Testimonials

Teachers & Principals, Tutors, Homeschoolers, Students and Parents talk about the benefits of JUMP Math.

Teachers & Principals

"As a parent of an elementary school student and a teacher of mathematics at the secondary level, I just want to tell you how much I love JUMP math! I was first introduced to JUMP math by my neighbour, Dr. Tracy Solomon.  

Since then, I have used the fractions package with my Grade 11 Math for Everyday Life Students (MEL3E) during the first week of the course and it is such a great investment of time. Much of the course is about different applications of fractions, decimals and percents. I have found that if I dive into the coursework right away, I end up having to re-explain these concepts repeatedly throughout the semester. However, when we complete the fractions package first, that problem is mostly eliminated.

In addition, my daughter is currently working on part one the Grade 2 workbook and it is a ton of fun. I believe in the program so much that I actually give the JUMP math workbooks as birthday gifts. Parents repeatedly come to me to tell me how much their child is enjoying doing math and how grateful they are for the gift.

Keep up the fantastic work!"
– Susan, Parent & Teacher, TDSB

 

“My experiences with JUMP have been transformative, for my students and for myself. I struggled greatly as a student myself from a very early age … There were many times I was told that I was just not a math person, that I would never get it, that I just was not trying hard enough… The first half of my career, when it came to teaching math, I continued to feel totally inadequate, and as if I were faking it … I began supplementing with JUMP, and in no time saw how my students were responding – with enthusiasm and excitement over their success … As my students began to experience more and more success, their confidence and motivation greatly increased. As a class, our growth was inspiring – and I have found this to be the case each year since. Students who enter my class saying “I hate math” or “I can’t do math,” are, within a short time talking about how much they love math, and how good they are at it!”  I am now the math mentor at my school; I am halfway through my Masters of Math Education at UBC … JUMP Math has given me the motivation, skills, knowledge and confidence to pursue math at a higher level than I ever dreamed I could – or dreamed I would want to. I am having the time of my life, and my marks range from A- to A+.”
– Elisha Bonnis, Teacher, Vancouver

 

"I have begun my school year and am excited about using the JUMP Math program. Today I discovered that the children (grade 4) reached a new level of understanding the times tables when we used Mighton's finger groupings (Learn Multiplication Tables in 5 days) and marched the numbers between counting each finger.

'What's 4X3?' I asked the class. 'I don't know,' somebody said. 'Well, get up,' I said to the whole class. 'Let's count it... One, two, three, four,' I said, marching on the spot with each count. When I got to 4, I put up my thumb. 'That's 4X1.' Then, 'Five, six, seven, eight,' I said, continuing to march with each count, and still holding my thumb in the air; at 8, I held up my index and thumb. '4X2 is 8.' They all did it with me, 'Nine, ten, eleven, twelve.' We all had three fingers in the air. '4X3 is 12.'

Everyone was focused. There was a kind of stillness and then we just got into the flow.

With appreciation"
- Teacher, Edmonton

 

"Carleton Village students are making excellent progress… students who were doing very poorly in math now love the subject and eagerly await their next session. Their teachers often comment on the confidence the students have gained and the improvement they have shown in their daily work — all because of JUMP."   
- Principal, Toronto

 

“It helps students make sense of the world … JUMP is fantastic for kids because it builds confidence that really helps them – especially those in the lower half of the class. They develop a sense of commitment to the learning process … Teachers are often hard pressed to find a way to help individual kids, but when JUMP kids come back into the classroom with better skills, the level of the whole class is raised. Kids are then working at a higher standard and are better prepared for EQAO tests. They get better results because they have more confidence.”
- Teacher, Toronto

 

"As a Grade 5 & 6 teacher at a private school in Toronto, Canada, I have been using the JUMP Math approach and materials for four years and have been seeing increasingly amazing results. Recently, every child in my Grade 6 class, who also used JUMP Math in Grade 5, scored between the 91st and 99th percentile on the American Test of  Mathematical Ability (TOMA). Results on the Canadian Test of Basic Skills (CTBS) were similarly striking, with over half the class above the 95th percentile. On unit tests, this entire class scores consistently over 85%. Test scores only tell one small part of the story, however. These children love math! They are open and excited about Math lessons, readily participate and consistently use the language of conjecture and theory when offering math solutions. Because all students are excelling in math, I am able to move more quickly through units than I could before using the JUMP Math approach. The bell curve has been eliminated, so all students are able to engage concepts at a high level. This is a benefit to all the students, especially those who used to score at both extremes of the ability spectrum."
- Mary Jane Moreau, Toronto Teacher

 

"As of the first term all my grade 6 students and all my grade 7 students have earned honours standing (A or 80%+) on their report card. I have never had this success before and I desperately wish I could transfer this to my grade 9s!"
- Teacher, Edmonton

