UL Math Mentor Program Takes Off

At the beginning of the school year, Galloway's sixth grade math teacher, Geneva Hinchliffe and Jackson Armstrong '24, created an innovative program to support students in math. A combination of tutoring and mentorship, the Math Mentorship program builds self-confidence among Middle Learning students by pairing them with Upper Learning mentors.

The initiative goes way beyond homework help. In October, 19 UL mentors participated in extensive training to better understand different learning preferences and multiple methods for conceptualizing math skills. Central to the program is modeling a growth mindset, based on the belief that all students can learn math and use it confidently. The training included practical, hands-on experiences to help them remember what it was like to encounter new and potentially difficult mathematics concepts. UL mentors enacted roles of “teacher” and “recipient of instruction,” with a third mentor observing and reflecting on the interactions. Then they exchanged roles. Through this experience, mentors learned a strengths-based approach to math support which amplifies what a student does understand rather than focusing on “fixing mistakes.”

The program is running at all four grade levels in Middle Learning. Based on teacher recommendations, ML students and UL mentors are placed in pairs or small groups, most of whom will stick together for the duration of the program. The groups meet consistently and weekly during in-school tutorial time. The younger students develop relationships and a sense of trust with their older mentors. The leaders for the UL students are Jackson and Hannah Hamilton '25.

Halfway through its initial year, this brainchild is proving its success.

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