Mathnasium vs. Huntington vs. Kumon

Anonymous
DD needs math tutoring, in a big way. 9th grade and struggling with algebra. MoCo public.

she's otherwise a good student, no learning challenges. she mainly needs basic instruction, repetition and practice.

Any thoughts on Mathnasium vs. Huntington vs. Kumon?
Anonymous
Kumon isn't tutoring, it is learning how to do math calculations quickly and accurately. They would test her and probably start her on addition facts, then subtraction, then multiplication, long division, fractions, decimals, etc. It would take her a 1 to 2 years to reach the Algebra level of Kumon.

Have you looked online at whatever textbook she is using? I helped my nephew last weekend with Algebra. I wanted to make sure I was telling him how to set up the problem they way he was learning in class, I googled the textbook publisher and name and found resource sites for students that had video clips and quizzes that followed the chapters in this book.
His book was from Prentice Hall. Here is the link to the Alg. Books.
http://www.phschool.com/atschool/txtbk_res_math.html

Here is the link to the Algebra video clips.
http://www.phschool.com/webcodes10/index.cfm?fuseaction=home.gotoWebCode&wcprefix=ate&wcsuffix=0775
Anonymous
OP here, sounds like my DS is more of a Kumon candidate actually. He's in 5th. needs lots of help with speed and accuracy.

I am not strong in math so looking at her textbook won't help. I get cross-eyed just thinking about it.
Anonymous
Anonymous wrote:OP here, sounds like my DS is more of a Kumon candidate actually. He's in 5th. needs lots of help with speed and accuracy.

I am not strong in math so looking at her textbook won't help. I get cross-eyed just thinking about it.


I haven't experienced that Kumon provides much if any instruction. Basically they send you on your way with a bunch of worksheets. If you can swing the extra cost, Mathnasium may be a better fit. Their tutors actually sit down and work with your child, not just correct worksheets done at home. The Kumon price range is somewhere around $100 per month, whereas Mathnasium is closer to $300 per month (just ballparks).
Anonymous
Anonymous wrote:Kumon isn't tutoring, it is learning how to do math calculations quickly and accurately. They would test her and probably start her on addition facts, then subtraction, then multiplication, long division, fractions, decimals, etc. It would take her a 1 to 2 years to reach the Algebra level of Kumon.


My kids have been doing Kumon for years. I'm more optimistic about Kumon working for the OP's child. I don't think it would take so long to reach the Algebra level. Each level has 200 pages. Even if they started him on level A (addition), he could do 10 pages a day, finish the level in 20 days, repeat the last 100 pages in 10 days, thus completing the level in 30 days. Maybe they wouldn't make him repeat the last 100 pages or maybe they would give him more than 10 pages a day. He could probably finish levels B, C, and D as quickly. He may need to cut down the number of pages per day at level E or F (fractions). Algebra starts at level G, I think.

Why not go for the free evaluation and talk to the Kumon instructor about it? Surely they have worked with 9th graders in this situation before.
Anonymous
PP here who has kids in Kumon. I want to add that I decided to go with Kumon because it was the cheapest math program I could find and I'm very satisfied. There's no way I could pay $300/month. Actually, Kumon costs $120-$130/month now.
Anonymous
I have my kids in Kumon. For your DD, I think Mathnasium or private tutoring might work better. I would suggest private tutoring as it is hard to catch up in reasonable time for a high schooler with kumon. Kumon will take at least one year of hard work to catch up with her current level. It could be more. They dont skip any levels in Kumon. They will evaluate her and if her addition facts are not as fast as their standards, they will start her at level A. Pre-algebra starts at Level G. She may fly through level A, B,C in one month each. Other levels will probably take 2-3 months as it is long division, fractions, etc and she may find that she cannot do 10 pages everyday as well as might have to repeat some pages.

Roughly speaking, high school math starts at level I in Kumon.
Anonymous
OP, if you live near a Mathnasium center I'd try them, first. The one I know of up in Columbia lets you pay a monthly fee, for as many visits as your child can make. If I lved closer, I'd totally pay the price per month and have my child go three-four times a week, until she got caught up.
Anonymous
OP here - so many great and helpful responses. Thank you!

We live in Bethesda, both Kuomn and Mathnasium are nearby.

what then are your thoughts on any of thses centers for more "remedial" math - this would be for my 5th grader. Have tried the super expensive specialized tutor route, I think the only thing that's done is cause a gaping hole in my bank account. He is struggling with moving further in math because he literally does not have the basics down yet - multiplication tables.

Wondering if Kumon might work for him, or if Mathnasium would be better. I plan to call each of the centers, but of course I know that they will tell me what I want to hear - that their center would be a perfect fit....but I know better than to believe only the words coming from those who will benefit financially from us going to their center.

Anonymous
Anonymous wrote:OP here - so many great and helpful responses. Thank you!

We live in Bethesda, both Kuomn and Mathnasium are nearby.

what then are your thoughts on any of thses centers for more "remedial" math - this would be for my 5th grader. Have tried the super expensive specialized tutor route, I think the only thing that's done is cause a gaping hole in my bank account. He is struggling with moving further in math because he literally does not have the basics down yet - multiplication tables.

Wondering if Kumon might work for him, or if Mathnasium would be better. I plan to call each of the centers, but of course I know that they will tell me what I want to hear - that their center would be a perfect fit....but I know better than to believe only the words coming from those who will benefit financially from us going to their center.



