When children have extended gaps in learning, they can find that their skills and comprehension erode by the time school starts in September. Normally called the summer slide, this phenomenon has been exacerbated by school closings across the country due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Many schools are still struggling to fully transition to remote learning, and math learning has been especially hard hit.
Mathnasium of North Vancouver, an after-school math and learning centre that helps children from Grade 1 to 12, has reopened safely to help students fight the COVID slide and prepare them for the upcoming academic year.
“Students have been off academic instruction since the middle of March and it’s really going to affect them in September when it’s time to start a new grade,” Mathnasium of North Vancouver director Alvin Shin says.
“This is the time to ramp up that knowledge and get fundamentals in place.”
In addition to reopening centres with health and safety protocols in place, Mathnasium has launched Mathnasium@Home, an online platform that offers real-time, face-to-face instruction that students can access wherever they have an internet connection.
“This provides a lot of flexibility for students to get that learning in at home while getting ready for September,” Shin says.
In addition, Mathansium of North Vancouver is offering its students unlimited sessions for July and August to help prepare them for the new school year.
Mathnasium combines quality, personalized instruction with learning games to help students excel in math. When students first enter the program, Mathnasium does a comprehensive assessment to understand their knowledge and skill gaps, as well as their strengths. After that, they will receive an individual learning plan to work through with their engaged, face-to-face instructors.
Mathnasium improves a child’s confidence in math by fostering an understanding of the foundational skills of math. The centre doesn’t give out homework, but students can bring in their assignments and work through it with Mathnasium’s instructors or do exam preparation. Students have a chance to earn rewards for completed assignments and participate in theme days.
“Learning math doesn’t have to be boring and tedious,” Shin says.
“We want them to come in and know that learning can be fun.”
To learn more about Mathnasium and its innovative Mathnasium@Home program, visit its website at www.mathnasium.ca/northvancouver.
