By Shay Dawn Burgess
Education is key to advancing the Bermudian narrative. History moves at the speed of math, and that’s not just hyperbole – so organizations like Planet Math are indeed vital parts of the vast tapestry of Bermudian history.
Planet Math is a company that started out in St. George’s in 2016. Mr. Sergio Pitcher, the owner and driving force behind Planet Math, shared the philosophy behind his fledgling venture:
“Math is everywhere, and math is vital for everyone! But unfortunately, it has been – undeservedly – given a bad reputation over the years. As educators and lovers of mathematics, we saw that too many students either didn’t like math, or had some form of math anxiety.
“For this reason, we found it crucial to create an organization that helps people to change their mind-sets towards mathematics.”
When asked how the Clinic works, Mr. Pitcher proudly asserts that they offer various programs at Planet Math to reach the community in many ways.
“For example, we engage the public directly with our weekly radio quiz on Vibe103 – every Tuesday and Friday morning at 7:45; a project done in conjunction with the Road Safety Council.
“On the show, we ask two math questions, one for adults and one for children – based on road safety. This has been going on for a few years now, and it keeps math at the forefront of people’s minds.”
Planet Math also engages children by bringing programs to various schools, such as their Financial Literacy program, which is delivered in partnership with HSBC. Their Math-a-Thon – which takes them to every primary and middle school with a fun math contest – is something that the students absolutely love.
Of course, Planet Math offers math tutorials for people of all ages, and helps adults and children prepare for various exams. They have recently added an after-school program, where students have fun while learning math.
Perhaps their most popular program is their Math Camps. During camp, they provide math instruction every day, but they also include STEM, and various art projects as well. In addition, they provide breakfast and lunch at camps, and do a wide variety of field trips all over Bermuda, so that students can learn about their island home.
The Planet Math Team has raised funds for over 440 students to attend their camps – at no direct cost to parents – over the past two years. As if that wasn’t enough, one-to-one tutoring is also available. This can be done in person or on-line. For further information on this, write to [email protected].
Asked how to offset a negative vibe, which some students may have with math, Mr. Pitcher responds,
“If a student has a negative attitude towards the work, they will generally not put in the effort that is required. We tell students to take a breath and relax a bit. Next, students that are feeling this way should get regular tutorial assistance. Tutoring breaks a topic down to its components and is paced at a rate that is individualized for the student. As with anything, practice, practice, practice, and realization of the topic will be earned.”
For some, Math can be a very scary four-letter-word. Planet Math has been a miracle for many Bermudians who find the discipline anxiety-inducing – whether they be little, or grown!
In closing, Mr. Pitcher acknowledges the donors who have provided funds for students to attend camp at no cost – a blessing he describes as, “Huge!” Donors provided online math lessons and activity books during lockdown to ensure that school-aged children could continue honing those math skills that may have otherwise been lost.
Planet Math is all about recovering what is lost, and taking that next step toward freedom – a highly valued commodity for those who keep their eyes on the prize!