For your 5th grader you should try Kumon as long as you are willing to give it a 6 month commitment. They will give him a test to see what level he is at in math. If he does not know his addition and subtraction facts effortlessly and without hesitation he will start at level 2A. Ask your son what 7+6 is or 16-7 and 7x8. If he can't instantly answer then you should do Kumon. They start the kids at a level below where they are at so that the first month they get into a habit of doing the packet EVERY DAY - as in 365 days a year. Once you get into the habit and make it a priority it gets easier as long as you are consistent. My kids only missed a packet if they were really sick or something really important came up so they really did end up doing Kumon math 360 days of the year. It is really hard to do well in math at the middle school and high school level if you don't know your math facts automatically because trying to figure out basic facts uses up working memory that is needed to solve higher level math. There might be some people who have incredibly strong working memory that can do math well without knowing their math facts (really automatically knowing them and being able to say them within a second) but most people will struggle in math without the basics. My only regret for my son was not starting earlier. I started him toward the end of third grade when he struggled in math and hated it. Once he began to learn math facts he took off. Now three years later he is one of the top math students in 6th grade and loves math. Many of the kids in the top math class he sees at Kumon.
Anonymous
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:OP here - so many great and helpful responses. Thank you!

We live in Bethesda, both Kuomn and Mathnasium are nearby.

what then are your thoughts on any of thses centers for more "remedial" math - this would be for my 5th grader. Have tried the super expensive specialized tutor route, I think the only thing that's done is cause a gaping hole in my bank account. He is struggling with moving further in math because he literally does not have the basics down yet - multiplication tables.

Wondering if Kumon might work for him, or if Mathnasium would be better. I plan to call each of the centers, but of course I know that they will tell me what I want to hear - that their center would be a perfect fit....but I know better than to believe only the words coming from those who will benefit financially from us going to their center.



For your 5th grader you should try Kumon as long as you are willing to give it a 6 month commitment. They will give him a test to see what level he is at in math. If he does not know his addition and subtraction facts effortlessly and without hesitation he will start at level 2A. Ask your son what 7+6 is or 16-7 and 7x8. If he can't instantly answer then you should do Kumon. They start the kids at a level below where they are at so that the first month they get into a habit of doing the packet EVERY DAY - as in 365 days a year. Once you get into the habit and make it a priority it gets easier as long as you are consistent. My kids only missed a packet if they were really sick or something really important came up so they really did end up doing Kumon math 360 days of the year. It is really hard to do well in math at the middle school and high school level if you don't know your math facts automatically because trying to figure out basic facts uses up working memory that is needed to solve higher level math. There might be some people who have incredibly strong working memory that can do math well without knowing their math facts (really automatically knowing them and being able to say them within a second) but most people will struggle in math without the basics. My only regret for my son was not starting earlier. I started him toward the end of third grade when he struggled in math and hated it. Once he began to learn math facts he took off. Now three years later he is one of the top math students in 6th grade and loves math. Many of the kids in the top math class he sees at Kumon.


Thank you PP!! You have really helped me in deciding which direction to go with my DS. Yes, I LOVE the idea of daily packets for him, THIS is exactly he needs. Would you mind sharing information regarding cost for Kumon? Although I bet its less than the $500 a month we have been spending on tutoring with our private tutor.
Anonymous
Kumon is around 125 to 135 dollars a month. Each location is its own Franchise that sets its own monthly price, contract length, days that they are open (usually it is only two or three days a week) but they all follow the same sequence and use the same packets. You pay the same price no matter how many pages you get, so if your kid does 5 (all the pages are double-sided) pages it is the same price as 10 pages. Your kid goes to the center to do the packets twice a week and the other 5 packets are one at home. The first year was tough for my son because he wasn't on grade level so it took him a while to do homework and Kumon. Once he got faster at the basic skills he started speeding through his homework. I pay him a dollar a day for doing Kumon as a reward. I tell him it is his job and he gets paid twice a month. So it costs me 365 dollars plus when he passes a level we celebrate. Now that he is used to it I don't need to pay him but it is like an allowance. I would rather him study than do housework.
Anonymous
Anonymous wrote:OP here - so many great and helpful responses. Thank you!

We live in Bethesda, both Kuomn and Mathnasium are nearby.

what then are your thoughts on any of thses centers for more "remedial" math - this would be for my 5th grader. Have tried the super expensive specialized tutor route, I think the only thing that's done is cause a gaping hole in my bank account. He is struggling with moving further in math because he literally does not have the basics down yet - multiplication tables.

Wondering if Kumon might work for him, or if Mathnasium would be better. I plan to call each of the centers, but of course I know that they will tell me what I want to hear - that their center would be a perfect fit....but I know better than to believe only the words coming from those who will benefit financially from us going to their center.



I think Kumon for 5th grader, Mathnasium for 9th grader. However, logistically you'd probably just want to choose one....
Anonymous
OP, for your fifth grader, if he's having trouble with speed and accuracy on multiplication and division facts, try xtra math. Kind of boring, but it's free, and specifically meant to help your child answer these math facts in 3 seconds or less.

http://xtramath.org/
Anonymous
Thanks PP. I just signed up for an account just in case i decide to go the non-Kumon route.
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