Conclusion
These tips will help you develop your child’s interest and understanding of math. Doing some of these activities at home will help your child feel more comfortable doing math.
Mathnasium’s Philosophy:
Children don’t hate math.
They hate being confused and intimidated by math.
With understanding comes passion.
And with passion comes growth—a treasure is unlocked.
Teaching Children Math in a Way That Makes Sense to Them
The Math Tips for Students booklet was developed by the creator of the Mathnasium method, Larry Martinek. The strategies outlined incorporate Mathnasium’s program philosophies and draw deeply on Larry’s 30+ years experience as a math teacher, educational consultant and father. This booklet serves as a guide for parents who want to help their children to learn and love math.
30 years ago, Larry was inspired find a better way to teach children math. As a teacher trainer and consultant in public schools as well as top private schools, and father to a mathematically gifted son, Larry possessed an incredible comprehensive view of education. In his work with stellar and struggling math programs, he clearly identified a common theme in mathematics instruction: a “serious disconnect between students’ basic skills training and the curriculum they are expected to master in the years to come.” Spurred by the failures in math education, Larry decided to find an approach that would provide young children with the strong mathematical foundation they need to succeed.
Over the next three decades, Larry painstakingly developed and assembled a blend of methods and materials that proved more powerful and effective that anything available in schools. Instead of relying on traditional rote memorization and repetitive exercises, Larry’s work focused on helping children build deep mathematical understanding through the fundamental experience of working with numbers.
His book of tips focused on introducing children to math through oral, visual, mental, as well as written modalities. Classroom experience showed that teaching children to work with numbers beyond written exercises helps them to access Number Sense; an important step before they can apply their understanding on paper. His approach was groundbreaking; he taught kids math in a way that made sense to them.
As Larry’s innovative materials gained increasingly wide circulation over the years, he became recognizable in the Los Angeles as “Larry, the Math Guy.” Schools began teaching from his materials instead of their textbooks and test scores skyrocketed at every grade he impacted within two years. He gradually expanded his work to develop a complete and integrated curriculum from pre-kindergarten math to pre-Calculus. With his curriculum ready, Larry looked forward to a day when he could transform the way children everywhere learn math.
In spring of 2002, Larry’s dream came true. Peter Markovitz and David Ullendorff, leaders in the field of the Education Business, made Larry and his curriculum the driving force of Mathnasium. Larry introduced his curriculum as the Mathnasium method at their first math learning center in Westwood, CA. Students of all ages find the curriculum to be incredibly powerful and engaging, and centers have sprung up across North America, South America, Europe and Asia. The hallmark of the Mathnasium program has been the way it engages kids and gets them to know math at a level far beyond adult expectations. Today, over thirty years after its inception, the Mathnasium method is providing children all over the world with confidence, critical thinking skills, and mathematical ability to last a lifetime.
Mathnasium is a learning center where kids go after school to improve their math skills. We are highly specialized; we teach only math.
Students attend as often as they like – for up to 90 minutes. Like at a gym, members can drop in anytime. Our goal is to enhance your child’s math skills, understanding of math concepts and overall school performance. At the same time, we build confidence, yielding overwhelming results.
What distinguishes the Mathnasium Method?
Comprehensive Written and Oral Evaluation
A Mathnasium student takes a two-part diagnostic test – both written and oral. We use the results to create a learning plan tailor-made for your child.
- Highly trained instructors
- Personal attention
- Periodic assessment to keep your child on track
Results
Your children’s progress is measured by their grades in school, advancement in our program, and most importantly their love of mathematics.
Find a math tutoring center near your location.
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