Rebecca Zook - Math Tutoring Online

Is your child consumed by math anxiety, even though they’re “doing everything right?”

These are some of my favorite students to work with, because I used to struggle with the exact same thing.

When this particular Algebra II/Trig student first came to me, she was making decent grades – Cs, Bs and low As – but at enormous psychic cost.

She would spend hours every night perfectionistically slaving over her math homework, but still feel completely unclear about the material and consumed by math anxiety.

Math felt like a collection of shards of broken glass that she was putting massive energy into “keeping together,” but they never actually fit together or added up to a cohesive whole.

How did she shift from perfectionism to mastery?

Let’s break it down!

1. When this student started working with me, one of the things that really stressed her out was her formulas sheet.

A page covered in things she hadn’t yet learned, that she would eventually have to memorize, many involving symbols or terms she’d never heard of yet, all crammed onto one scary page.

OF COURSE this freaked her out!

So we set the formulas sheet aside.

2. And instead, we built the formulas sheet from scratch – one formula at a time.

First, we started with the simplest, most basic formula, and built it from scratch using foundational concepts that this student already knew, like the Pythagorean formula.

And we’d make it super visual, drawing diagrams that explained why it worked.

Then she’d “teach it back to me” and build it from scratch and draw the diagrams herself.

Then the next session, we’d do the same thing again.

And again.

And again.

Until each formula was totally internalized, and she could build almost the entire formulas sheet from scratch, all by herself.

3. This created massive self-trust.

Not only did this student KNOW all the formulas, she knew WHY they worked, AND she could build them on her own.

Also, taking the time to do this so slowly, in the end, created massive speed.

This student became one of the fastest problem-solvers I’ve ever seen at this level …

BECAUSE she had taken the time to understand the fundamental concepts so meticulously.

The end result was that, without trying to be fast, this student breezed through the material, understanding at a deep conceptual level problems that many other students just experience as a random collection of rules or weird answers spit out by their TI-82.

Now this student experienced math as a cohesive whole, where she belonged, instead of a random collection of disconnected shards.

4. So, how did this play out in her classroom?

As a result of our work, this student’s grades hit the roof.

She was awarded the “most improved student” award by her teacher – in front of her whole school.

She was so much less stressed that she stopped binge eating…
…just because the math anxiety was gone.

And she applied for and won a prestigious internship at a European research-based skin care company in Georgetown, DC – being chosen over COLLEGE STUDENTS!!!

(This is an awesome example of how when math is no longer an obstacle, students can really bring their dreams and visions out into the world.)

Do you have a child who is struggling with this kind of math anxiety?

Maybe they’re actually getting good grades, but not really understanding how the pieces fit together.

Or maybe their grades have started to suffer.

Either way, I’d love to connect with you get clear on whether or not my work would be a fit for your child.

Just fill out this application to get started: fill out your application here

I am so excited to connect!

Sending you love,
REBECCA

Related Articles:
Case Study: A 5th grader goes from believing “Math Doesn’t Like Me” to singing and dancing about math while wearing a purple tutu
Afraid Your Math Teacher Will Judge You?
Case Study: A 10th grader goes from feeling like math is a foreign language to becoming the most called-upon student in her class
The Treachery of Invisible Math Anxiety

4. Math-masterful parents are focused on the long-term process of mastery.

Typical parents focus on just getting math over with.

Math is so stressful that they just want to help their kids complete their homework assignments as quickly as possible.

But this never gets below the surface to the actual root problems that are causing the math anxiety and stress.

In contrast, math-masterful parents focus on whether their child is deeply understanding and internalizing the material, not just getting their homework done.

As part of this, math-masterful parents are proactive, not reactive.

Instead of being in crisis mode, waiting to see if they have math issues, scheduling support only around tests, or reacting to the artificial rhythms of the school year, these parents put support in place consistently and let their child’s mastery needs set the pace.

Like athletes or performing artists, math-masterful families train consistently.

They still take breaks and vacations, but use holidays and summer breaks as a powerful secret compartment to catch up, get ahead, and stay connected to math—to enjoy math on their own terms.

