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Contact Rita:
650.269.1781

About Us

The History of Math Matinee

Most kids don’t “play math” for fun at home. Rita Wespi first realized this in 1996, when she noticed that her style of playing math with her then 8-year-old son was not typical of most families. As she researched she discovered that the issues surrounding early math education go deep and the effects can be devastating.

One fact kept attracting her attention: there are decades of research studies which conclude that parent involvement contributes to a child’s academic achievement more than any other single factor.

This brought her full-circle back to why she started the company: most children do not typically play math for fun with their parents. Certainly this little niche is one she could influence, and so Math Matinee was formed.

Rita borrows heavily on her 18 years of engineering experience in the computer and biotech industries. Logic and reasoning are her favorite topics to introduce to young students. She pays particular attention to finding games and activities which a second grader and a parent can simultaneously enjoy at their own levels. The child follows the rules while the parent analyzes the game.

If children see their parents engaged in a puzzle or activity, they will become more interested, too. Rita’s hobby is finding those games; her mission is getting them in front of teachers, parents and students.

Take the math challenge

Most efforts to encourage children in mathematics take a programmatic approach and claim to “boost math scores one complete grade.” Math Matinee comes in through the backdoor: when a child enjoys math they spend more time doing it. By doing more, they get better at it, soon their confidence increases and they enjoy it even it more! Which method do you think has greater lifetime staying power?

Rita Wespi invites you to join her in making math more fun for all students. She challenges you to think about how we can increase the mathematical proficiency of all our children, preparing them for jobs of the future in any career of their choosing.

Contact Math Matinee to find out how your school can encourage “Math for the fun of it.”

Rita Wespi is dedicated to helping teachers and parents make math more fun for all.

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What people say

“Great concept. I wish somebody tried to make math fun for me when I was in second grade.”
A parent, Hurld School,
Woburn MA

“I had so much fun I would love to do it every day.”
A student, Eisenhower School, Cupertino, CA

“Awesome! I’d love info on your activities to use with my class!”
A teacher, Sedgwick School, Cupertino, CA

Incognito

In order to protect the innocent, we’ve omitted people’s names. Visit Success Stories for more details & references.