Business Partner of the Month – Mathnasium

From a very early age, I developed a passion for math. At the age of 5, I was labeled a math prodigy because I had the ability to do large calculations quickly in my head. However, my math ability seemed to worsen in elementary school, due to the memorization techniques and lack of a fundamental understanding. My fascination with math carried through to my adult years, as I worked in the financial market in NYC. It is also there that I gave back to the community by tutoring math voluntarily at a high school in Manhattan. I found this process to be so fulfilling that I looked into changing careers. Fast forward one year later, my wife, and I packed our bags and moved with our dog to Marin to open Mathnasium.

Mathnasium is a Math Learning Center where we teach math to kids in grades 1-8. The Mathnasium method has been in existence for nearly 40 years, nurtured by the founder Larry Martinek. Larry painstakingly developed and assembled a blend of methods and materials that proved highly effective for students of all ages. Instead of relying on traditional rote memorization and repetitive exercises, Larry’s work focused on helping children build deep mathematical understanding—number sense—by honing their math instincts and getting them to think like Mathematicians.

Elementary school is the most critical time for a child’s mathematical foundation to be built and reinforced, in order to excel in high school and beyond. We carefully customize a learning plan for each child, based on the results of an assessment they take. This learning plan starts with the most basic topic he or she does not know and we build on top of that one layer at a time. Unfortunately, a majority of kids have gaps in their foundation. It is similar to a brick wall with bricks missing on the first few levels. Eventually, the wall will come crumbling down. I am proud to say that 1 out of 3 kids at the Mill Valley center are ahead of their grade level in math. Mathnasium is the perfect place to practice and improve math skills. Similar to an athlete or musician, practicing is essential to mastering their craft.

In addition to learning math and building their confidence – which is really half the battle – kids have fun at Mathnasium. They are motivated to do their best so they may earn prizes and win raffles. Special events and parties are also offered, such as chess, stock market class, tickets to Giants/Warriors games and parties at Swirl. I believe it is important to support the Mill Valley community, so I involve other local businesses when I can and make donations to school events, athletic leagues and of course Kiddo!

Opening a Mathnasium franchise has truly been rewarding. I enjoy seeing the smile on a child’s face when they understand a new concept and translate that into higher report card grades. I plan to devote all my energy to my center, until I retire!