Roots for Success

Math anxiety is a widespread problem for students and adults alike. Even students who are good at math often experience math anxiety, including feelings of tension, apprehension or worry. Math-anxious students frequently endure significant physiological, emotional, and cognitive reactions in situations where they have to manipulate numbers, solve mathematical problems, or take a math test. Math anxiety can begin as early as elementary school with the foundations being laid even before formal schooling.

Signs of math anxiety vary but might include rushing through problems, acting out in class, lack of engagement or motivation, proclamations that the student hates math, or homework procrastination. Math anxiety that goes unchecked in the early years can persist throughout students' academic lives. Math-anxious students tend to take fewer advanced math classes and see themselves as less able in not only math, but in science, technology, and engineering as well. Confidence in doing math and mathematical competence can therefore impact students' vocational choices.

While math anxiety is real, it’s also fixable. At Roots for Success, I focus on building confidence through one-on-one tutoring that meets each student where they are. I listen carefully, build on their natural thinking, and offer plenty of opportunities for success. Instead of rushing through topics, I emphasize true understanding. I encourage students to think flexibly about numbers and explore different ways to approach problems. As confidence grows during tutoring, it follows them into the classroom. Students become more willing to ask questions, try new strategies, and engage in math class—creating a positive cycle of motivation and growth.

In-person sessions are in Cary, NC.

Virtual sessions are conducted via Zoom.

Contact me directly to discuss your child's needs and set up a tutoring schedule. I recommend 1-2 sessions/week. Continuity in sessions enables me to develop a relationship with your child and craft sessions that are specifically tailored to their needs.

$70/60-minute face-to-face session

$60/45-minute online session

I provide all of the materials your child needs for tutoring sessions. While the skills and concepts covered during tutoring sessions follow a coherent order and align with the Common Core Math Standards, we mix it up with stories, puzzles, rich tasks, games, apps, and more. Math stories draw students in and bring math concepts to life. Math puzzles foster logical thinking, persistence, and creativity. Rich problem contexts and tasks invite students to ponder important mathematical ideas in depth and verbalize their thinking. Math games (a favorite) encourage strategic mathematical thinking and support the development of computational fluency. And math apps (digital math tools) make math more interactive. In short, we use a lot of different ingredients to make math meaningful and FUN! Much of the content I use are materials I developed through the above mentioned projects. Other materials are freely available online. Examples of online content and tools can be found at the following sites: The Math Learning Center, Geogebra, Desmos, Illustrative Mathematics, and Open-Up Resources.

Make sure your child has had a snack and an opportunity to use the bathroom before tutoring. I ask that students do not bring a snack to face-to-face sessions or online sessions.

For online sessions, make sure your child is comfortable with Zoom. They will need to know how to share their screen, open a new browser window, link to an external site, and be able to switch back to camera mode (so we can see each other).

Math anxiety is a widespread problem for people of all ages. Even if you (as a parent) feel a little anxious about math, make sure you are conveying a positive attitude about math to your child. Positive math input at home is an important predictor of children's mathematical success.