Case study
Rediscovering the Joy of Math Through Enrichment
From “I already know this” to “Can we try this next?” — how Roman fell in love with math again.
Meet the student
Student
Roman (5th grade)
Parents
Brian and Jennifer
Challenge
Gifted underplacement, boredom, disengagement in class
Services Used
Enrichment coaching, project-based learning, math exploration
Outcome
Renewed excitement, self-driven curiosity, eagerness to engage in math beyond school
“He raced outside with a basketball and a measuring tape
the moment the session ended.”
The Challenge
Roman was the kind of student teachers dream about—exceptionally bright, quick to understand new concepts, and able to work several grade levels ahead. But by the end of 4th grade, something was off.
Math class, once his favorite part of the day, had become something he dreaded. Like many gifted students, Roman wasn’t being challenged at school. He knew every problem before the class began, and instead of feeling proud of his abilities, he felt bored, restless, and increasingly frustrated.
His parents saw the signs: the slump walking into math class, the irritation at being asked to demonstrate material he’d already mastered, and the quiet admission that he “just didn’t like math anymore.” They wanted him not just to do well in math—they wanted him to love it again.
Their ask was simple and urgent: “Can you help him find joy and curiosity in math again?”
The Turning Point
When Roman’s family came to WCTC, they weren’t looking for acceleration or more worksheets. They were looking for enrichment—the kind of challenge that sparks curiosity, not pressure. They wanted him to feel the thrill of thinking again.
During the intake, it became clear that Roman had reached the familiar gifted-student crossroads: he wasn’t struggling because math was too hard—he was struggling because it was too easy. His parents recognized that if something didn’t change soon, boredom could calcify into long-term disengagement.
They were ready for an approach centered on joy, exploration, and challenge.
The WCTC Approach
Enrichment requires a different kind of coaching—not harder problems, but bigger worlds to think in.
Roman’s tutor, Rora, began by anchoring math in the real world and in Roman’s own interests. The goal wasn’t acceleration—it was reawakening curiosity.
Starting with a big idea (and a big project)
The first attempt was to build a full lemonade stand business from scratch. Roman and Rora mapped out ingredients, researched costs, calculated price points, and modeled profit margins. It was the perfect blend of ratios, data, and creativity—exactly the kind of high-ceiling challenge bright kids love.
But as Rora noted, the project stalled: Roman needed logistical support at home to move forward, and the follow-through wasn’t feasible at the time.
Pivoting to something he could own himself
Rather than let the project die, Rora made a strategic shift—keep the spirit of the challenge, but reduce the friction. They pivoted to something self-contained, exciting, and instantly actionable: basketball statistics.
Roman loved basketball. So the new assignment was simple:
- Go outside
- Shoot 10 free throws
- Shoot 10 three-pointers
- Record the data
- Bring it back to analyze FG%, compare to NBA players, and model improvement
No shopping trips. No adult assistance. Just Roman, a ball, and his own curiosity.
Letting curiosity lead the way
The moment the session ended, Roman ran outside with a basketball and a measuring tape to start collecting data. His mom texted: “He is out there already working on it!”
This was the breakthrough WCTC was aiming for—not just enrichment, but intrinsic motivation.
The transformation
The shift happened quickly and genuinely:
Before |
After |
| Bored and disengaged in math | Racing outside to gather data for math projects |
| Dreading class | Initiating his own extensions (even asking to go to Mathnasium for extra challenge!) |
| Feeling unchallenged and frustrated | Rediscovering identity as a thinker, builder, and question-asker |
| Losing interest in a subject he once loved | Seeing math as something to explore, not perform |
Roman didn’t just tolerate math again—he pursued it.
What Made the Difference
Roman didn’t need acceleration. He didn’t need more worksheets. He needed the right challenge, the right structure, and the right coach.
WCTC’s enrichment approach works because it:
- Matches math to a student’s curiosity, not the other way around
- Normalizes pivots and restarts when a project stalls
- Connects math to the real world, making it tangible
- Gives students ownership, so the work becomes self-propelled
- Builds independence, not dependence
For Roman, the turning point wasn’t a higher grade. It was the moment he grabbed a basketball and tape measure because he wanted to know the answer.
That’s enrichment done right.
Would We Recommend It?
Roman’s parents saw a shift they’d been hoping for: A child who had been underchallenged and unhappy became a child who chased challenge again.
Parents of bright, bored students often feel stuck. They see the potential, but don’t know how to unlock it without overwhelming their child. Roman’s story shows what’s possible when the challenge is shaped to the student—not the other way around.
Names and identifying details have been changed to protect the privacy of the student and family.