What is a Numeracy Coach?

Understanding how to work with numbers is a part of life. A numeracy coach is a math teacher or tutor who assists young students and adult learners in understanding math operations to meet academic or life goals. These coaches also work with math teachers to strengthen their teaching skills.    

Overview

A numeracy coach can work in any setting that requires teaching math concepts to individuals or groups. Many coaches work one-on-one with students who are struggling to understand math concepts introduced in a classroom.

Young Learners

Parents sometimes hire math tutors to work with their children who may need extra assistance with their math homework. Receiving individualized attention can often help a young learner to ask questions and repeat math exercises in order to internalize concepts. 

Adult Learners

Numeracy coaches also assist adults who may need help with their math homework in college or to perform financial calculations in the work environment. An adult may need help refreshing her memory of math skills in preparation for returning to college. A person who is new to managing personal finances might hire a math coach to assist with math operations applicable to personal budgeting and forecasting.

Train the Trainer

Professional development for teachers presents another opportunity for the services of a numeracy coach. Particularly for new math teachers, an experienced math teacher can offer insights and techniques for teaching more challenging math concepts. Numeracy coaches also facilitate professional development meetings for math teachers, assisting math teachers to learn new teaching methods from one another.