduated from Johnson High School in 2021 and is now attending the University of Texas at San Antonio. She is a Sophomore in college and is studying the education field, hoping to teach mathematics for middle school.

Favorite Number: 2, because it is my birth date as well as my entire family shares the number 2 in their birth dates.

Favorite Math Joke: Parallel lines have so much in common... It's a shame they'll never meet.

In five years, I will be: Probably student teaching.

I love Mathnasium because: It provides students a new way of thinking about math, along with short cuts, hopefully growing their love for math.

Alexa Villareal-Brussolo

Instructor

Alexa is currently a junior at Reagan High School. She was born in the valley and has moved around a bit but has lived in San Antonio for about 2 years now. In her spare time, she enjoys listening to music, baking, and spending time with her loved ones.

Favorite Number: My favorite number is 1 because it has always been my lucky number.

Favorite Math Joke: I had an argument with a 90° angle .... It turns out it was right.

In five years, I will be: Pursuing a education in a STEM field.

I love Mathnasium because: Here we are able to provide a positive environment which allows us to teach students that math can be fun.

Petra Poenitzsch

Instructor

Petra Poenitzsch is a student at Alamo Heights High School. She is a dedicated student who participates in extracurriculars such as orchestra, science Olympiad, and math UIL. She devotes her spare time to reading and spending time with her friends.

Favorite number: My favorite number is ten because it is an easy number to do calculations with.

Favorite math joke: I saw my math teacher with a piece of graph paper yesterday. I think he must be plotting something.

In five years, I will be: Attending college and pursuing a career in the STEM field!

I love Mathnasium because: I love Mathnasium because it facilities a safe and effective learning environment that is designed to help all students succeed. It rewards hard work and determination as opposed to just natural talent.

Norah White

Instructor

Norah is currently attending Great Hearts Northern Oaks, graduating 2024. She plays basketball and hopes to coach one day. She loves problem solving, especially in math, and is planning on pursuing an engineering degree after high school. She was born in Europe and lived in Washington State, but she has now lived in San Antonio for over 10 years.

Favorite number: My favorite number is 5 because it is easy to multiply and divide.

Favorite math joke: Why did the student get upset when the teacher called him average? It was a mean thing to say.

In five years, I will be: Pursuing an engineering degree and playing basketball in college.

I love Mathnasium because: It is a great system to keep students engaged with math and teach them that it can be fun to do!

Jillian Magnuson

Instructor

Jillian is enrolled at the University of Texas at San Antonio planning to pursue a degree in Interior Design. She has worked with kids as a swim instructor and lifeguard prior to discovering a passion for tutoring and subsequently picking up a job at Mathnasium.

Favorite number: My favorite number is 2 because it is the day of the month I was born, the first even number, and has several unique properties to it.

Favorite math joke: Why was math class so long? The teacher kept going off on a tangent.

In five years, I will be: In five years, I will be graduated from college and be leading a life of success and excellence based on my experiences working and in college throughout that time.

I love Mathnasium because: I enjoy the relaxed environment that makes a fun and positive experience for the students involved and the instructors teaching them. I think it is important that kids be able to see math as a subject they can learn, not a roadblock in the way of their success.

Jeremiah Clarke

Instructor

Jeremiah is a student at Ronald Reagan High School. He is a dedicated student who is involved in the Latin Club, Model UN, and the varsity soccer team. In his leisure time he enjoys playing chess, going to the gym, and hanging out with friends.

Favorite number: My favorite number is 29 because that is the number Earl Thomas wore when he was a member of the Legion of Boom on the Seattle Seahawks.

Favorite math joke: Why are obtuse angles so depressed? Because they're never right.

In five years, I will be: Attending college and pursuing a career in International relations and political science.

I love Mathnasium because: It helps to lessen the frustrations that many kids have with math. Getting ahead on math every summer helped me greatly as a kid and I love how Mathnasium provides a safe and effective learning environment that allows kids to excel in math.

Miguel Elizondo

Instructor

Miguel is a college student attending Texas A&M University and pursuing a degree in Engineering. Outside of school, he practices 3D modeling and printing by making various parts for his family and friends. On his free time, he enjoys playing video games, going to the gym, and hanging out with friends.

Favorite number: My favorite number is 3. Not sure why, but I like odd numbers because of the symmetry they provide and maybe because there is just a first, middle, and last number to it like me and my two other brothers.

Favorite math joke: Why was Six afraid of Seven? Because Seven eight Nine.

In five years, I will be: Finishing my Engineering Degree and have a job in the 3D modeling industry.

I love Mathnasium because: It helps students understand math rather than remembering formulas.

Shravin Mehta

Instructor

Shravin is in high school at the International School of the Americas. He enjoys playing tennis, spending time with his friends, and reading!

Favorite number: 21 because it’s the day I was born!

