1.) Challenges

Moving to a new school can be problematic at any age, but it can be especially challenging for preteens. When her father became ill, Catherine was forced to move from Florida to Delaware to care for him. Seven-year-old George and twelve-year-old Zoey came with her. The move was difficult, almost from the beginning. Both children experienced bullying, and the continuous drama at Zoey's new school became unbearable for her. Catherine also discovered that there were significant differences in the math curriculum offered in both states, and her children were behind their peers by Delaware standards. 

Catherine reluctantly decided to homeschool both children. "At least it was something we could do together," she says. George was initially quick with his math but was also easily bored. Mom tried her best to supplement learning with games involving cards, dice, and coins. 

However, math terrified Zoey. Catherine would have to sit with her continually and explain every detail for solving a problem. She would also try having Zoey draw pictures to help her visualize the problem. Still, she felt that Zoey wasn't getting it and was in danger of falling even further behind. "Sometimes, she is so insecure and feels as though the work she does is not good enough," says Catherine, "I worry about her."

2.) Finding Elephant Learning

Catherine found Elephant Learning and hoped the program could "help the kids get excited about math." She also hoped that the program's gamification would prevent George from becoming bored and would both alleviate Zoey's anxiety about math and provide her with the success that could encourage her to keep trying. 

Related: With Scarce Time And Monetary Resources, Chyanne’s Mom Helped Her Daughter Achieve Math Excellence

3.) George and Zoey’s Experience With Elephant Learning

Related: It’s About More Than Just Math: Fear, Growth, and Adaptation

Catherine’s gamble worked. The games in Elephant Learning immediately engaged both Zoey and George in math homework. Better yet, both children immediately found success with the program. George is now performing at a math age that is beyond most of his peers, and Zoey is quickly catching up. In just six months, George gained 2.5 Elephant Years in math, while Zoey gained 1.8 years! 

4.) George’s Results: 

• Age: 7.6 years
• Starting Elephant Learning Age: 5.3 years
• Current Elephant Learning Age: 7.8 years
• The difference after six months: 2.5 years! 

Zoey’s Results: 

• Age: 12.4 years
• Starting Elephant Learning Age: 6.3 years
• Current Elephant Learning Age: 8.1 years
• The difference after six months: 1.8 years!

“We decided to do homeschooling. but it hasn’t been easy. I hope your program can get my children excited about math.” - Mom, Catherine