When Leila entered Grade 8, her math confidence was at an all-time low.
Like many students during the COVID-19 pandemic, she missed out on key learning. Her school used a quarter system, so by the time she took math, she hadn’t practised it for nearly a year.
Surface area? Volume? Word problems? All of it felt overwhelming.
Her Grade 8 math teacher noticed and reached out to her father with a clear recommendation: Leila needed help.
That’s when we started working together. Back then, we were focused on rebuilding the basics.
Neither of us knew that those early sessions would turn into a multi-year partnership, and that I’d eventually become her Pre Calculus 12 tutor.
She has just wrapped up Pre Calculus 12, and it was one of the most difficult math classes she had encountered. Her teacher had a strict policy: a minor error at the end of a multi-step problem meant no credit for the entire question. That kind of grading can be crushing for students, but Leila stayed committed and pushed through.
Now, with graduation behind her, we’ve started studying university-level Calculus to prepare her for her Biology degree, and she’s doing great!
At first, our tutoring sessions were all about survival. I helped her understand the immediate concepts and pass her tests.
But the real progress started when Leila chose to keep tutoring through the summer after her Grade 8 course ended.
From that point on, we focused on:
Strengthening foundational skills like fractions, ratios, and problem-solving
Breaking down word problems step by step so they made sense
Using digital visuals to explain tricky concepts
Trying alternative methods when school-taught strategies didn’t click
We met twice a week during the school year and summer. This consistent routine that helped her move from surviving to thriving.
Leila’s growth didn’t happen overnight, but it was steady and impressive.
She no longer dreads word problems. In fact, she now helps her younger sister with math, a major shift from where she started.
By Grade 12, she was enrolled in one of the most challenging courses in high school math: Pre Calculus 12. And even with a particularly tough teacher, she didn’t give up. She kept studying.
Completing Pre Calculus 12 was a huge milestone for Leila and a clear sign of how far she had come since those early sessions in Grade 8.
But what stands out even more is how she is approaching math now that the course is behind her.
She has officially graduated and is preparing to study biology at university. Her interest in the human body and health has grown into a long-term goal of working in crime scene investigation.
This summer, we have been studying Calculus together to help her get ready for the next level. It is a tough subject for many students, but Leila has told me more than once that she finds it really interesting.
Yes, it is challenging, but she enjoys the process of figuring things out. In one of our recent sessions, she worked through a particularly complex algebra problem. Instead of shying away from it, she dove in and said it was actually kind of fun once she saw how to simplify it.
This is a huge shift from how things started and a great example of what consistent effort and curiosity can lead to.
Since Grade 8, Leila has done math tutoring year-round, even through the summers. This is something most students would push back against.
Leila has never pushed back on that.
She enjoys her downtime, relaxing by the pool and diving into random, fascinating topics online. We’ve even bonded over a few of those rabbit holes ourselves.
But there is also something she gets out of doing math.
It is like a mental workout. It challenges her brain, and when she figures something out, it feels good. It is similar to that post-gym feeling or the satisfaction of a really great meal. It is a different kind of fun, but it is still fun.
For Leila, summer includes both. That balance has helped her grow steadily over the years.
What has always stood out about Leila is her willingness to try, even when things felt frustrating or unclear.
She never came to tutoring expecting quick fixes. Instead, she stayed open to new strategies, kept asking questions, and gave herself the time to really learn.
Whether we were breaking down complex word problems, exploring visual methods, or tackling heavy algebra, she kept showing up and doing the work.
Now she is entering university with a strong foundation in math, a growing confidence in her problem-solving skills, and a genuine interest in the subject she once found overwhelming.
Leila’s story is a reminder that progress in math is not about perfection. It is about consistency, curiosity, and the courage to keep going, even when it gets hard.
