My son 10 year old went to first day of camp after getting info from 510Families and he had a horrible experience. I told them at registration he needed a review of math skills this was told to the man who was his teacher and it was completely disengaging for my son. read more

This program might be a good option for 1:1 tutoring, but NOT as a camp. They set up in a church auditorium with a few round tables and a white board. Printed worksheets and expected kids of multiple ages to pay attention to a lecture-style method of teaching for hour and 5 minute sessions. When I inquired they became immediately defensive and blamed the kids for being inattentive. Also refused to allow me to quietly observe the class the next day. Huge red flag. Again, tutoring might work, but this is no camp, that is for certain. Update: I stand by my review 100%. Interesting that the owner left off the initial emails I sent simply asking to quietly sit in the back and observe the class after their defensive responses to my questions. Setting up tables, a white board and printing off 2 worksheets is NOT a camp. read more

We could not be happier with Firecracker Math. My kiddo began working 1 on 1 with Ali last spring while they were in 4th grade. At the time, they had an enormous amount of math anxiety, thought they were "bad at math," - working on math frequently resulted in tears. Because of all the anxiety, they were also at least a year behind in math! My kiddo spent the summer working with Ali for an hour once a week, and by the time school started in the fall, they were completely caught up to grade level! Even more importantly, their math anxiety vanished! Ali gave my kiddo such a sense of confidence and helped impart a true joy of math - honestly it was like a miracle to me. Ali is incredibly kind, patient, rigorous and has such a good way with kids who are struggling. We continue to work with Ali occasionally to help my kiddo stay on track in math at school, and now they are one of the best math students in the class! Math homework is a breeze - we haven't had a fight about it in months. We feel so blessed to have found Firecracker Math! It has truly been a gamechanger! read more

My nine year old daughter has been doing firecracker math classes for a few years now, most recently online (due to covid), and I am deeply thankful for this unique and outstanding program. She loves it, she loves math! Thank you Firecracker Math! As other reviewers have said, it's the patience of the instructors and their love of math is clear. The structure of the class makes active participation the norm for the students. And, it is the absolute BEST of "math," conceptual, puzzle based, outside the box. SO GREAT!! We are SO lucky!! read more

This is the place for the kids who truly love mathematics and for the parents who are looking for support their kids who love mathematics (not encouraging cram school for their children). The teachers are very well encouraging students and have great patients. read more

My son (now 5th-grader) has been taking classes at Firecracker for the last two years. We used to live in the Seattle area with great math academics and signed up at Firecracker to make sure he keeps being challenged in math. I have a university degree in math from France and I've always believed math is what structures a child's mind. I have attended several classes myself. I am very impressed with the quality of the program at Firecracker - during each lesson they go through a very well prepared topic. It starts with the basics and gradually progresses toward more complexity - which nicely simulates a scientific approach to math. All children are involved, no one is left out, the group exercises are very stimulating for the kids and I am impressed to see how they're all excited about participating. The class not only fits the needs of children who need to be challenged but also those of children who can improve in math. So if children are saying they feel challenged by math, this class can help build their confidence and their ability to tackle math with an open mind, without fear. I chatted with several parents and they seemed quite happy with the classes. The teachers credentials are outstanding, including a PhD from Cal and a former math and physics Olympiads winner from Ukraine. Both in math and in pedagogy. The management is warm and friendly, passionate about what they are doing and flexible to parents and children's needs. I actually recommended them to Piedmont Middle School as a supplement for kids who need to improve in math or to the Gate program for gifted kids. The Academy is well managed, with small classes, good communication and a safe environment. I strongly believe this is exactly the type of education we should spread across the country! read more

This program is the best math program I found for my daughter, and we looked a lot and tried a couple! The teacher understands how to approach and educate children, and she is enthusiastic and passionate about her subject. She goes out of her way to find some extra time for each child, so my daughter always feels included and engaged. Math is now her favorite subject! read more

My daughter (who is now twelve) has been taking classes at Firecracker for the last two years, first in their regular 6th-8th grade class, and then in their Math in Motion class, which introduces kids to the core concepts of calculus. We've really liked Firecracker's approach as a complement to regular school math. Their classes really show how mathematicians think and solve problems in a deeper way than kids are typically exposed to in school. In the main Firecracker classes, the teacher typically starts with something engaging and accessible, like a physical puzzle or simple game, then uses it to illuminate abstract mathematical concepts like parity or the pigeonhole principle. In addition to asking questions for the kids to figure out, the teacher encourages the kids to formulate interesting mathematical/logical questions about the topic themselves, and work with each other to explore them both intuitively and logically. I particularly like that the teachers are good about giving them space to try different paths to solving a problem before giving them guidance towards the solution if they don't figure it out on their own. With Math in Motion, the teacher started by explaining the concept of limits in an intuitive way, then introduced differentiation and integration through concrete examples of instantaneous speed and area measurement. This class does require the kids to have some basic familiarity with algebra, but really manages to convey the key ideas without getting too bogged down in symbol manipulation. Overall, I think Firecracker does a great job of showing what real mathematical problem-solving is like, and how fun it can be, beyond the mechanical aspect that tends to get emphasized in schoolwork. Firecracker usually holds an open house before the start of each term where kids can come for a free lesson and parents can see what it's like, so you can check it out and see if it's good for your child before registering. They also do summer camps, and sometimes have math festival days during the year if you want to get a taste of what they're like without committing to a whole term. read more