Favorite math joke: Parallel lines have so much in common.. It’s a shame they’ll never meet.

In five years, I will be: Hopefully in college studying engineering or business!

I love Mathnasium because: It allows students to build confidence in math and learn new skills!

Elias Hendrie

Instructor

Eli is going to be a senior at Reagan High School in the fall. Aside from his love for math, he also enjoys watching sports, playing the piano, and exercising.

Favorite number: My favorite number is 25 because it is the date that I was born on, and it seems to be my lucky number.

Favorite math joke: What did the triangle say to the circle? You're pointless.

In five years, I will be: In college pursuing an engineering degree.

I love Mathnasium because: I love math, and it gives me the opportunity to help students find a love for math that they haven't yet realized.

Alexandra Holmgreen

Instructor

Alexandra is currently a junior at Saint Mary's Hall. She is a devoted student, participating in varsity volleyball, community service council, and the student investing club. In her free time, she enjoys going to Pilates, shopping, baking, and spending time with loved ones.

Favorite number: My favorite number is 23 because it is the date that I was born!

Favorite math joke: Why was math class so long? The teacher kept going off on a tangent.

In five years, I will be: Attending college and pursuing a career in real estate development or finance.

I love Mathnasium because: I love Mathnasium because it allows students to pursue further learning in math past what they are learning in school and teaches them to solve challenging problems confidently.

Mason Ferguson

Instructor

Mason is creative and loves helping students learn and progress in math. His favorite subject is math so he enjoys what he does and tries his best to make it enjoyable for everyone else. He loves meeting new kids and has experience dealing with them since he has 4 younger siblings.

Favorite number: 9, I like the number 9 because it is the biggest single digit integer.

Favorite math joke: What monster is best at math? None, unless you count Dracula.

In five years, I will be: I will be In college working towards being an orthodontist.

I love Mathnasium because: The aura people give off in this learning center is superb. I also love math and teaching kids, so Mathnasium fits in with some of my favorite things to do.

Quin Moyer

Instructor

Quin attends the International School of the Americas. She participates in Model UN and plays for her school's varsity soccer team. Outside of school, she likes to read and write. Over the summer Quin works in a lab at UT Health in the Physiology department.

Favorite number: 81, because it was my jersey number when I was younger.

Favorite math joke: Why did the obtuse angle go to the beach? Because it was over 90 degrees.

In five years, I will be: Finishing my degree in business and pre­med and studying for the MCAT.

I love Mathnasium because: It provides kids with a place to work outside of school to build their math skills and their confidence.

Charles Muehlberger

Instructor

Charles is a student at Ronald Reagan High School where he is the president of their debate team and involved in various math and science related activities such as robotics and math counts. In his free time, he enjoys reading books, playing basketball, and hanging out with friends.

Favorite number: Seven because it's my lucky number.

Favorite math joke: Why was six afraid of seven because seven ate nine.

In five years, I will be: Attending college where I hope to pursue a degree in law and international relations.

I love Mathnasium because: I enjoy the intellectually stimulating, yet relaxed environment where passionate students can pursue a love for all things math.

Dane Magnuson

Instructor

Dane Magnuson is a student at Reagan High School and a Varsity football player who also loves math.

Favorite number: 7, it is the number of perfection!

Favorite math joke: What do you call 2 friends who enjoy math? Algebros

In five years, I will be: Working a trade!

I love Mathnasium because: I love math and teaching kids.

Darin McGrane

Instructor

Darin Likes Long walks on the beach and summer sun chocolate strawberries. He hopes to one day to move to the country side with his Golden Retriever Airbud and ride the lakes in his jumbo yacht.

Favorite number: 2. 1 and 0 exist in nature but 2 is the begging of counting, measuring, uniformity, and math.

Favorite math joke: My math teacher always told us the same jokes so often that she numbered them, this was number 5. A man goes to prison and the first night while he's laying in bed contemplating his situation, he hears someone yell out, "44!" Followed by laughter from the other prisoners. He thought that was pretty odd, then he heard someone else yell out, "72!" Followed by even more laughter. "What's going on?" he asked his cellmate. "Well, we've all heard every joke so many times, we've given them each a number to make it easier." "Oh," he says, "can I try?" "Sure, go ahead." So, he yells out "102!" and the place is dead quiet save for a few groans. Confused, he looks at his cellmate who is just shaking his head. "Hey, what happened?" "Well, some people can tell a joke, some people can't."

In five years, I will be: Teaching Middle school Science.

I love Mathnasium because: It's my Job!

Our Mathnasium Mission

Teach children math so they understand it, master it, and love it. Math can change their lives, and they can change the world.

What I love about Mathnasium is the ability to teach problem-solving skills and make math make sense, while also making a student smile.
Amber W., Mathnasium Instructor

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