Spirit of Math can be worth it for a child who already does well in math, likes hard puzzles and can keep up with a group class plus weekly homework. It is not designed for a child who is behind. The program says so itself: it is for high-performing students, and its teaching is not individualized.[1][3]
So the real question is not whether the program is good. It is whether your child fits what it asks. This guide walks through those asks, using Spirit of Math's own pages and the BC curriculum.
What is Spirit of Math?
Spirit of Math is an after-school math program that began in a Toronto classroom.[8] Its headquarters are still in Toronto.[3] It runs weekly classes from Kindergarten to Grade 11 over a 39-week year.[2] Children stay with the same group for the whole school year.[3]
Spirit of Math names four parts of its method:[8]
- Drills: short practice for speed and accuracy with facts and operations.
- Core curriculum: math topics explored and practised in depth.[3]
- Problem solving: at least 400 competition-level problems a year in every grade.[3]
- Group work: children solve problems together and present their results to the class.[3]
Students also do weekly homework, plus tests, assignments and a final exam each year.[1] Spirit of Math states the difference from tutoring plainly: "Tutoring fills gaps; Spirit of Math builds long-term problem solvers."[1]
Who gets in, and what does B+ mean on a BC report card?
Every family goes through a screening with an interview. Spirit of Math asks for a B+ or higher overall average on the report card. The child and parents must also agree to the work it takes to keep up.[3]
That B+ rule needs a second look in BC. Since July 1, 2023, BC report cards for Kindergarten to Grade 9 use the Provincial Proficiency Scale: Emerging, Developing, Proficient and Extending. Letter grades start in Grade 10.[5] A child in Grade 4 at a Richmond or Vancouver public school has no letter grade to show.
How far ahead of BC school is it?
Spirit of Math says it does not try to rush children through topics. It goes deeper, and children end up doing work above their school grade because of that depth.[3] Its entrance skills show how far above. Here they are next to what the BC curriculum expects:
| Spirit of Math asks | What BC expects |
|---|---|
| For Grade 2 entry: adding and subtracting with regrouping to three digits | Grade 3: adding and subtracting to 1000 |
| For Grade 2 entry: multiplication facts to 3 | Grade 3: multiplication as a concept; memorizing the facts is not intended yet |
| For Grade 3 entry: adding, subtracting, multiplying and dividing signed (negative) numbers | Grade 7: operations with integers |
Reading matters too. The entrance list asks for reading at a Grade 4 level for Grade 2 entry, and at a Grade 6 level for Grade 3 entry. The problem-solving work asks children to read critically.[3] A child who is strong with numbers but still reads slowly may find the problems hard for reasons that have nothing to do with math.
What does a week of Spirit of Math look like?
The class is only part of the time. For a child in Grades 1 to 8, it is one 90-minute class a week.[2] Add the drive: the three BC campuses are on West 4th Avenue in Vancouver, on 16th Street in West Vancouver and on Daniels Road in Richmond.[4] There is no BC campus in Surrey, Burnaby, Coquitlam, Victoria or Kelowna. Families farther away can ask about Fibonacci Virtual, the online program, which its page describes as an after-school program for students who already excel in math.[9]
Then there is homework every week. Spirit of Math does not give a number of hours, but its FAQ warns that a child who puts in no time at home may fall behind.[1] Over the year come tests, assignments, a final exam and math contests: the curriculum lists the Spirit of Math Contest in several grades.[1][3]
The same weekly class runs whether your child had a good week or a hard one. Children stay with one group all year, and the group moves on together.[3] For a child who likes that rhythm, it can be a steady routine. For a child who needs extra time on one topic, it gives less room.
Not sure where your child sits against those entrance skills? Our free online math assessment shows their level and gaps.
Your child takes the test on a laptop or tablet.
What does Spirit of Math cost in BC?
Spirit of Math does not publish tuition on its website. Its home page, program page and campus list give no price, and the online program, Fibonacci Virtual, lists none either.[1][2][4][9] We did not put a number here because we could not find one on a page we could read.
The three BC campuses share one phone number, 604-304-4032.[4] When you call, ask for the full cost of the year, not a monthly figure, because the program runs as one 39-week year.[2] To compare, our guides list what a tutor costs in BC and what Mathnasium costs.
When is it worth it, and when is something else a better fit?
Spirit of Math is more likely to suit your child if they:
- already get Proficient or Extending in math and are bored by school work;
- enjoy puzzles and stick with a problem when the answer is not obvious;
- read well above grade level;
- can work in a group at the group's pace, and do homework every week.
Something else is likely a better fit if your child:
- got Emerging or Developing in math, or has gaps from earlier grades;
- needs topics explained again at their own speed;
- already finds homework a fight, and one more weekly load would make it worse.
For a child with gaps, the program itself points elsewhere: its teaching is not individualized, and children must keep up with the class.[3] A tutor, a learning centre or steady practice at home can aim at the gaps first. Our guide to alternatives in BC compares those options.
Ask your child too. A child who asks for harder problems and enjoys contests will treat the homework as a game. A child who is signing up to please you will feel the weekly load sooner. If you are unsure, the free assessment class is a low cost way to see how your child reacts to the work.
What should you ask at the assessment class?
Every child starts with a free assessment class or placement interview.[1] Use it to get answers in writing:
- What is the tuition for the full year, and is there a registration fee? Can we pay in parts?
- Which grades run at this campus this year, and on which days?
- How many children are in a class, and with how many teachers?
- How much homework a week should my child expect at this grade?
- What happens if my child falls behind the group, or we leave partway through the year?
- How do you read a BC report card with no letter grades?
If you are weighing a home option too, Unica Learning starts with a free online math assessment, then mails paper workbooks made for your child's level. See how it compares with learning centres and tutors.