Our 7th grader and 1st grader both did Firecracker summer camp in Lafayette and loved it. Neither did poorly in math at school, but we definitely had to cajole them a bit into this camp, and by the end of the week they were both happy to go. Firecracker doesn't do Kumon-style arithmetic practice and drilling, but actually guides exploration of deep mathematical ideas and insights that students typically aren't exposed to until college mathematics, which is unfortunate because this means that many children burn out on the drill-and-kill stuff and never get to enjoy real math. The camp won't help much with arithmetic and routine algebra problems that standardized tests focus on, but it will help build precise, logical thinking that benefits every academic discipline (and life in general!). read more

My 6th grader took a course which was very helpful in preparing for the Math Kangaroo competition. Some of the practice problems in the course were very similar to what was on the exam and my child felt confident the practice helped him score well on the test. His instructor sent problems weekly for the kids to do and discuss. Even though the sessions were remote, my child still learned many skills for taking the exam. He had fun! read more

Firecracker Math is an excellent math program with great student to teacher ratio (I believe the maximum student per class is 13). My two kids (fourth and six graders) have been in the program for the last two years and found the classes and the problems they work on to be very interesting. Ella Levine is a wonderful instructor and really knows how to challenge and motivate students. The other instructors are great as well. We highly recommend Firecracker Math! read more

We are extremely happy with the program, which supports and helps the kids to grow in their passion and their interest in mathematics, and most of all, it inspires kids to learn and to be curious. read more

This program was recommended to me by two high-level, professional mathematicians who are also parents of school-aged children. My son started at Firecracker Academy in the spring of 2013 and has been very enthusiastic about it ever since. There is a good mix of genders in the classes, and the classes are organized by level, not by age - within a certain age range. The classes are small and personalized. The teaching method is fun and challenging. read more

Firecracker Academy teaches advanced math concepts that my child would never get in school. His brain is well-challenged at Firecracker and I often find him ruminating over concepts he learns in class and applying those concepts to other problems he sees around him in the world. The instructors are great and know how to motivate and interact with children, which is an issue that we ran into in another math circle we attended for a while. Highly recommended for anyone who wants to support their kid who loves math. read more

Outstanding instruction, challenging and creative. Not rote and not boring! Kids' math imaginations are stretched and the teacher-student ratio ensures personal attention. Ella, the instructor, we have been working with is just a rock star. This program is somehow an undiscovered gem!! read more

This is a review of Math in Motion, for grades 7+. Small class size with conscious effort to include every student and hear everyone's thoughts. Lots of teamwork and thinking together/aloud, which is a great way to learn. Parents are allowed to sit at the back of the very large room: I have to say I find the class delightful--I only wish I had been lucky enough to be guided through mathematical thinking this way! read more

Ella is an amazing teacher. Firecracker Math is a great math program for kids that teaches them how to think and approach mAth problems. It's a wonderful experience for my son that he couldn't get at his day school. read more

My second grader has been taking weekly classes at Firecracker for a year. She is eager to attend class and is energized about the lessons. She has always enjoyed math and I happy that she is learning mathematical concepts versus the arithmetic that she gets at school. I love that when I pick her up, the group of students are always standing --either at the whiteboard or around an activity. As she gets older, I want her to continue to find math fun and I believe that her continued participation with Firecracker will ensure that. read more

My twelve year old daughter has attended Firecracker Academy for two years and absolutely loves the opportunity to go there every Tuesday to study math. She says the teacher makes math fun and interesting and that she explains math so that kids can understand it. She also says the teacher is very kind and patient. I feel that my daughter's understanding of math has improved significantly since she began attending Firecracker Academy. I am very happy to have heard about Firecracker Academy, and I will continue to send my daughter there. It is a great opportunity for her to enhance her math skills. read more

We tried several math programs for my mathematically talented but math-bored son before we found Firecracker, and I am forever grateful to them for reviving my son's love and enthusiasm for math. Now he looks forward to class, and thinks about what he learns all week, pushing the ideas further on his own. The classes explore concepts that he would never cover in school; for example, for 6th grade, exploring binary numbers and unique uses for them, or solving Martin Gardner-like puzzles, or discovering complex patterns in geometry. Classes are small-- 3 and 8 kids in his classes the last 2 years-- and the teachers are geniuses at creating a collaborative atmosphere and curriculum that lends itself to group problem solving. They're also very good at making sure each kid is challenged-- there are always side problems and extensions and extra questions for those who understand quickly-- and the math and the process are exciting, with constant discovery and exploration. The teachers are also very good at making math very interesting but low-pressure and fun, which I think is a rare combination. I can't say enough good things about Firecracker, and I recommend them very highly. read more