Math-U-See Blog

Steve was recently interviewed by Paul Butler on Moody Radio’s “Prime Time America”

You can listen to Steve’s segment “kids and math” on Paul Butler’s blog.

Despite years of federally funded education initiatives, a recent study by the NAEP reports that our children are still performing poorly in basic mathematics.

Steve Demme is the Founder, President and Author of Math U See. He helps us understand why our kids are struggling and what we can do about it.

In this feature, Mr. Demme mentions the first step in helping our children improve in math is to ascertain what they already know. The Math U See website has a number of competency exams available. Information is available here.

Today’s Math-U-See Highlight is of one of our employees, Peter Anderson.

Peter’s official title is “High Tech Guru”, and his job description is matched by his many talents. Not only does he maintain the website, but he also answers the phones, tutors students with questions over the phone, creates solution tables for the books and puts them into the form needed to go to print.

The “High Tech Guru” in his natural habitat.

I got to ask Peter a few questions about his life at Math-U-See. To start off, I asked a question that I think is very important.

Do you like cheese? He replied, “Yes, especially Wensleydale. I’m a Wallace and Gromit fan, so I thought, that is something I’d like to try, so I tried it and liked it.”

I asked him about what project he has been working on recently and he replied, “There is an ongoing project with the worksheet generator. I am starting with the Alpha book, and going through Pre-Algebra, creating modules so the user can select different kinds of problems. It’s a project that I started several months ago, and I work on it when I find the time.”

The worksheet page randomly generates 12 - 20 problems that can be printed out and given to the student as a worksheet. Answer keys can be printed as well. To see and use the worksheet generator for yourself just click here.

A typical day at the office for Peter is not always typical. Upon his arrival, he checks his e-mail and phone messages, some from students with math-related questions. After successfully solving the problems of the world, he then goes on to what needs to be done next. If there is an urgent project, such as the drill pages or the worksheet generator, he devotes the rest of this day to that. Sometimes before doing so, he has to do his homework and research needed information. He also tracks the web statistics and answers the phone.

Helping with a Math problem.

I asked Peter if he found his job to be rewarding, and he said,
“I think there are a couple of things. One is the joy of teaching, the joy of sharing something I know with others, but what comes with that is the challenge of being able to effectively communicate something they don’t know, and using language that will accomplish that. I know that over time I am making a difference.”

Peter lives out in Amish country with his wife of sixteen years, and his three children, Drew (15) Cameron (13) and Nicole (9). The kids help put together the block sets for Math-U-See, and Debbie, his wife, is taking classes to get her certificate in counseling. They attend the Lancaster Christian Missionary Alliance Church. Peter also is the founder of White Stone Ministries, where along with the ministry he also does website design.

I asked Peter if he had anything else to add, and this is what he said,
“I mentioned something about how rewarding it is to know that I am making a difference in someone else’s life, and I have to add that working here has made a profound difference in my life as well”.

Not only is Peter the High Tech Web Guru, but he is also the math question guru, the phone answering guru, the father guru, and the husband guru. And, he continues to learn more so he can maintain his guru status.

If you need support with any of the Math-U-See books click here.