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From following a rigid curriculum to being part of a system that prioritizes rote memorization over conceptual understanding, learning mathematics can be an uphill battle for many students.
Despite its widespread adoption, this conventional ‘one-size-fits-all’ method falls short in addressing learners’ diverse needs; in fact, it fails to consider that each student’s learning journey is different, and the lack of customization can leave many feeling left behind.
Abhay Singh is no stranger to the struggles learners face within the traditional math education system. As a parent, he witnessed first-hand his child’s challenges with the existing teaching methodologies that seemed to lack the necessary flexibility and personalization.
“I noticed my nephew struggling with some basic mathematical concepts. When I sat down to help him with his school assignments, he went from below average to an A+ student within just six months,” Singh reflects. “That’s what got me thinking about the existing teaching models. I realized students were encouraged to just learn by rote, without understanding the ‘why’ behind any concept.”
This realization sparked a desire in Singh to respond to the unique needs (and gaps) he observed in the system, which, in turn, resulted in him establishing the Fremont Math Hub – a groundbreaking initiative designed to bridge the gap between conventional and modern teaching methods.
The mission? To ensure students didn’t simply learn mathematical concepts via pure memorization but by genuinely grasping the logic and reasoning behind them.
“Math is much more than just numbers, and we aim to help students wrap their head around these concepts in a comprehensive and engaging way so that they can truly excel,” Singh shares.
Another reason behind Singh’s motivation to establish the Fremont Math Hub was the fact that mainstream education often falls victim to limitations imposed by large class sizes. As Singh points out, in a classroom of 30 or 40 students, the nuances of individual learning styles can easily be lost in the crowd. Such a scenario often reduces the teaching process to a monologue, where interaction and engagement take a back seat.
“Additionally, even within the same grade, there can be vast differences in mathematical ability,” Singh adds. “If you have a highly gifted and struggling student in the same class, the former may become bored with an average teaching style, while the latter may lose interest because they can’t keep up.”
That’s why Fremont Math Hub has taken a different route. They advocate for small group sizes—with as few as two or three learners per class—ensuring each one receives undivided and individualized attention.
On top of that, at the Hub, students are grouped not by grade but by mathematical ability. They have implemented a system that divides learners into batches based on their level of understanding of the subject. By doing this, they can address learners’ specific needs, levels, and styles more effectively.
In recent times, the advent of artificial intelligence (AI) has become a game-changer in modern education, providing previously unimaginable insights. Abhay Singh, who always believed in the power of this technology, highlights that AI-driven tools have always held the promise to redefine how teaching and studying are approached – especially in mathematics.
This is why he chose to integrate AI technology into the Fremont Math Hub’s model, infusing it into the curriculum to offer an unseen level of personalization. “We rely on AI to understand where the student excels and where they need help. The tutoring then focuses more on their weak areas rather than repeating content they already know.”
Yet the innovation doesn’t stop there. Fremont Math Hub’s homework assignments are also computer-adaptive, designed using advanced AI. The tool gathers information about students’ performances, identifying areas where they may be struggling. It then tailors challenges in these areas, ensuring they fall within a ‘sweet spot’ that maintains student interest without overwhelming them.
While Fremont Math Hub’s curriculum currently only caters to the Fremont Unified School District’s curriculum, looking ahead, Singh is looking into expansion. But he highlights this plan is going to be local rather than national, with the goal to expand to a different city every two years, starting from the Bay area.
The reason behind this is Singh’s desire to maintain top-notch quality and ensure the expansion doesn’t compromise the efficiency and excellence of their teaching model.
As Abhay Singh emphasizes, “Our goal is to ensure every student gets quality education and approaches every mathematical challenge with curiosity. It’s about turning ‘I can’t’’ into ‘I can, and I want to.’”
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