Dyscalculia and math tutoring in Minnesota
When numbers just do not stick, math class becomes a place a child dreads. We help children who struggle with math facts, number sense, and word problems, one-on-one, at our Saint Paul and Oakdale centers and online.
What is dyscalculia?
Dyscalculia is a learning difference that makes math hard. It can show up as trouble with number sense, remembering math facts, telling time, handling money, or keeping the steps of a problem in order.
It is sometimes called dyslexia for numbers, and just like dyslexia it has nothing to do with how smart a child is. What helps is the same thing that helps a struggling reader: direct, structured, hands-on teaching that makes an abstract idea something a child can actually see and touch.
Signs of dyscalculia
Tap the ones you have noticed in your child. The more that sound familiar, the more we can help.
- Still counts on fingers for simple math well past the early grades
- Math facts never seem to stick, no matter how much they practice
- Trouble telling time on a clock, or sensing how long things take
- Struggles with money, making change, or estimating
- Loses track of the steps in a longer, multi-step problem
- Reverses or transposes numbers (writes 42 for 24)
- Trouble lining up columns or keeping place value straight
- Word problems feel overwhelming even when the reading is fine
- Anxiety, tears, or shutting down around math homework
- Little sense of whether an answer is even reasonable
- Bright in other areas, but math feels like a different language
- Also struggles with reading, or a family member struggled with math
We rebuild math so it finally makes sense.
We teach math with Math-U-See, a structured, hands-on program that uses physical manipulatives so a child can see and touch what a number actually means before moving to the abstract. Concepts are taught one at a time, in a logical order, and we never advance until each one is genuinely solid.
Every student works one-on-one with a trained tutor who finds the exact place the foundation cracked and rebuilds from there, at the child’s pace. See our full approach and real progress results ›
In the Saint Paul area? See math tutoring at our St. Paul center ›
Struggling with reading too?
Many children who find math hard also struggle with reading, writing, or attention. We support the whole child. See our reading approach › See who we help ›
Dyscalculia tutoring online, and for Minneapolis families
Math tutoring with Math-U-See is available online over Zoom as well as in person, so a child anywhere in Minnesota can work one-on-one with us without the drive. That includes Minneapolis, where we do not have an office: families who prefer to meet in person come to our Saint Paul center at 244 Brimhall Street, about 4 to 5 miles from Longfellow, Prospect Park and Nokomis.
Online or in person, every student starts with a free consultation and a Math-U-See assessment, so we begin at the exact step where your child’s math foundation needs rebuilding. See math tutoring at our St. Paul center, or our page for Minneapolis families if reading is part of the picture too.
Dyscalculia, answered
What is dyscalculia?
A learning difference that makes math hard. It can show up as trouble with number sense, remembering math facts, telling time, handling money, or lining up the steps of a problem. It is sometimes described as dyslexia for numbers, and like dyslexia it has nothing to do with how smart a child is.
How do you teach math to a child with dyscalculia?
We use Math-U-See, a structured, hands-on program that builds math with physical manipulatives so a child can see and touch what a number means before moving to the abstract. We teach one concept at a time, in a logical order, and never advance until it is solid.
Do you need a diagnosis to start?
No. A formal diagnosis is never required. Every student begins with a free consultation and a Math-U-See assessment, then a plan built around what they need. Structured, hands-on math help works for any child who has fallen behind, not only those with a formal label.
Where do you offer math and dyscalculia tutoring?
At our Saint Paul and Oakdale centers, and live online for families anywhere in Minnesota.
Can my child do dyscalculia tutoring online?
Yes. Math tutoring with Math-U-See is available online over Zoom as well as in person at our Saint Paul and Oakdale centers, so families in Minneapolis and anywhere in Minnesota can work with us. Every student starts with a free consultation and a Math-U-See assessment.
Has math become a place your child dreads?
That is exactly what the free consultation is for. No cost, no pressure.
When school struggles overlap
Word problems, textbooks, and written directions all involve reading. Our parent guide explains how reading difficulties can affect other school subjects and what to bring to a consultation.