Mathnasium method
Grades: K-12
Mathnasium.com
The Mathnasium method is a way to teach math that is used in the Mathnasium learning centers. These independent centers exist across the country and abroad as well.
The method has been in use over 30 years and includes over 5000 pages of material. Students work directly with an instructor on material tailored to each child. Progress reports are sent home regularly.
Typically, the child spends a learning session at Mathnasium center twice a week.
The student is first evaluated, then prescribed a personalized and prescriptive learning program.
Cost: less than one-on-one tutoring, they say. Prices vary by location of center.
Reviews of Mathnasium
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Time: 1 year and continuing
Your situation: I was horrible in math when I was in school. I never understood the concepts and literally cried every night. My grades were above average except I was failing in math. I did not graduate with honors because of my math scores. I still have math anxiety. When my daughter was in 5th grade, she began having problems with math. I could not help (even with 5th grade math!) and my husband had problems explaining to her in a way that she could understand. I did not want her to end up like me. We found Mathnasium and I am so glad that I called them! My daughter has done well in class and now that she is in 6th, her teacher does not seem to explain things well, so she has the tutors help her. They have even showed me how to do some of her homework so that I can help her when I can't get her to Mathnasium. She no longer struggles and I will keep her in as long as I can! Why you liked/didn't like the curriculum: She loves going to Mathnasium! The tutors are wonderful with her and explain problems to her so that she can understand them. I love how they have Mathnasium work and then they help them with homework. They tested her to see where she was and what she needed help with and designed a curriculum based on her needs. If she is learning something in class and doesn't understand it, I just tell them at Mathnasium that she needs help and they spend extra time with her on her homework to make sure that she can do it. She will even look through her homework and circle the ones that she doesn't understand so that these are the ones that are given priority to help with time. Some have complained that it's expensive, but I would gladly give up extras if I had to because understanding math is way more important. Also, you can go as much as you want-how can you beat that? Any other helpful hints: If your concerned about anything regarding your child's homework or classwork- talk to them! Don't be afraid to ask questions or voice concerns. Also, get to know the tutors and manager. They are great at communicating. Parents always get updates on their child's curriculum and attitude. They have even sat down with me to explain what they taught her so that if she has a problem at home, I can help her. Jamie Review left January 14, 2015 |
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Time: 4 months & continuing Daughter began Mathnasium in the summer to refresh multiplication facts and other such skills. Although great in math, she was not provided much instruction at her private school the previous year and we wanted to make sure there were no gaps according to the state curriculum. Why you liked/didn't like the curriculum: Daughter likes that math is fun and the tutors are easily approachable if you need help. The skills are personalized based on pretests. Students are able to move at a quick pace after completing the Mastery check. Math had become very stressful in me trying to teach her, so outsourcing to Mathnasium and being confident in their ability has helped our family. Any other helpful hints: Try to find a few tutors that work well with your student and then schedule their visits around their hours. This has worked well and allowed my daughter to develop a relationship with the tutor. Aly in VA Review left September 21, 2011 |
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Time: 1 1/2 years I am happy to add my comments to this site. I wish my Charter had a way to review vendors before you use your funds! My son had all but given up on Math. He would end up in tears with the frustration. He would say, "I just can't do math", which was hard since he excelled with all of his other subjects. We are with a Charter and they had Mathnasium on their vendor list so I thought we would use some of our funds to see if I could get help since I have a well aged math phobia myself! Anyway, when we started he tested well below grade level, now he is soaring. He adores science and wants to pursue a career in that arena but we knew that without the missing math ability it would not be likely. Now he says that Math is his favorite subject. He has no fear when tackling new concepts whereas before he would just shut down and give up. He refuses to miss class for anything, I am not exaggerating! He goes twice a week. We go to the Mathnasium in Campbell/Los Gatos, CA and I thought it was just because the owner was such a committed teacher (he is a former math Professor at our local University) but it is encouraging to see that others are experiencing the same level of commitment elsewhere. Frankly, we would not be able to afford it without our Charter since we are a one income family, so we are very grateful for this opportunity. I have recommended it to friends with kids struggling in regular school and they too have experienced great results and in turn are recommending it to others. Why you liked/didn't like the book: They have a proprietary text so it is not available to take home or copy. Your student leaves all of his work there. Each child has his own course material selected based on very specific testing. I love that they test before and after every section to constantly refine what your child is working on. This prevents any open gaps in understanding. A child does not move on until mastery is achieved in each area. And if a concept slips by the end of a grade or section, they start a review process that cements retention. It's a very comprehensive system. Any other helpful hints: The thing to know is that it is all done in the most inspiring way. I sit in class most days we attend with my younger child and have heard the dialogs with many kids. These teachers have a gift for communication and motivation. Kids with all styles of learning and attention are given a kind of dignity that makes them see their own abilities and they just want to reach for the next goal. It spills over into other areas. It's so cute to see kids bring in their tests from other subjects to show to their Mathnasium teachers, they are so proud of themselves! This is the first experience I have had with tutoring or learning centers, but I am clear that this is not the norm. My nieces attended Kumon for Math and while they are great for reinforcing rote learning, it was like torture for my nieces they resented it and still loath math. There is something magic about giving a child a love of math while also giving them ability. Don't waste your money elsewhere is my advice! Happy learning, a homeschool Mom. Jen Baum Review left May 11, 2011 |
