Multisensory Math Magic Helps This Student Soar!
[Case Study]
by Jennie Miller
Tracey, Math Specialist
“It was a pleasure working with Will. By the time I started working with him in 8th grade, he had a wonderful attitude about math. Others before me- Mathew and Sam at MFM did a great job getting him there.”
William, 9th Grader
Will loves reading, writing, music, and anything creative! He is currently 68,279 words into his novel (at the time of writing).
About this Student:
- Name: William
- Grade: 9th
- School: Public
- Struggles: Dyslexia, Dysgraphia, & Dyscalculia
- Strengths: English and Writing
- Author 100%
- Funny Guy 90%
- Creative 100%
*Shared with permission from Will’s parents.
Introducing Will – an avid enthusiast of books, movies, video games, and all things creative! Despite his love for various interests, math proved to be Will’s toughest subject. It wasn’t until the 5th grade that his parents, concerned about his growing anxiety with math homework, began exploring alternatives beyond traditional school options. That’s when they discovered Made for Math.
“Looks like you worked some Math Magic” -William’s Mom
Before Made for Math, what was school like for William? What prompted you to look for help?
Before Made for Math, William loved school but was increasingly anxious when it came to math. He had done other tutoring and still struggled.
Then in 5th grade, his anxiety started ramping up. When we would try to do math homework with him, he would hyperventilate. He wouldn’t look at the page, would drop his pencil ten times, anything to get away from it.
We realized that this wasn’t sustainable. We didn’t know how he would ever get through middle school or high school math.
What did you expect out of Made for Math? How well did we meet those expectations?
We didn’t know exactly what to expect from MFM. We had done other math tutoring and he was still barely hanging on. In the short term, we hoped to make math class bearable and then figure out the long term later. MFM has exceeded our expectations. His confidence went up and anxiety went down soon into the program. At first, he still struggled with the material but his attitude was entirely different. Then his math grades went up, and he was able to do math homework with no help and no prodding. His standardized test scores were always in the “at risk” category, but he was doing well in school and not having panic attacks. We thought that was good enough. We stuck with MFM because it had made him so much happier. Then in 8th grade, his test scores went up into the proficient/advanced range. So far in 9th grade, his scores have stayed there and he enjoys algebra class.
What is the most valuable/useful part of Math Intervention with MFM?
Peace in our family! No more crying, shouting, begging, and nagging about math homework. No more showing him how to do the problem again, and not knowing why he couldn’t do it.What has changed as a result of Math Intervention? How do you feel about Will’s confidence and math skills?
What has changed is that we never think about math class! We don’t worry that he won’t be able to go to college or graduate high school. Math is still sometimes difficult for him. He is dyscalculic and that is always going to be an area of challenge. But he is confident enough to work through it, get help from his teacher, and persevere. And he has the skills to learn and improve.What Will wants to say:
What was school like for you before coming to Made for Math?
Math was always my worst subject. I always remember trying my best at it, but with only the instruction given in class there was only so far I could get. I’m dyslexic, dysgraphic, and dyscalculic (I still can’t pronounce that last one) which made math extremely difficult. As much as the concepts were explained to me, it just all got jumbled up in my mind and I became even more confused than I was before.What is school like for you now?
School is loads easier compared to what it was before I started with MFM. Made For Math helped me tremendously, even to the point where some of my math scores are better than my English and literature scores—something unheard of in a pre Made For Math environment. It was a little rough at first, and when I first started out I insisted that I didn’t need tutoring. I eventually warmed up to the whole Idea, and after awhile I actually enjoyed it. While school can still be difficult, and I’d still argue that math is my worst subject, Made For Math made school exponentially more enjoyable for me. I’m extremely grateful to everyone I worked with at Made For Math.
🪄Looking to discover the Math Magic everyone’s talking about? Watch a Demo Class to see if Multisensory Math is right for you and your family.