Thank you, Mathnasium for giving this mom much-needed help with her kids’ homework
and letting us try these classes free of charge
Growing up I was never good at math, and when I got accepted into the school of journalism, I hoped that I would never have to see a math textbook again. Oh, was I wrong! At first, when kids started bringing home math homework, I tried ignoring it in hopes that the kids will figure things out on their own. However, as the time progressed, the sad reality set in – I had to step it up…
One day my daughter couldn’t understand a math problem and with nobody else around to help I had no other choice but rescue my child. After a certain amount of hesitation, I opened the textbook and closed it again – it could have as well been a foreign language. Worse, it was math! That is when I realized a problem and a solution – I am NOT capable of assisting my kids with their math, and I need to look for help elsewhere!
One perk of being a blogger, sometimes opportunities land in your email box just at the right moment. As I was trying to wrap my head around my math problem, a local PR company asked me if I wanted to check out a Mathnasium. Located only a short drive away, it seemed like an easy way to get help for my kids and save my sanity, so I scheduled an assessment.
Did My Kids Need an Assesment?
Students here start by taking a customized assessment which pinpoints their needs, allowing us to meet them where they are and take them where they need to go. The assessment was something I wanted to do even if I wouldn’t send my kids to the Mathnasium for tutoring. I tried to understand how my children measure up in heir grades. I assumed that my son struggled with his math as I saw his grades. However, when it came to my daughter, she seemed to do well, yet she felt that she needed help. The assessment took her through everything she already knows and discovered what else she needs to work on. It took about 1h 30 minutes for each of my kids to complete their tests, and they couldn’t stop talking about the Mathnasium on the way home.
How is Mathnasium Different?
Larry Martinek, the creator of the Mathnasium Method, has spent 40+ years designing, developing, and refining this approach based on his extensive experience teaching math to kids. This method builds math knowledge upon everything kids already know – this helps them learn quickly and boosts their confidence right away. That might explain why my straight “D” student (“Mom, D is not W, so it is an ok grade”) got his first “A-” only two weeks after he started attending math tutoring.
Secret Sauce
There is another reason why Mathnasium is cool, and I think this is the reason why my 8-year old is excited to get here at 9 am on Saturday. Every time kids come to the Mathnasium they get to spin the wheel and add a number of stars to their cards. Cards later can be exchanged for prizes. I am pretty sure both of my children know what rewards they are saving for.
I am a bit a jealous – where was Mathnasium when I was growing up. Maybe if I had some tutoring at my kids’ age, I would be a bit more useful when it comes to helping my children with their homework or calculating tips on a restaurant bill.
I love that they have a rewards program. That would encourage kids to actually want to go and not whine about doing school work on the weekend. Sounds like an awesome place to help kiddos learn at their own pace!
I dread homework time. This new way of doing math confuses me and I feel I confuse the kids even more. We hired a tutor. I wish we had this resource around us. We would use it. It’s really confusing and i was actually a pretty good math student until now.
😀 I could relate in that we live where German is the language, but I grew up somewhere else, I speak English and my mother language with my kids, so I entrusted their german learning to the school…I’m fluent enough but I don not have the patience to teach 🙁 That’s why they attend an after-school learning program…I thought of this as the same as your post.
It sounds like a great resource to get extra help with math and even get ahead! Math instruction is different now, so it can be hard to help out with homework or problems that arise.
I can cook you up a meal fit for a King and sew you a prom dress or a three piece suit but… I can’t do math. At least very well. I need Mathasium just to help my grandkids with their homework.
I totally feel you! Math homework is not my specialty. I need to look into Mathnasium for my kiddos to get them a little extra boost in an environment that doesn’t feel like school.
I love that there are places like this. I struggled with math when I was younger and would have loved to have a place to go for help.
This is really great! I am good at math but not in the way they teach it today plus my memory fails me. This means, my first born is my go to when the younger two have mathematic issues 😉 I love how you were able to find a place to make math a little easier, if not at least feel more comfortable! It’s hard when you struggle with something, especially as a child, I love the supportive options available for children now.