MATHEMATICS REBOOT
(Dyscalculia / Innumeracy / Mathphobia)
My very first tutee – back in 2002 – struggled with fractions, but I ultimately tracked the root issue all the way back to basic addition. As I unearthed his challenges with numbers, I designed my own unique system to resolve these issues using a combination of logic, playing cards and games so that my student would actually enjoy the process, and so it wouldn’t feel like pulling teeth for either of us!
As a result, from the very first start but without realizing the full significance of what I was doing, I was investigating dyscalculia and the source of problems with numeracy. Since then, I have helped countless students completely change their relationship with numbers and with math, as these testimonials will show.
I am ecstatic about my practice test– 8 year old me would be in shock.
What can I say? Math is just something I’m good at
Want to let you know that I helped Mila study for her unit test on systems of equations last night. It’s like she’s a different kid. She’s manipulating equations with ease, she sees why things work they way they do, and she’s quickly and confidently dealing with complex little problems like “what’s -5 minus -3”. She’s finally doing what I always knew she had in her to do! Kudos to you!
It is such a joy to watch someone throw off the enormous weight of fear, hatred and self-doubt that comes from struggling with math.
The sense-of-achievement that comes from beating your tormentor unlocks so many emotions – pride, confidence, self-belief, and hope, but also anger and grief. In fact, a recent student told me that our sessions were like “math therapy”!
I have taught adults who have been in tears because they had lost decades to this fear, all because a teacher hadn’t been able (or been bothered) to explain the simplicity that underlies our number system, and hadn’t taught them to speak the language of math. Their anger was diluted by the relief that math turned out after all to be not just do-able but even obvious.
If you want to tackle your or your kid’s mathphobia, please reach out to me. I do not want you to be in pain any longer.