RightStart™ for Classrooms
Helping students understand, apply, and enjoy mathematics
Curriculum Excellence
Since 1998, RightStart Math has been providing comprehensive elementary and middle school math education to students worldwide. Understanding is maximized by emphasizing visualization and strategies while de-emphasizing counting. Materials, such as the Cotter Abacus, place value cards, and the fraction charts help students visualize and apply math ideas. Hands-on activities and math games engage students in learning while developing a deep understanding of mathematical ideas and critical thinking. Lessons provide scaffolding and differentiated instruction that teachers find easy to implement.
Math Intervention
Condensed and focused topical instruction is available for students who would benefit from RTI or intervention. RightStart Tutoring programs provide students with the support they need to ensure equitable instruction.
Evidence Based
RightStart Math uses evidence-based practices such as manipulation tools, math card games, modeling, and visual representations to create positive student outcome. Teachers have found RightStart Math to be an extremely effective program. Click to see testimonies of teacher and student successes, as well as data and research information about RightStart Mathematics.
Your Team
Your RightStart Math team will work with you and your school to ensure that you have the tools and information you need to promote student learning.
Contact Us
Interested in learning about RightStart Mathematics for your classrooms? The RightStart team would love to connect.
How RightStart™ has helped classrooms like yours
“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.”
“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.”
