Mathnasium
About
We are a math-only tutoring center that provides individualized, targeted instruction for students in grades K-12. Our highly trained instructors are passionate about making math make sense to students. Our goal is to build confidence to help students catch up, keep up, and get ahead in school.
At Mathnasium, we assess students in order to determine what they already know and what they don't know yet. We create individual learning plans to attack those concepts each student doesn't know quite yet and provide individual instruction to meet the needs of each student. We communicate student progress regularly to parents with monthly progress reports and phone calls.
Visit our website at www.mathnasium.com/bettendorf to learn more!
Our instructors' favorite thing about working at Mathnasium is the kids. We love getting to know them and seeing them come in. We love seeing the moment when students understand a concept they've been struggling with for a while. Most of all, we love seeing the growth in confidence.
No reviews (yet)
Frequently asked questions
What is your typical process for working with a new student?
We have the student come in for an initial, risk-free assessment. During this process, we find out what the student already knows and what the student needs to work on. After the student completes the assessment, we go over the results with the student and guardians. Once a student enrolls, we create an individual binder with material from that learning plan. Students will be greeted and checked in by an instructor who will make sure each student understands the first assignment. We let students work independently when they can and when a student needs help, an instructor will come over to give examples and help.
What education and/or training do you have that relates to your work?
Our instructors have a variety of education and training. Some of our instructors are high school juniors and seniors in advanced math classes who have plans to go into the fields of engineering or computer science after graduating. We also have current college students who are studying education and engineering. We have one instructor who also works as a special education associate in an area school. Our center director taught high school math for 6 years and has experience as a Special Education Director.
All instructors go through intensive online training to learn the Mathnasium Method in their first 2-3 months of employment. Training is revisited throughout employment as well through both online and in-person methods.
Do you have a standard pricing system for your lessons? If so, please share the details here.
Our pricing is based on age and enrollment length. We offer a 6-month and 12-month enrollment, as well as a month-to-month option. Pricing will be discussed in more detail during our initial conversation.
How did you get started teaching?
I decided to become a teacher my senior year of high school. I spent several months deciding whether I wanted to teach math or english. My Calculus teacher happened to miss my class a lot because he was the bowling coach and was getting his administration degree, so he would have me teach the lesson to the class. I really enjoyed explaining the lessons to my peers and decided that I didn't want to spend my time grading essays, so I made the decision to become a math teacher. After I graduated from college, I got a job teaching high school math in Central City, Iowa. I taught there for 6 years. During my final year at Central City, I was also the Special Education Director for the district which gave me experience working with all sorts of learning styles and needs.
-Erin Marshall, Center Director
What types of students have you worked with?
At Mathnasium, we work with students from Kindergarten through 12th grade. We vary our approach based on each student's personaility, ability, and attitude toward math.
As a high school teacher, Erin taught 7th grade Pre-Algebra, 9th grade Pre-Algebra, Algebra 1, Geometry, Algebra 2, Pre-Calculus, Calculus, Personal Finance, and Probability/Statistics.
What advice would you give a student looking to hire a teacher in your area of expertise?
The most important thing to look for when hiring a tutor/teacher is making sure it's a good fit between the student and instructor. The student should feel like the instructor explains things in a way that makes sense, and the student should feel comfortable working with the instructor.
What questions should students think through before talking to teachers about their needs?
The most helpful thing a student can do when talking to a teacher about his/her needs is being able to give a clear expectation. Unfortunately, teachers can't read minds, so it's really important to know what exactly is confusing to a student or where the student is getting stuck in a problem.