Movement 4 Math

Brita Luke 23/04/18

As someone who has been educated in a variety of schools, both in the United States and the United Kingdom, I have developed a unique understanding of the divisions in educational opportunities, particularly by virtue of socioeconomic class. I currently attend Phillips Academy Andover, a boarding school in Massachusetts; however, I grew up in New York, where I was frequently exposed to the ways in which a “good” education in America can be almost impossible for many people to acquire. Throughout my educational journey, it has become increasingly apparent that public perceptions of the educational system, specifically the college process, are immensely tainted by the false notion that standardized testing can be an accurate representation of one’s ability or achievement. I founded Movement 4 Math, an organization in which students who have demonstrated excellence on the S.A.T. serve as math tutors for other students from less privileged communities. The mission of Movement 4 Math is to address and educate others about the inequalities in educational opportunities amongst high school students.

Movement 4 Math originated simply as a concept, one that was inspired by my exposure to the harsh realities of the divide in educational opportunities throughout my own high school experience. From the fees for taking standardized tests, to the purchasing of S.A.T. and A.C.T. study guides and practice books, it is incredibly apparent that standardized testing scores cannot be accurate representations of ability or achievement amongst students from disparate backgrounds and privileges. As I began to enter the college process myself, I became increasingly aware of my privilege and the privileges of many of my peers at boarding school. Acknowledging my advantages, particularly pertaining to mathematical education, and informing myself of others’ realities encouraged me to develop Movement 4 Math into a program that had the potential to make change.

One of the most important aspects of Movement 4 Math’s programming is student independence in learning. Students will be tutored twice a week; however, they will have the responsibility of completely problems on their own as well, conceivably spending extra time on concepts they find particularly challenging. In this way, our program serves to further aid students by enabling them to improve characteristics such as curiosity and determination. Furthermore, through this process they can begin to fully recognize their own contributions to their overall growth.

My experience with Oxford Tutors contributed greatly to the way in which I chose to structure the programming for Movement 4 Math. My primary interaction with Oxford Tutors occurredwhen I was applying to schools in London from New York as a ten-year-old. Throughout my tutoring for the 11+, a series of standardized tests in England, Oxford Tutors taught me how to be independent in my learning process. Oxford Tutors dramatically transformed my preliminary experience with standardized testing from being immensely overcome with dread and self-doubt to having the ability to set my own aspirations. This shift in mindset enabled me to believe that I had the potential to achieve those goals. My experience with Oxford Tutors shaped the way that I viewed education, and allowed me to seek the best possible structure for Movement 4 Math’s programming.