This consistent training develops their own inner math sanctuary that supports them, once they’re back from vacation, no matter what is going on in their classroom or curriculum.

And because they invest this time and energy in consistent math mastery training, they end up having a much more relaxed and happy school year, because their child is actually confident and prepared.

As a quick example of this, one family came to me towards the end of 5th grade after years of struggling with math and not getting what they needed from typical tutoring.

We worked together throughout the summer between 5th and 6th grade—still taking some breaks, but making sure that this student was really connecting to math and loving it.

Her first day back of 6th grade, this student was the only kid in the room who knew what the commutative property was, and nailed question after question after question until her teacher just started laughing!

More recently, a student and I used her spring break as an opportunity to get ahead and really understand logarithms.

Just a few days ago she told me that she was the only student in her class who actually understood them.

And her mom now experiences her daughter’s school vacations as much more relaxing, because there’s no more math dread.

Do you wish your child could go through this same transformation?

I would love to talk to you.

Just fill out this application here.

As soon as your application is received and reviewed, I’ll reach out to schedule a special appointment for us to connect on the phone and get clear on how I could best support your family.

I can’t wait to connect!

Sending you love,
REBECCA

Related posts:
What Parents Of Math-Confident Children Secretly Do (That Typical Parents Don’t) – #1
What Parents Of Math-Confident Children Secretly Do (That Typical Parents Don’t) – #2
What Parents Of Math-Confident Children Secretly Do (That Typical Parents Don’t) – #3

You are invited to join me for:

Making Math Magical: How to End the Math Freak-out and Raise a Math-Confident Child
on Saturday 8/5
at the Hampton Library in Bridgehampton, Long Island!

For Parents & Guardians

Math can be a big source of parental anxiety, where even math-confident parents can find themselves stuck when it comes to supporting their child.

In this workshop, math mastery mentor and joyful learning expert Rebecca Zook will provide you with groundbreaking tools to build and nurture your child’s math confidence.

Learn how to support your child to achieve mastery, rise to the top of their class, and in time experience math as a source of joy and self-expression.

Walk away with clear steps, case studies, and tools you can use to ensure math confidence.

This talk is for: parents and guardians of kids from 4th-12th grade
Talk title: Making Math Magical: Raising a Math Confident Child
Date: Saturday, August 05, 2017
Time: 3:00pm
Location: Hampton Library
2478 Main St,
Bridgehampton, NY 11932

Come and join me! Tell your friends!

And YES, my cello will be coming to help with the presentation!

#Bridgehampton #HamptonLibrary #LI #LongIsland #makingmathmagical #mathmastery #backtoschool #mathforparents #mathworkshopforparents #mathjoy #mathanxiety #endthemathfreakout #raiseamathconfidentchild

PS. This will be my *last* presentation until I return from recording and performing with my cello in Iceland in mid-September!

This Monday, 7/24, I’ll be speaking to parents at the Bernardsville, NJ public library about How to Make Math Magical this Summer!

While summer is the perfect time to catch up on math or get ahead, students typically lose 2.6 months of grade level learning in math each summer.

Come learn how you can use the summer so your child can catch up or get ahead with math without having it be a boring, stressful chore.

Presented by Rebecca Zook, a math mastery mentor and joyful learning expert with over 13 years of experience as a thought leader on the cutting edge of math education.

This program is for parents of students in 4th grade through high school.

Talk title: How to Make Math Magical this Summer
This talk is for: parents of students in 4th grade through high school

Date: Mon 7/24
Time: 7 pm
Location: Bernardsville Public Library
1 Anderson Hill Road
Bernardsville, NJ 07924

Cost: Free and open to the public!

And in case you were wondering, there WILL be cello!

Come and join me – and please share with friends who might need help making math magical this summer!

