Personalized Lesson Plans + One-on-One Instruction = Math Success
Ah, the “summer slide” – the documented tendency for academic gains, especially in reading and math, to fade among students during the monthslong break between school years. It isn't a fringe concern or a parenting myth; decades of studies have tracked real, measurable losses. This is what happens when muscles – even mental ones – get a long break from their usual workout.
There are a number of ways to keep children and young people engaged academically during summer months and throughout the school year, while making the learning process fun and rewarding.
For the past ten years, Mathnasium of Walnut Creek, a math-only learning center, has been helping students, K–12, who are struggling with math issues, and those who are already excelling in math and want to be more challenged. Mathnasium offers assessment-based, personalized learning plans; test prep and homework help; and specially trained tutors who use the Mathnasium Method™ to help students develop a deep understanding of math, gaining confidence in their academic work along the way.
Mathnasium of Walnut Creek is located in The Orchards, between Mattress Firm and Radiant Waxing.
Mathnasium of Walnut Creek opened in 2016, and has been located in The Orchards, 2846 Ygnacio Valley Road, between Mattress Firm and Radiant Waxing, since 2022.
[Learn the game-changing Mathnasium backstory and the launch of the first Mathnasium math center in 2002; and check out the proprietary Mathnasium Method™, as described by its creator, longtime educator Larry Martinek.]
Mathnasium’s distinct teaching approach blends personalized learning plans with mental, verbal, visual, tactile, and written techniques, ensuring each student receives math help tailored to their distinct needs, goals, and learning styles. Students build a strong foundation for math excellence and come to truly understand – and even enjoy – math.
Revati Sitarama is the Center Director and owner of Mathnasium of Walnut Creek, serving students and helping “math make sense” since 2016.
“Mathnasium is a beautiful, fun loving place for kids — a place where they can focus because we only teach math,” said Revati Sitarama, Center Director and owner of Mathnasium of Walnut Creek. With a long and storied career in education, Revati has taught children of all ages and believes math fluency builds both confidence and independence. It takes but a moment with Revati to see her passion and enthusiasm for the work she does, taking great joy in helping students understand math in meaningful and real world ways, with one-on-one instruction and at their own pace.
Sessions are one hour long; and memberships are available to keep the learning fresh and consistent.
During the school year, Mathnasium of Walnut Creek is open Mondays through Thursdays, 3-7pm, and Saturdays, 10am-1pm. During the summer, Mathnasium is open Mondays through Fridays, 3–7pm. Summer sessions are going on now through August 7. After a week’s break, Mathnasium opens again August 17, 2026, for the 2026-2027 school year.
Because students are busy with academic, athletic, arts, and other extra-curricular and personal activities and vacations, scheduling is flexible – sessions are scheduled and rescheduled online to fit into the busy lives of students and their families.
“Math is something that takes practice, and we don’t want them to miss their lesson,” said Revati. “So we’re flexible because kids get sick, families go on vacation, and emergencies happen.”
“After a student signs up, the first thing we do is an assessment of where they are in their math understanding and skills,” said Revati. This personalized evaluation is the foundation for creating a tailored learning plan to help the student catch up, keep up, or get ahead. “That is our starting point and we work with each student from there as an individual, not as a group.”
While students sit together at tables and enjoy their company and companionship, they are doing their own Mathnasium work from their own lesson plan, which will differ from the plans of the other students.
“We know that students in the same grade are at different levels of math skills, and that children often have issues with different aspects of math that may or may not be experienced by others in the class,” said Revati. “At Mathnasium, we develop personal lesson plans based on the individual assessment regardless of the grade level. We meet the students where they are and move forward from there through their math issues toward personalized goals. They get the one-on-one they need to be heard and to be helped and to get unstuck. They see their own success and accomplishments, and we see their confidence soar.”
Revati welcomes visits from interested students and parents, and invites families to come for a tour and conversation.
“During school we also help with school homework – our help is aligned with the concept-based Common Core instruction taught in elementary, middle, and high schools,” said Revati. “What we provide students is the individual attention to their issues that they may not be able to get in the school classroom. We spend half the session with the math portion of their school homework, and then half the session with the student’s Mathnasium work.”
Mathnasium of Walnut Creek is spacious and brightly lit, welcoming young people and families with a multi-factor approach to math fluency and excellence for students, K-12.
The 1,400-SF room is open and spacious, with plenty of tables and chairs for students to work together, or spread out to work alone. The walls are decorated with all things math and the space is brightly lit with natural sunlight shining through the large floor to ceiling windows. Revati has built a safe, friendly community of students and families at Mathnasium, where instructors know every student’s name and those of their parents.
Mathnasium’s instructors are high achieving high school seniors, college students, and graduates who are trained in the Mathnasium Method. They know their math, and they’re good with kids.
“One parent came to me and she was almost crying and she said, ‘This is the first time my daughter raised her hand in class and answered a math question,’ and she said, ‘Thank you, thank you!’ And that is very emotional for me because this is why I do this work – to help children be happy and confident and ready to move on.”
Mathnasium of Walnut Creek is a welcoming place — a place of happiness, joyfulness, and encouragement for young people.
“We make math make sense,” said Revati. “And when that happens, the student’s attitude changes, their approach to math changes. And when they get that Aha! moment, that’s absolute bliss!”
