Kids, like the rest of us, tend to like doing the things they can do well and dislike doing the things they cannot do well. This is the essence of math phobia.  No one likes to feel dumb and clumsy - and if you have your nose rubbed in it long enough you’ll start avoiding it, and even develop a phobia about it.  That’s where accelerated learning comes in.

In the beginning stages of learning any skill there is always some stumbling and bumbling - whether in mathematics, tennis, dance or anything else.  The virtue of accelerated learning is that we get students through this clumsy initial stage as fast as possible.  To put it more clearly, we focus first on taking the “cannot do it well” out of the equation.  Once this is done, a sort of miracle happens.  The child begins to do mental calculation quickly and correctly using the unique Jones Geniuses techniques. It doesn't matter what level they are at - if they are adding and subtracting, doing multiplication, fractions or algebra - they are doing it well and they know it.

Before long, they are doing the kind of jaw-dropping advanced mathematical calculations you probably witnessed young kids doing in one of our public or online demonstrations. Others will start to look at them like they are, well … a genius!  Your child will start to re-examine their own perspective.  Math really is kind of cool now that they can do it, and it's hard to escape the fact that they do seem to have a flair for it. Maybe it is their favorite subject now.  Many of our students have chosen to be math majors in college after moving on from accelerated math.

Is this too good to be true?  Just take a mental snapshot of the phobia and frustration your child is experiencing now and your angst over it.   Later when we take the “too good to be true” out of the equation, it will be easy to forget how challenged they were when they started.  It is much more pleasant to see their genius shining through.   You knew they had it in them all along.  Just don’t forget where they started.  It’s important.

Take a few moments to look through our mathphobia stories and browse our testimonials.  Many speak of children who came to us with math phobia and left with a whole new lease on life.

Susan & Allen

Allen’s mom, Susan, came to me a few years ago.  She fought back tears as she expressed fears so potent it was difficult for her to even voice them.  “I think my child may be retarded!  I am taking him to Scottish Rite Hospital for evaluation and treatment.”  My response was pretty standard.  It is difficult for me to come to any conclusion without testing, “bring him in to class and let’s see what we can do.”  Allen was with us for several years and it was true that he was frustratingly slow to pick things up.  But he applied himself.  His mother didn’t give up.  I don’t give up, that’s not my job.  Allen did succeed and participated with our team many times doing public exhibitions of rapid mental calculation.  He is now in college, and by the way, he never had to seek clinical treatment after all.  His mother and I look at him with pride.  It is hard to remember that long ago day of anxiety and panic, but it is important to do so - to remember where he came from and to remember what he has overcome.