#Bernardsville #NJ #BernardsvillePublicLibrary #makingmathmagical #summermath #mathforparents #mathworkshop #mathconfidence #mathmastery #mathanxiety #mathjoy

Tonight,

Tues 7/11 @ 6.30-8 pm,

I will be presenting

Making Math Magical: Summer Edition:
How to use the summer to catch up or get ahead
(without burning out or going crazy)
for parents (of students 4th-12th grade)

While summer is the perfect time to catch up on math or get ahead, students typically lose 2.6 months of grade level learning in math each summer. Many families, even those who enthusiastically embrace summer reading, feel overwhelmed or completely lost when it comes to getting started with doing summer math.

Come learn how you can use the summer so your child can catch up or get ahead with math without having it be a boring, stressful chore, but actually magical, meaningful, fun, and effective, so your child is competent and confident.

You will learn how to:
-create achievable and meaningful summer math goals
-find summer materials that really work for you
-plan, pace and schedule yourself and your child
-fun ways to learn math on the go or on vacation
-access the magic that comes from true math mastery

Everyone will leave with specific tools and strategies to take home and use immediately.

I will be sharing the three big practices that completely transformed my life as a mathematician and performing artist.
Come and bring your friends!

Talk title: Making Math Magical: Summer Edition:
How to use the summer to catch up or get ahead (without burning out or going crazy)
Audience: for parents (of students 4th-12th grade)
Date: Tonight, Tues 7/11
Time: 6:30-8 pm
Location: Park Slope branch of the Brooklyn Public Library
431 6th Ave,
Brooklyn, NY 11215
Cost: Free and open to the public

#ParkSlope #Brooklyn #BKLYN #BrooklynPublicLibrary #MathMastery #MakingMathMagical #MathJoy #mathanxiety #mathworkshopforparents

I am super excited! I am starting to interview candidates for my very special Making Math Magical Summer Mastery Program!

Here are the details:

This summer, Rebecca Zook, Math Mastery Mentor and Joyful Learning Expert, and founder of Purple Tutu Math Tutoring, is offering a very special
Making Math Magical Summer Mastery Program:
a private, one-on-one, live, math summer camp
completely customized in every single nanosecond to your child’s unique, magnificent mind.

Do you feel totally lost when it comes to setting up your child to be successful with summer math?

Are you worried about the 2.6 months of grade level math learning that are typically lost each summer?

Your child can use the summer to catch up or get ahead with math without having it be a boring, stressful chore, but actually magical, meaningful, fun, and effective, so your child is competent and confident.

This camp is especially suitable for creative, passionate, unique, visionary kids,

whether they are in crisis (freaking out, failing, or secretly crying themselves to sleep about math, even though they’re trying their best),

or if they are in “math-preventative” or “math-acceleration” mode and want to use the summer to get ahead or bump up a level.

Making Math Magical: Summer Mastery Program is the equivalent of private training with an elite athlete or performing artist, nurturing your child to achieve math mastery and experience math as a source of joy and strength.

For students from rising 4th through 12th grade.

Does this sound like something you’d like to explore?

Just fill out this special application.

Once your application is received, I’ll reach out to schedule a special interview appointment for us to talk on the phone and get clear on whether this program would be a fit for your child.

I am so looking forward to connecting with you so we can make math magical this summer!

Sending you love,
REBECCA

UPDATE: Enrollment for my summer programs is now closed. Click here to apply for my magical fall programs!

Make Math Magical This Summer:
How to use the summer to catch up or get ahead
(without burning out or going crazy)
for parents
(of students 3rd grade through high school)

Tues 6/13
6.30-8 pm
New Canaan Public Library
151 Main Street
New Canaan, CT 06840

While summer is the perfect time to catch up on math or get ahead, students typically lose 2.6 months of grade level learning in math each summer.

Many families, even those who enthusiastically embrace summer reading, feel overwhelmed or completely lost when it comes to getting started with doing summer math.

Come learn how you can use the summer so your child can catch up or get ahead with math without having it be a boring, stressful chore, but actually magical, meaningful, fun, and effective, so your child is competent and confident.

