Now accepting new students
for fall 2023!
Our vision of small group student learning….
Visit our Gallery for more examples of student work
This fourth grader’s approach was to add up the M&M’s in each layer to find the total. She entered the problem by using her multiplication fact fluency to easily find the square number products of the first 12 layers. As she recorded her thinking, she noticed the emerging pattern (in blue) of the differences between the square products. She was able to find the products for the last seven layers by applying the general rule that she had discovered.
What parents are saying….
Sessions have been wonderful. Due to the pandemic and due to personal circumstances, my child really needs close interaction with role models. My child’s teacher has been a very warm and supportive positive influence. I am very grateful that he has made this connection. I think the connection is also fostering his attitude towards math.
~ Parent of a 6th grader
My daughter always found math easy, but boring, in school. Now she finds it fun and much more interesting. At the end of her lessons she comes down to dinner eager to tell us about the problems how she solved them. During the lessons I mostly just hear her laughing and talking eagerly in her room. This has been such a change from her engagement in school.
~ Parent of a 4th grader
This student found the large blue array of 30 x 12 had 360 bins. She subtracted the green 1×6 section where the sign was. Then she added the 110 bins in the red section for a grand total of 464 Lego bins.
In person and online
math sessions are available.
Our approach to teaching….
Curiosity is a powerful intrinsic motivator. Students learn best when they are interested and engaged in solving problems that they care about. Our small group sessions feature intriguing problems set in real world contexts.
Guided discovery is the way that students authentically and deeply learn new math skills. As learners engage with challenging problems, they will discover the new math skills and understandings needed to solve them. Our facilitators ask questions that deepen student thinking and promote mathematical habits of mind.
Learning is a social process. Working with other mathematicians can be energizing and enriching. Peers push each other to explain themselves clearly, consider the approaches that others have taken, and reflect on their own strategies. We facilitate peer to peer discourse that keeps student growth and development at the center of the learning process.
This student reasoned that the value of 5/8 of the cake was $4.05. The whole cake cost $6.50, so half of the cake was $3.25. Dividing that half by 4 meant that one slice was about 80¢. So the total cost of the part that was eaten would $4.05.
My daughter’s ability and confidence has increased markedly since she started Building Math Minds. She often volunteers to work out solutions to math problems. She actively looks forward to the math sessions – whereas before she would make up any excuse to avoid math.
~ Parent of a 3rd grader
Building Math Minds was the right choice for our son. He’s never been below grade level, but was lacking in confidence. He was able to handle math work at home that he couldn’t manage in school. The math sessions have improved our son’s confidence drastically. They have shown him that math can be fun, interesting, and connected to the real world!
~ Parent of a 5th grader