The world-renowned JUMP Math program helps younger students overcome stress and anxiety related to learning math, as well as develop important skills and mindsets. Our organization has worked to make JUMP Math available to Bulgarian teachers and students since 2010. Your donation will allow us to train more teachers and provide instructional materials free of charge to schools and educators serving soon-to-be-discovered math prodigies growing up in less fortunate circumstances.
Many students in Bulgaria lack access to quality math education and lag behind their peers across the EU. ccording to PISA 2019 results, 44% of 15-year-olds are functionally illiterate in math. Students that come from poorer families and marginalized groups are significantly more likely to underperform in math, reading, and science. As a result, many young people are not prepared to lead fulfilling and productive lives. Factors that contribute to this are poverty and discrimination among others.
Strong numeracy is important prerequisite for academic success, employability, and even civic participation. Gaining proficiency in math requires a solid foundation laid in the primary years of education. We have chosen to focus on grades 1 through 4 and give students essential math skills and knowledge to help narrow the achievement gap existing across classrooms and schools in Bulgaria. JUMP Math helps elementary teachers improve their instruction skills and guide students on a math journey.
Mastering the concepts and skills taught in the elementary curriculum, students are better equipped to succeed in letter grades and pursue a selective STEM track in their secondary education. Students and teachers alike develop a growth mindset and an appreciation for continuous learning and discovery. This growth mindset serves students in other subjects areas as well. Studies show that making STEM education more accessible to disadvantaged students correlates with higher rates of innovations.
This project has provided additional documentation in a PDF file (projdoc.pdf).