 

"I’m really good at JUMP math,' says a grade 3 student who often has difficulty focusing and organizing his work. 'Oh, that’s easy. You don’t have to help me,' says another who regularly attends Learning Centre and often has difficulty retaining concepts. He beams, 'I got it right!' And his confidence soars…As a teacher, I have observed, learned and been a part of the JUMP math program for more than one term …It turned out to be a gift to me and to my students. Their confidence is bursting. They know they are good at math! …Their ability to concentrate and focus has improved. It has taught them to organize their work and thought processes. They feel like they are mathematicians! They enjoy having the tutors come in to check their work and feel very special to be able to show their accomplishments to others. My experience with JUMP has made me look at my own teaching and has helped me remember the importance of teaching by breaking material into steps and building a solid foundation of knowledge. It has reminded me to consider the  way in which children think and view concepts, and teach with that in mind."
- Toronto  Teacher

 

"I wish to commend John Mighton's JUMP Program and his army of socially-conscious volunteers. …Research has informed us that the group of children who are classified as 'deprived' benefit from small group instruction. A teacher is not able to provide the necessary instruction and adult mentoring to give such students a 'hand-up. John Mighton's JUMP Program is the answer to a committed teacher's prayer. …The positive effects of all this academic activity in our school has seeped out into the community — a community which seems to feel somewhat neglected and marginalized. …Force is measured in Newtons. Positive social force might well end up being measured in Mightons."
- Teacher,Toronto

 

Working with JUMP Math has increased my abilities in math! JUMP Math is brilliant! It Works! Kids and adults working with it LOVE it!"
- Principal, Toronto



“I have seen the results. NO OTHER programme has hit the mark in all the years I've been teaching. It IS good and it IS good for kids.”
- Teacher,Ontario



“JUMP math is pedagogically sound and ensures suceess in all students. I finally see the 'aha' when students to this program. They find it motivating, beg to do more math and are challenged without being frustrated. [It] is the antithesis of 'fuzzy math'.”
- Teacher, Vancouver

 

“I wanted to write to let you and John Mighton know that I am really thrilled by the JUMP math program. I have been using the introductory fractions unit with my class of fifth-graders for one week and the results are fantastic... I have several students that are very behind in math, and several others with very negative attitudes about math. I also have a wide distribution of ability ranging from those who are behind grade levels to those who are at least a year ahead. JUMP seemed to be the ideal way to teach to that wide range. And it has been, so far. After the first day, several of the students with negative attitudes said that JUMP was fun. All week long every child mastered the content, and I added some bonus for those needing additional challenge. By Friday all but two were insisting on working on levels B and C, and some of my lowest students were keeping up with those in the top levels! Unbelievable. Every child mastered the material through lesson 10 in the first week. I am sold on JUMP.”
– Teacher, Reston, Virginia

 

“Learning about and using JUMP Math have been the most powerful opportunities for professional growth for myself as well as many colleagues … behaviour problems and attendance issues became almost non existent … I saw a different impact JUMP Math had on my colleagues who do not have a strong math background. As they worked through the material, both as they prepared their lessons and delivered their lessons, they gained understanding and appreciation for math they never thought possible. It is always inspiring to hear their new love and passion for math. In the short time I have used JUMP Math with my students, I have seen not just an improvement in their math skills. More importantly, I have seen an increase in their confidence as learners, not just in math but in other subject areas. John is so right when he says that math is the easiest subject to remediate and it is my hope that as more teachers use JUMP Math, the day of no more remedial math classes in schools draws closer.”
- Consultant, Vancouver School Board

 

“I think the secret of the program is that concepts are broken down so carefully.  Nothing is assumed either in the teaching or the learning.”  
– Teacher, Victoria

 

"John [Mighton] sees the patterns, relationships, or discrepancies that are not apparent to novices. His expertise allows him to identify what is relevant and subsequently organize the mathematical information into conceptual frameworks that allow for greater student transfer. Working with JUMP Math has increased my abilities in math! JUMP Math is brilliant! It Works! Kids and adults working with it LOVE it!"
– Principal, Toronto

 

“My relationship with math was not a happy one, as either a student or a teacher …When my own daughter was struggling in math, I came across JUMP Math on the internet, decided to try an introductory unit on fractions to see if it would make difference. For some reason my struggling daughter learned her math facts effortlessly and was able to master the concepts. That started my “love affair” with JUMP Math. I just had to learn more ... It has been an exciting journey of discovery. My own confidence in my ability to do elementary math, to understand it more deeply and to see patterns that I had never noticed before, grew as I learned more about the JUMP approach, teaching strategies and philosophy… for the first time in my life I saw the elegance and sheer beauty of math and I learned to think like a mathematician … I have been transformed as a learner, as a teacher, as a tutor and as a person since I have been introduced to JUMP. I was completely taken by surprise, that I could learn so much and be so inspired, and by Math of all things!”
– Teacher, Vancouver

