New Math Center Opens in Burke

Students in Burke who are struggling with math now have a new resource to help them improve their skills. 

Mathnasium, a new learning center, specializes in helping kids in grades K-12 with math and aims to teach it to them in a way that’s both fun and easy to understand.

The center opened on Oct. 19 and is located at 9411- C Old Burke Lake Rd. Mathnasium replaces the Treasured Child consignment store, which closed on Sept. 1. 

See: Treasured Child Consignment Store Closes

Using assessments, the center looks at a student’s strengths and weaknesses with math to learn where the gaps are, which helps determine how the center can help them improve.

“Our job here at the center is filling the gap for them,” said Rachel Hsueh, center director for the Burke Mathnasium location. “If they have a very strong foundation already, then when they move on, they should have no problem at all with math. The gap is the problem.”

Based on the assessment, the center director creates a customized program for each child and their individual needs. The goal for all students, Hsueh said, is to boost their confidence in math and help them “catch up, keep on and get ahead.”

“If you know your child needs help with calculus… he might have a gap from algebra, so that’s why he can’t understand calculus. That’s why the assessments are very important,” said Hsueh.

Each student is given a binder that holds all of their work with Mathnasium so that they can see what they’ve done since day one at the center. Being able to see their progress and accomplishments is the best way to build confidence because the students can see real results, said Hsueh.

A Mathnasium membership fee is paid monthly and an assessment costs about $95. There’s also a one-time registration fee of $55. Hsueh said the registration fee allows students to postpone their sessions with the center and pick them up again at anytime without having to pay the fee again.

Mathnasium’s services are open to all students who need help with math whether they’re enrolled in public or private school or home-schooled.

Students in grades 1-8 typically have one-hour sessions at Mathnasium while students in grades 9-12 will have 90-minute sessions. The first half of all sessions focus on homework and the remainder is spent working on Mathnasium curriculum worksheets.

For many students, any gap in math is made worse between 6th and 7th grade because the math material changes and becomes more advanced, according to Hsueh.

Each Mathnasium instructor has a max of three students and the instructors are all thoroughly vetted, said Hsueh. Instructors not only have to demonstrate strong skills in math, but they also have to like kids, pass a math exam and a background check. All instructors also receive a lot of internal training from Mathnasium and are assessed similarly to the way students are.

The center director can also coordinate efforts with a student’s math teacher once they get permission from parents to do so. Usually the center director will reach out to a teacher through email on a weekly basis for three reasons: to determine what the topic of the week is in class, find out if there are any upcoming quizzes or exams, and learn more about the material being taught so they can complete worksheets that makes sense with the student’s schoolwork.

Hsueh said she tries to make the experience fun for students by playing math games with them since she knows how defeated kids can feel when they struggle with math. For example, for each correct worksheet the students complete, they can get "A+" stamps that give them a chance to win a prize from the Mathnasium glass cabinet for their hard work.

Now that the center is open, Hsueh said she hopes that Mathnasium can help teach Burke-area students the skills and confidence they need in math.

“I believe in kids and I believe in their ability to be good at math. I’m trying to make it fun when we learn math. Math is not that difficult. I know kids can do that. And I want to help them realize that,” said Hsueh.

The center currently has an ongoing grand opening special offering a free assessment for the first 50 students. Additionally, Hsueh said parents and students interested in Mathnasium can sign up for a free one-week trial to see if the center will be a good fit for them

For more information about Mathnasium, visit their website. 

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