Why I Created Mathemagician—and the Problem We’re Here to Solve

The Problem I Kept Seeing in Every School

After over a decade of teaching math in public, charter, and private schools, I kept seeing the same thing again and again: 

❌ Kids falling through the cracks.

    Not because they weren't capable. Not because they weren't trying. But because the system isn't designed to support all types of learners. 

- Gifted students who were bored. 

- Struggling students were drowning. 

- And the kids in the middle? Often overlooked. 

Teachers were doing their best - but with 25-30 students per class, even  the most passionate educator can only stretch so far. I kept hearing from parents: 

"My child used to love math, but now they're frustrated;" or "The teacher is great, but my child needs more support;" or "My daughter is ahead, but she's bored in class." So I stopped saying “I wish there were a better way.” And I created it. Mathemagician is the cure for math frustration. It’s where students go to rebuild confidence, fill in gaps, get challenged, and start saying, “I can do this.”

The Backstory Behind the Mission

    Ever since I was a little girl, I dreamed of being a teacher. I even dressed up as one for career day when

I was 8. I wanted to help kids love learning, and to give back to Kakenya's dream, an all-girls school in Kenya where I had the privilege of living for four years. 

    But like many idealistic young people, I ran into a harsh truth in college: Teachers are underpaid, overworked, and often under-resourced.

    So, I chose to major in Neuroscience at Barnard College of Columbia University. I enrolled in pre-med courses and was accepted to medical school. I thought I'd become a doctor. But something kept pulling me back to kids. 

    I was always tutoring, babysitting, and volunteering - especially at Bank Street College's after-school program. I loved the spark in a child's eyes when something finally made sense. 

    So I joined Teach for America, thinking I'd teach for two years, then move on to med school.

    Then something happened. 

    At Ranson Middle School in Charlotte, surrounded by incredible teachers and eager students, I realized: I wasn't meant to be a doctor. I was meant to be a teacher. 

    I turned down med school. And I never looked back. 

What I Saw Again and Again 

    After years of classroom teaching, curriculum design, and leading math departments, I saw a gap that no school—no matter how well-intentioned—was truly filling:

    There was no dedicated, high-quality space for kids to get the customized math support or enrichment they actually needed.

-I saw gifted 5th graders disengaging because the material was too easy.

-I saw 7th graders who couldn’t divide multi-digit numbers—but were expected to jump into algebra.

-I saw kids who had internalized the idea that they "just weren’t math people."

    I kept saying: 

"I wish I had time to work with these six students after school." 

"I wish I could challenge my gifted 5th grader." 

"I wish I could give that struggling 7th grader a second chance."

 I knew this wasn’t about intelligence. It was about confidence, access, and individual support.

Introducing Mathemagician

And with that, Mathemagician was born. It is a program designed for all types of learners. Not just the
“high” or “low” kids. All kids. A space where students can thrive, feel seen, and actually love learning math. Mathemagician isn’t just an after-school program. It’s not just tutoring. It’s a deeply intentional experience rooted in:

• Confidence-building
• Individualized learning plans
• Small group instruction
• Compassionate, expert teaching

Your child won’t just improve in math—they’ll grow into a student who believes in their abilities. They’ll learn to articulate their thinking, take risks, and feel proud of what they’ve achieved.

✨ Click here to sign up for a free session and see what the Mathemagician community is all about.

With heart, joy, and deep belief in every student,

 Ms. Rebecca Holt