 

Tutors

"I am hooked!  This concept of bonus questions and extending the problem is such an effective way to motivate struggling students.  They were literally jumping out of their seats because they wanted to go up to the board to solve problems.  We didn't get to the addition of fractions worksheet so I told them they could take home and look it over before Thursday.  One student finished it in about the 2 minutes it took for the class to collect their belongings.  On her way out, she showed her Mom the bonus questions she answered in her notebooks and had this proud look in her demeanor that was priceless.  I took your advice on instant assessment and went around putting stars next to problems they answered correctly.  They couldn't wait to show me their work.  I have seen the power of group dynamics and how JUMP can sweep everyone along."  
– Tutor, Palo Alto

 

"JUMP gave me a lot ideas and examples for teaching students, starting at the most basic level. This was especially helpful for our students who struggle in math."
– Tutor, Rocketship Education, Palo Alto

 

"JUMP was engaging for me and my students, with each lesson including drawings and concrete examples. I saw a big change in my students' attitudes when we used JUMP."
– Tutor, Rocketship Education, Palo Alto

 

"The lessons in JUMP built student processes a little at a time (scaffolded) and made it easy for students to understand.
The only thing I would change about JUMP is that I wish I had more time to implement it."
– Tutor, Rocketship Education, Palo Alto

 

Homeschoolers

"I'm just writing to say thank you for the excellent materials.  Today my 7-year-old daughter said to me, 'I can solve these problems quickly because I'm good at math'.  We are using the Jump Math in our homeschooling and I have watched her develop confidence and insight from the actual achievements that the materials lead her into."
- Homeschooler & Parent

 

"We started on the fractions section last night and my 13 year old grandson was amazed at how easy the directions were. We were only going to do the first page, but ended up doing the whole fraction chapter. He has struggled with math since grade 3 - we are both hopeful that this program will make a big difference in his life and help him to be prepared for pre-algebra this year. Thank you for making this program available to homeschoolers!"
- Homeschooler & Grandparent

 

Students

"JUMP explains math in a way I understand."   
- Grade 7 student, Vancouver

 

"I appreciate all the things you have done for my class and math is so easy I want to be a mathematician."
- Grade 5 Student, Toronto



"When I was in grade 1, 2, 3 and 4, I hated math a lot because it’s so hard. But when John Mighton came and taught math to my class, I suddenly thought math was so fun and easy."
- Grade 5 Student, Toronto

 

"I learned that fractions aren’t that hard."
- Student, Winnipeg

 

"It makes me a genius at math."
- Grade 7 student, Vancouver

 

"I learned how to add, subtract and reduce.  I also learned how to change denominators to be the same and to add mixed fractions.  I learned how to change improper fractions into mixed and mixed to improper fractions.  I finally understood how to know what way the mouth goes when you try to find which fraction is larger.  I am finally understand fractions.  I love doing them now."
- Student, Winnipeg

 

"I learned how to add and subtract fractions with different strategies.  I learned how to add or subtract big and small fractions.  I learned how to make denominators the same in order to add, subtract, find which one is bigger etc.  I learned how to add and subtract mixed and improper fractions and how to turn mixed into improper fractions and the other way around!   I learned how to reduce fractions and how to read fractions.  It was the easiest fractions I’ve ever learned."
- Student, Winnipeg

 

Parents

"My son has just started his second year of doing Jump Math…I can not convey enough what a success it has been for him.  His teacher even emailed us this week to comment on the big leap from last year.  Again as a mom…THANKS!"
- Parent, Toronto

 

"I ordered  the jump books from U of T Press. They showed me how to teach fractions to my son in a logical step by step  process. I would not have been able to explain it in such an  easy  steps-by-step manner."   
- Parent, Oakville

 

"My daughter, who is in grade 3, has been very upset about her math since school started this year. Well this weekend I spent some time showing her the JUMP way to do addition, subtraction and multiplication. The results are awesome. You should see her little face. She is so excited that she can do the math. It is amazing how quickly it works. I am amazed at the results. This program really works!"
- Parent, Ottawa

 

"I got so many tips from you!  When I reached home from your presentation, I saw my daughter writing her multiplication tables. I immediately sat down with her and taught her the styles that I learned from you. It was so effective that she grasped the technique and even her younger brother got interested and sat down beside us."
- Parent, Toronto

 

"I have used your materials and found they have helped both my children and me tremendously."
- Parent, Vancouver