You will learn how to:
-create achievable and meaningful summer math goals
-find summer materials that really work for you
-plan, pace and schedule yourself and your child
-fun ways to learn math on the go or on vacation
-access the magic that comes from true math mastery

Everyone will leave with specific tools and strategies to take home and use immediately.

For parents of kids from 3rd-12th grade.

Free and open to the public.

#NewCanaan #CT #NewCanaanPublicLibrary #mathforparents #makingmathmagical #preventsummermathslide #preventsummerlearningloss #mathworkshopforparents #mathanxiety #mathmastery

I’m very excited for my first speaking engagement in New York City!!!

Making Math Magical: Summer Edition:
How to use the summer to catch up or get ahead (without burning out or going crazy)
for parents (of students 3rd grade through high school)

While summer is the perfect time to catch up on math or get ahead, students typically lose 2.6 months of grade level learning in math each summer.

Many families, even those who enthusiastically embrace summer reading, feel overwhelmed or completely lost when it comes to getting started with doing summer math.

Come learn how you can use the summer so your child can catch up or get ahead with math without having it be a boring, stressful chore, but actually magical, meaningful, fun, and effective, so your child is competent and confident.

You will learn how to:
-create achievable and meaningful summer math goals
-find summer materials that really work for you
-plan, pace and schedule yourself and your child
-fun ways to learn math on the go or on vacation
-access the magic that comes from true math mastery

Everyone will leave with specific tools and strategies to take home and use immediately.

Wednesday 6/14
6-7.30 pm
Brooklyn Heights Interim Branch
109 Remsen St, Brooklyn, NY 11201
(inside Our Lady of Lebanon Church)

For parents of kids from 3rd-12th grade.

Free and open to the public.

Making Math Magical: Summer Edition:
How to use the summer to catch up or get ahead (without burning out or going crazy)
for parents (of students 3rd grade through high school)

While summer is the perfect time to catch up on math or get ahead, students typically lose 2.6 months of grade level learning in math each summer.

Many families, even those who enthusiastically embrace summer reading, feel overwhelmed or completely lost when it comes to getting started with doing summer math.

Come learn how you can use the summer so your child can catch up or get ahead with math without having it be a boring, stressful chore, but actually magical, meaningful, fun, and effective, so your child is competent and confident.

You will learn how to:
-create achievable and meaningful summer math goals
-find summer materials that really work for you
-plan, pace and schedule yourself and your child
-fun ways to learn math on the go or on vacation
-access the magic that comes from true math mastery

Everyone will leave with specific tools and strategies to take home and use immediately.

Wednesday 6/14
6-7.30 pm
Brooklyn Heights Interim Branch
109 Remsen St, Brooklyn, NY 11201
(inside Our Lady of Lebanon Church)

For parents of kids from 3rd-12th grade.

Free and open to the public.

I’m super excited to announce:

Making Math Magical, SUMMER EDITION:
How to use the summer to catch up or get ahead
(without burning out or going crazy)
for parents (of students 4th grade through high school)

While summer is the perfect time to catch up on math or get ahead, students typically lose 2.6 months of grade level learning in math each summer. Many families, even those who enthusiastically embrace summer reading, feel overwhelmed or completely lost when it comes to getting started with doing summer math.

Come learn how you can use the summer so your child can catch up or get ahead with math without having it be a boring, stressful chore, but actually magical, meaningful, fun, and effective, so your child is competent and confident.

You will learn how to:
-create achievable and meaningful summer math goals
-find summer materials that really work for you
-plan, pace and schedule yourself and your child
-fun ways to learn math on the go or on vacation
-access the magic that comes from true math mastery

Everyone will leave with specific tools and strategies to take home and use immediately.

This talk is for: Parents of kids from 3rd through 12th grade.

Where: Millburn Free Public Library
Meeting Room A (auditorium)
200 Glen Avenue
Millburn, NJ 07041
Date: Thurs 6/8/2017
Time: 7:00-8:30 PM

#Millburn #NJ #NewJersey #MillburnFreePublicLibrary #MakingMathMagical #SummerEdition #summermath #mathforparents #stopsummermathloss #mathworkshopforparents