RightStart™ for Classrooms

“Our teachers have been very impressed with the materials and are eager to teach the program – even those who would tell you that they’re “not math people.” Please thank Dr. Cotter and everyone for making this program available. It will be a great blessing to our students.”

“I am ordering this abacus for my fourth grade student who is having good success with my own abacus. He is in Special Ed. and doesn’t know the addition facts. He caught on immediately, after one demonstration from me, to trading beads on the abacus to make tens. Several days later, when I was showing his mother how it helped him, I asked him to add on it 9+9. He did the trading in his head and, without hesitation, pulled over 10 beads and 8. He’s one of those children who have huge difficulty with language and math, but can put a bicycle together on their own. Thank you so much, Joan Cotter, for having such good ideas and sharing them.”

“I am a kindergarten teacher at Master’s Academy in Vero Beach, FL; this is my 2nd year of teaching RightStart™ math. I have enjoyed it much more than the traditional workbook curriculums I have taught in the past. The students respond very well to the program, and look forward to using the Cotter Abacus and other manipulatives. They love to play all the card games. I set up the ground rules for using the abacus and other manipulatives on the first day they are introduced; I take it away the first time a student misuses it. I almost never have a repeat misuse because they want to use the tools so much.

I had a parent conference last night with a Mom who couldn’t say enough about the program. She wishes she had learned math the way we are teaching her daughter. They play games each night just before bedtime, and if she forgets her daughter is quick to remind her.”

“I have taught lower elementary for 7 years, and for the last three I have been using your Kindergarten curriculum. The visual learning with the abacus is second to none!
I appreciate all the games and singing. It is what children at this stage of learning spend their time doing, therefore teaching with RightStart flows naturally. In my classroom you have accomplished your mission of “…helping children to understand, apply and ENJOY mathematics.” Thank you!”

“I would like to say how privileged and impressed I have been with your staff and the whole Right Start program! We are a small “professionally led homeschool” in Breckenridge, Colorado. Ms. Hameloth was gracious enough to spend a couple of days with our school and our families. Her expertise, sincerity and gift for teaching were truly inspiring. Since her visit, she has written to us and called to see how things are going. We so appreciate her concern and dedication. In fact, we hope to have her come back out in the Fall for another visit! Likewise, we have really enjoyed the “RightStart” Math program. I wish that I had been exposed to this program when I taught in the public school system. It is far more meaningful and fun than anything I have previously used. My 6th graders particularly enjoy the “warm-ups” with 4 or 5 digits. And, of course, all the kids love the math games. Thank you so much for providing such terrific learning tools.”

“I love your program and am thoroughly impressed with its logical and strategic methodology. It makes so much sense. It’s amazing to see my student’s understanding place value, seeing patterns, and applying these mathematical principles to other situations.

Thanks Dr. Cotter. I tell everyone I know how wonderful this program is because it smacks against the ridiculous notions perpetuated [with] math systems generation after generation.”

” We introduced RightStart Math into our school six years ago after all our teachers attended a workshop Dr. Cotter was doing in Orlando. Presently, we are thriving in the program–K4 through sixth grade. Our teachers are comfortable with the materials. New students coming in even at fifth/sixth grade are acclimating. The fact that we have combined classrooms is a bonus for these new students.

It has been very helpful to have Kathleen Cotter Clayton, Dr. Cotter’s daughter, on campus several times. She has observed in the classrooms and interacted personally with our teachers. We still have much to learn. Motivated by the reasoning skills and mathematical thinking we see in the students, the teachers look forward to gaining even more proficiency.”

“A story from my Classroom: I explained to my students how important and time-saving it can be to subitize instead of counting. We have been playing games and singing “Yellow is the Sun.” One day during class the week before the Christmas break, I posed a math question that required using addition or counting up as a method to complete a subtraction problem. One cute little first grader quickly without hesitation correctly answered the problem. When I asked how he got to his answer he replied, “I can subtilize.” I had to smile. Thanks again, RightStart.”

“I thought the original editions were fantastic, but the second editions that I have used are fine tuned and are on the genius level of teaching. Please, thank Dr. Cotter for her continued work in providing material that is creative and enjoyable to teach.”

“Louisiana is ranked 48th in educational outcomes. Sometimes, depending on the polls, we are last. It’s no secret our state needs a massive educational overhaul. I believe RightStart Math is one of the first changes that should be made throughout our state. It’s – hands down – the best math program I have come across in my nearly 12 years teaching.

This past year, I piloted the program on my 7 year old. He went from panic to delight during math time. We like the program so much that we are opening a micro school in Shreveport, LA this fall (2022), and we are solely using RightStart Math in all our grades. We look forward to delighting kids in math for years to come.”