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Time: 8 months I took my two daughters to Mathnasium last summer to continue their skills over the summer. My 5th grader tested at 58% at the beginning of the summer, prior to school starting in August she tested at 80%. She has asked for very little help with math homework this year. I will send her back again during the summer. My 8th grader needed much more help. She remained in the program after the summer session was over. Her confidence has gone up so much about math. When she first started, she complained about going; after a couple months, she started asking to attend more days. It's not a quick fix, however, I do see major improvement in her math grades. We tried Sylvan Learning Center prior to Mathnasium. Sylvan was excellent for reading, but Mathnasium is the place for MATH!! Issaquah Mathnasium owner is AWESOME! Why you liked/didn't like the book: My daugher enjoys the book. She's able to skip over the super easy stuff and focus on her weakness. Any other helpful hints: Because the program starts with the basics, the younger your child is, the better. As they get older and homework becomes an issue, it's a little more time consuming to go back and get the basics because the focus is helping with homework. But I do encourage you to give it a try at the first sign of struggles in math. Chala Ford Review left February 9, 2011 |
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Time: 1 This is an excellent program. My son just loves going to our local center in South Pasadena, CA. I have never seen him so excited about going to a place of learning. It used to be so hard to get him to start -much less complete- his math homework. He felt the subject was "boring". Now, with the help and support of Mathnasium, he actually enjoys the subject! A true miracle! Why you liked/didn't like the book: No complaints whatsoever. I loved everything about it. Any other helpful hints: I have been to 2 other learning centers before where my child was treated as a just another "client". The owner of our local Mathnasium center, Mark Yutan, is the best there is. Not only is he a fantastic teacher, he truly cares about each of his students. You cannot put a price on that. Kendra Shen Review left September 8, 2010 |
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Time: 1.5 years Your situation: I moved my oldest son to a different school, and found he was behind. Our Mathnasium person gave him a test of the grade before, 2nd, to find the gaps he missed there. Over the next 1.5 years, my son has completed the mathnasium program for 3rd, 4th, 5th, 6th, 7th, and was almost done with the 8th grade. We are moving internationally and he will not be able to complete the 8th grade. We are desperately searching Mathnasium in England. His Stanford Achievement Test score in math was in the nineth stanine at 99%. Mathnasium is a gem. Why you liked/didn't like the book: Love it. The pre-test determines what areas the child needs to focus on; so the child can skip large chunks of work for which they find easy. This enables children to work at their own pace. My oldest was able to complete almost 7 years in 1.5 years. His goal was to be the youngest Mathnasium instructor. My youngest (who is dyslexic) was able to complete 3 years. His Stanford scores in math were 89%, and would have been higher if there were less word problems. Any other helpful hints: Need to go consistently. We went 3 days a week. Sonja Review left June 8, 2010 |
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Time: 2 years For certain gaps & deficits (as a result of illness and/or moving) and learning disabilities that are specifically addressed.... maybe, I have not basis to refute it.... But,.... as an 18 year veteran teacher, I have not seen it help, at least not anymore than good old fashioned going home and sitting down and doing your homework after school!! I'm not saying it will hurt anything, but I think most parents may find that if they took away the internet, facebook, the cellphone, and driving priviledges, they would see a FAR bigger return for less money!!!! Why you liked/didn't like the curriculum: To claim that they can tutor High School students, I should NOT be getting 2-3 emails a week needing materials and help to tutor them!!!!! Michelle Review left April 15, 2010 |
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Time: 2 years I started my son in the Mathnasium program when he was in the 4th grade. He was having a hard time with 3rd grade math, so we decided to get him help before things started to snowball. Within a few months, Mathnasium helped my son learn all of his multiplication tables as well teaching him long division. We are now completing 5th grade math, and my son recently told me that it's his favorite subject. Why you liked/didn't like the book: Since each book is customized for the student's specific needs, the student can move at their own pace. The instructors push the kids to their potential, and encourage the kids to constantly challenge themselves. Any other helpful hints: The center I attended was in Pasadena, CA (and I've been extremely pleased with their service). I heard that all the centers are independently owned, so although they all have the same curriculum and method of teaching, you may not get the same level of service at all of their centers. Richard Hopp Review left June 9, 2009 |
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Time: 2 years This program is great. My 10 year old is a high achiever and is already very comfortable with understanding number sense type questions, as well as fractional parts and mental math. Why you liked/didn't like the program: Every program is customized for each child. Bert Briones Review left June 27, 2008 |
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Time: 3 years I have 4 kids, and I take them all to Mathnasium 2 to 3 times a week to get what they need for math. I love their method because it is based on state standards, as well as going over and beyond to develop a "math mind" in my kids. My kids love the program, and enjoy going there. They truly make math FUN! Why you liked/didn't like the book: I liked their books because each workbook is actually personalized for each student. Mathnasium diagnosed and assessed each of my kids before coming up with a workbook that met their needs at their particular level. Any other helpful hints: It may seem a bit pricey at first, but it is definitely worth it. It is much wonderful to see my kids love math, especially since I hated it as a child myself. Mary Lin |
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Time more than 1 year The Mathnasium method has been in use over 30 years and includes over 5000 pages of material, and it's used at independent centers around the country. Students work directly with an instructor on material tailored to each child. Progress reports are sent home regularly. Mathnasium keeps your child on track or ahead through consistency and making math make sense. By offloading math class (planning, printing, instructing, grading,...)to Mathnasium, I have more time for other subjects, and we get more accomplished. The curriculum is expensive, but it is well worth it to bring your kids to a learning center regularly. They do an intense assessment and help the kids to actually LIKE math. They get a lot done without the distractions (like siblings) of home. Checkout their website: www.Mathnasium.com for more information. Molly Nesham |
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