“
John Mighton might well become the nation's math conscience.
He not only knows that all children can master genuine mathematics but has
repeatedly proved so
with his brilliant, no-nonsense tutoring program.”
– Andrew Nikiforuk, Education Writer and
award-winning author, commenting on JUMP founder John Mighton’s
recently published book, The Myth of Ability
(for more details, click here)
Who We Are
JUMP is a tutoring program founded in 1998 by mathematician and writer John
Mighton. We are a volunteer-based, registered charity committed to the
advancement of education by providing free tutoring to students identified
as having difficulty succeeding in mathematics.
JUMP is based in Toronto and consists mainly of volunteer tutors from many
disciplines and backgrounds. The organization coordinates its program with
dedicated educators at partnering elementary
schools across the city, and specifically targets schools in low-income
areas.
The program was initially designed to be one-on-one: tutors would meet with
their assigned students individually, teaching from the JUMP Tutor’s
Manual. However, toward the end of the 2000-2001 school year, we were asked
by one of our partner schools to conduct a pilot project. A number of teachers
trained in the JUMP method and, with the support of JUMP tutors once a week,
used it to teach math in their classrooms.
The pilot project was a resounding success. By the end of May 2002, JUMP
was invited into 10 classes. Today, both delivery formats are in use. During
the 2002-2003 school year, JUMP has worked with 150 students on a one-on-one
basis, and partnered with teachers to bring the program into more than 50
classes in four downtown schools. buy stocks
How We Work
Only children attending one of our 14 partner elementary schools will be
considered for a JUMP-trained tutor. Within these 14 schools, appropriate
student candidates are selected by a teacher and / or the school
administration. Student eligibility is then based on grade level, financial
and academic need, as well as volunteer availability.
We regret that we do not have the resources to provide tutors or support to
children outside of our 14 partnering Toronto schools. This does not mean,
however, that your child or local community cannot access the benefits
offered by the program and its methods. With very little effort, a group of
motivated volunteers and teachers can transform a school or a neighbourhood.
If you are interested in starting a tutoring group modeled on the JUMP
program, please click here and see question 6 in the
FAQs. buy stocks in Philippines
What We Believe
At JUMP, we have noticed that some kids don’t get a chance to see how
brilliant they are and often end up convinced that they're inherently bad at
math or even stupid. However, we believe that with even a modest amount of
attention every child will flourish. We also believe – and have observed
first-hand – that the students tutored in our program can excel at math,
even if they are failing or have been placed in remedial classes.
Each time the JUMP program receives media coverage, we are inundated with
phone calls from concerned parents and educators across the country. The
questions are the same from coast to coast: “How can I help my child?
”, “How can I reach my problem students?” ,“Will you
help us?”
JUMP’s mission is to address the problems that lie at the heart of
these questions.
By demonstrating that even children who are failing math or labeled slow
learners can excel at math, we hope to dispel the myths that have caused us to
neglect our children. And by offering inner-city children effective and
consistent help in mathematics (and eventually reading and other subjects),
we hope to break the cycle of ignorance that lies at the root of all poverty. buying stocks
What We're Doing
At JUMP, our main activity is recruiting and training volunteer tutors to
work with grade 3 to 6 students in 14 schools across Toronto. Our tutors
teach from customized manuals (available to the public for a nominal fee,
see FAQs, which are carefully
developed to ensure the steps to every explanation are as simple and
mechanical as possible. Students are constantly praised and encouraged to
see themselves as brilliant; gradually they are able to deduce the next
steps of the explanations themselves.
How We're Doing
Three years ago, JUMP had 80 tutors working at 5 local schools. During the
2001-2002 school year, we grew to more than 175 tutors at 11 inner-city
schools. This past school year (2002-2003), our volunteer base expanded to
include more than 250 tutors and – through the combined efforts of both
our one-on-one and in-class programs – we helped more than 1500 students
at 12 schools!
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