FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions)

What is Math Infinity?

What are Math Infinity's goals?

What is the average size for an MI class?

Is Math Infinity a "tutoring center?"

How many students are there per class?

How often are the class sessions? How long are the class sessions?

What is Math Infinity (MI)?
Math Infinity is an after-school self-paced, supplemental math program designed for children Pre-K to 6th grade.

Students attend sessions twice a week with an MI-certified instructor that has been trained to maximize the student learning potential. Each student completes classwork during the session and leaves with equivalent homework to do at home.

Using math as the focus, Math Infinity help children develop their "true problem-solving potential." Because MI-certified instructors are trained to GUIDE children instead of teaching them, MI students are able to maximize their independent-learning skills.

Although materials are designed following US Math Curriculum Standards, Math Infinity exposes the students to most of the topics 2-4 years before standard school levels.

What are Math Infinity's goals?
Math Infinity's primary goal is to help children develop their true problem-solving skills.

Many textbooks and programs claim to help children with these same skills, but they are usually very unclear as to how this is accomplished. Math Infinity accomplish this by helping children develop their: independent thinking, divergent thinking, and creative thinking.

In most schools, "problem-solving" is used synonymously with word-problems. However, Math Infinity believes that "problem-solving" should include aspects of solving any type of problem. MI materials are designed with this core idea in mind.

One of the first things parents and teachers notice is the lack of initial instructions within Math Infinity materials. MI does this deliberately, since problems we run into in real life do not come with instruction manuals. Instead, we are forced use our experience, look at the context, or look for examples to help resolve the problem. Likewise, most MI problems are presented with examples, hints, or rules, instead of actual instructions. This helps students develop their independent, divergent, and creative thinking skills and ultimately their ability to solve problems!!!

What is the average size of an MI class?
Although this will vary, depending on the physical classroom size and instructor preference, the average size or student-instructor ratio is approximately 15 to 1. (Please note that the critical number is actually the "new students-to-instructor ratio." This is usually kept to below 5 to 1.)

Is Math Infinity a "tutoring center?"
No, Math Infinity classrooms are not tutoring centers in the traditional sense. MI instructors do not "tutor" the students.

Since MI instructors are trained to maximize independent thinking and learning, they guide the students' thinking process by giving them deliberate hints that maximize self-learning and problem-solving potential. (Please Note: MI Instructors will never just give students the answer. Instead, they will prompt them with specific questions that helps develop their own independent learning and thinking skills.)

With this in mind, MI centers are more "learning centers" with the instructors as well-trained facilitators, not teachers.

How often are the class sessions? How long are the class sessions?
MI classes are usually twice a week or eight times a month. Depending on age, skill level, attention-span, and material, students usually stay for 25 - 55 minutes. After the student's first two or three sessions, parents should have a good idea how long MI classes are for their child(ren).