The basics still take a lot of effort.
Counting, number relationships, or calculation can use up the energy needed for the rest of a problem.
✳ ONE-TO-ONE MATH SUPPORT
A different way
to make
math click.
For the child who needs a different way into math. We’ll build understanding, confidence, and a way forward, together.
Let’s talk about your child
More “Oh, I get it.”
Less “I can’t do this.”
SMALL STEPS. REAL UNDERSTANDING.Less “I can’t do this.”
Start with the learner.Make the thinking visible.Build a little confidence.
A FAMILIAR FEELING?
There’s a capable kid
behind the struggle.
Sometimes, the hard part isn’t just the math. It’s keeping track of the steps, knowing where to start, or being willing to try again.
It makes sense—until they’re on their own.
A student may follow an explanation but need support choosing a strategy and using it independently.
Math has become a source of stress.
When getting it wrong feels risky, a patient pace and room to explore can make a different starting point.
START WITH THEIR STRENGTHS
Experience it.
Picture it.
Make it make sense.
I start with your child’s strengths and interests to find a meaningful way into a new concept. We might build it, move through it, hear it, or feel it.
- Building
- Make groups and explore relationships with blocks and other objects.
- Movement
- Use steps, gestures, and movement to explore an idea.
- Hearing
- Explore patterns through rhythm, sound, and spoken language.
- Feeling
- Use touch to explore objects, shapes, and quantities.
From there, we connect the experience to drawings and visual representations, then to numbers and symbols. We move between these forms as needed so the meaning stays connected.
Find a starting point for your childA RHYTHM BECOMES MULTIPLICATIONTry it out
CHOOSE A RHYTHM
Can you feel the groups?
For a child who loves music: listen, tap a knee, or take a small step with each beat. Where does the phrase start again?
Sound plays only when you press Play.
Try the other rhythm. What changes? What stays the same?
Give the rhythm a shape.
Draw a dot for each tap. Put a loop around each phrase. The sound becomes a picture of equal groups.
Switch rhythms. The groups change; the total number of dots stays the same.
Now the symbols mean something.
Start with the beats in one phrase, then repeat that phrase. Write the beats per phrase first, followed by the number of repeats.
3×4=12
In a session, we could tap, step, or build each phrase with blocks—starting with what draws your child in.
SUPPORT THAT MEETS THEM WHERE THEY ARE
The skills. The schoolwork.
The learner behind both.
Individual sessions for grades 3–10, shaped around what your child understands, where they get stuck, and what matters at school.
Number sense
& math concepts
Explore how numbers work and connect the ideas that later math depends on.
- Number relationships and operations
- Fractions, decimals, and proportions
- Flexible calculation strategies
School math
& problem-solving
Use current schoolwork to understand the challenge and give new skills a place to land.
- Making sense of word problems
- Connecting steps to their meaning
- Building toward algebra and beyond
Confidence
& learning habits
Practice ways to begin, organize thinking, ask for support, and work through a stuck moment.
- Getting started and keeping track
- Noticing useful tools and strategies
- Explaining and checking thinking
Experience supporting learners with dyslexia, ADHD, and math learning difficulties. Every learner brings a different mix of strengths and needs.
EDUCATOR. PATTERN-NOTICER.
BELIEVER IN A DIFFERENT WAY IN.
BELIEVER IN A DIFFERENT WAY IN.
THE PERSON ON YOUR CHILD’S TEAM
I want to know
how your child thinks.
I’m Mike Lee. I’ve taught in public and independent schools, from elementary classrooms to middle school math, including work with students with learning differences.
My work starts with curiosity: What makes sense to this student? What feels hard? What happens when we try another way?
I’m developing my math-focused educational therapy practice while completing certificate coursework at UCSC Silicon Valley Extension. My goal is to support the math learning—and the confidence and independence that help a student use it.
MY BACKGROUND
- B.A. in Economics, UC Berkeley
- Master’s in Teaching, Holy Names University
- California Multiple Subject Teaching Credential
- Educational Therapy Certificate coursework, UCSC Silicon Valley Extension In progress
A THOUGHTFUL START
First, a conversation.
Then, a plan.
You don’t need all the answers before reaching out. We’ll start with what you’re noticing.
- 01
Let’s talk.
We’ll arrange an initial phone conversation about your child, your concerns, and what you hope will change.
- 02
Find a starting point.
Through conversation, schoolwork, and informal math activities, I’ll begin to understand their strengths and needs.
- 03
Build from there.
We’ll choose useful goals, work at a responsive pace, and keep you in the loop as we learn what helps.
In person in San FranciscoHome or library sessions, by arrangement
Online, wherever you learnIndividual sessions via Zoom
How is this different from homework tutoring?
Schoolwork gives us useful context, but the work can go deeper than finishing an assignment. We look at foundational understanding, the language in a problem, the tools a student uses, and how they approach learning. Current homework and those underlying skills can inform each other.
Does my child need a diagnosis to get started?
You don’t need a diagnosis to start a conversation. Tell me what you and your child are noticing. Existing evaluations or school information can be helpful, and we can discuss what information would support the work.
What happens in a session?
A session may include a check-in, exploration through building, movement, sound, or touch, targeted practice, and work connected to school. We draw on your child’s strengths and connect those experiences to drawings and symbols. We also notice which strategies help and how your child might use them independently. The mix depends on the learner.
How often do we meet, and what does it cost?
We’ll discuss a schedule that fits your child’s needs and your family. I’ll share the session rate, session length, and practice policies before we begin. Please reach out for current availability and pricing.
Can you work with my child’s teacher?
With your written permission, school collaboration can help connect our work to the classroom. Relevant assignments, teacher observations, and existing learning supports can help us choose useful goals.
Do you provide diagnostic evaluations?
I use educational observations and math activities to guide instruction. A formal diagnostic evaluation is a separate process. If that’s what you’re seeking, we can talk about how to connect with an appropriate evaluator.
LET’S FIND A WAY FORWARD
Tell me a little
about your learner.
What’s feeling hard? What do they enjoy? What would you love to see become easier?
A few sentences are plenty. I’ll reply so we can arrange a phone conversation.
funmathwithmike@gmail.com 415-410-3041San Francisco, California · Online via Zoom