25th Anniversary Special: WARNING! How to Find a Reputable MMR Practitioner

25th Anniversary Special: WARNING!
How to Find a Reputable MMR Practitioner

As Making Math Real continues to increase its reputation and renown, so, too, are the increases in fraudulent misrepresentations of spurious “MMR practitioners”. It is of crucial importance that the public becomes aware of these false advertisements of “certified” and/or “trained” Making Math Real tutors. Please be on the lookout for these frauds as they can cause untold damage for your child. These frauds advertising “Certified MMR tutors” often misappropriate screenshots from MMR’s website that falsely imply they are officially connected to and approved by the MMRI, have never taken an MMR course, and are intending to take advantage of MMR’s worldwide reputation as being the “Gold Standard of Math Education”.

Please see representative fraudulent example below:

How to Protect Yourselves: Contact MMR Immediately

Whenever seeking professional level services, especially for clinically provided services such as for MMR-based interventions, due diligence is required. It is essential that you thoroughly vet every possible MMR practitioner. For example, in the representative example above, a concerned parent contacted us directly to verify these spurious claims. We provided this parent with questions to ask the frauds, and as expected, they were unable to answer any of the questions and their lies were brought to light. THIS IS HOW YOU CAN PROTECT YOURSELVES: AT ANY AND ALL TIMES, PLEASE CONTACT US AT [email protected] TO VERIFY ANY CLAIMS MADE BY ANY PROSPECTIVE MMR PRACTITIONER, AND WE WILL PROVIDE YOU WITH EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO VET THE PROSPECTIVE MMR PRACTITIONER.

Please understand we cannot publish any of these vetting questions, as this would provide the frauds the opportunities to craft their nefarious and misleading responses.

Warning Signs

Immediate red flags indicating fraudulent advertising are the inclusion of the words, “certified”, “trained”, “expert”, etc. Making Math Real upholds the strict policy for all course participants to abide by the Making Math Real Institute’s Terms and Conditions, which explicitly state that using the words “certified”, “trained”, “expert”, etc., in reference to one’s MMR practices is strictly prohibited. See the Making Math Real Institute’s Terms and Conditions here.

Another key identifier of potentially fraudulent advertising is the lack of the mandatory Making Math Real Disclaimer, which is required to be placed clearly and in direct connection with the name and background of the practitioner:

REQUIRED DISCLAIMER
Any individual, school, district, or business that lists the use of Making Math Real-based methods is required to include the following disclaimer directly alongside or directly beneath such listing(s):
_______________________, in utilizing Making Math Real® (MMR®) methods, is in no way affiliated with, a member of, or employed by the Making Math Real Institute (MMRI), and does not represent or reflect MMR® or David Berg in any way whatsoever. Neither the MMRI nor David Berg has trained, certified, licensed, monitored, endorsed, recommended, or sponsored _______________________. MMR® is a clinical methodology, not a program or a curriculum, and neither the MMRI nor David Berg monitors, endorses, or accounts for the quality of services provided by _______________________.

For the First Time in the 25 Years of the Making Math Real Institute’s History, We Will Be Able to Make Referrals to Certified MMR Practitioners.

Up to this current time, the Making Math Real Institute has never conferred certification for any practitioner, and consequently, without having sufficient basis to recommend a practitioner with confidence, we have not made referrals to any practitioner. Starting this year, and through the onset of the Making Math Real Institute’s Lab School Mentorship Program (LSMP), the certification process in the Making Math Real Simultaneous Multisensory Structured Methods has begun, and the names of the Making Math Real certified practitioners will be listed on the Making Math Real Certified Practitioners page on the Making Math Real website. The only referrals given by the Institute for MMR practitioners will be exclusively for Making Math Real Certified Practitioners. Therefore, if you encounter any claims of “certified MMR tutors” please visit the Certified Practitioner’s page to verify the claim; and if the name(s) are not listed on the certification page, then do not use that person(s) to work with your child/student, and please, contact us to let us know the name(s) of the spurious MMR tutor(s).

The Making Math Real Institute Relies On You!

All of you are our eyes on the world, and over the years many of you have reported to us suspicious or fraudulent activities you have encountered. We deeply appreciate these reports so we may deal with these transgressions directly and continue to decrease the number of misrepresentations and fraudulent claims made by spurious MMR practitioners.

The Problem with the Word “Trained”

Making Math Real provides intensive and comprehensive professional development, and to date, we have worked with thousands of educators worldwide. In this capacity, we provide workshops, seminars and in-services that range from a 1-day introduction through a series of course work that spans over 700 hours of instruction. Since we have touched so many thousands of educators in such a wide range of formats, we cannot possibly account for each educator’s development and proficiency. And, unfortunately, there have been educators, who after only a 1-day introduction, have inappropriately advertised themselves as “Making Math Real trained.”

As stated above, the word “trained” in reference to MMR practitioners creates an image/sense that the practitioner has achieved a level of competency that can be misleading. Unless a practitioner has completed the Making Math Real Institute’s Lab School Mentorship Program, all they have received is course instruction. Completing a Making Math Real course does not imply that the MMR course participant having received the course instruction is capable of applying those methods with the clinical competency necessary for being successful with your child or student. Making Math Real is a clinical methodology, not a program or a curriculum, and therefore the effectiveness of its application is entirely based on the practitioner’s ability to be prescriptive to students’ processing indications and needs. Someone may have taken all the courses (the courses are not trainings), but this provides no basis for the individual’s ability to apply the methods to a variety of students with diverse processing styles effectively. Training includes both coursework and supervised practicums, not just classes alone.

The following is a crucial understanding for all parents: regardless of the reputation of the school or program, your child’s learning experience is only as good as the teacher in front of your child.

How To Find a Quality Practitioner Who is Not Yet MMR Certified

We deeply empathize with parents who want to provide support for their children. Please understand there are numerous reliable and effective MMR practitioners utilizing Making Math Real-based methods in their practices who are not yet certified.  Therefore, in addition to thoroughly vetting any prospective MMR practitioner who is not yet certified, authentic word of mouth is still the best way to find the appropriate choice for your child. However, there is only one kind of word of mouth that is useful, and that is a direct conversation with a parent(s) whose child with similar needs to your own child has experienced authentic success. Please do not rely on internet-based or any other third party reviews as these “reviews” can be entirely fabricated and/or misleading. Only direct contact with another person to whom you can ask questions and receive specific responses about the effectiveness of the practitioner in question can provide good indications for making an informed choice. Often, but not always, a practitioner whose practice is perpetually full can be a good indicator of an effective educator. Please do not be discouraged when finding a practitioner with a currently filled practice. They may provide waiting lists and other opportunities to get your foot in the door. Many practitioners have more opportunities during the summer and this may help you get in their practice for the Fall. If you are trying to get into a summertime practice, please contact the practitioner as early as possible. Waiting until the last minute will not likely yield good results.

Please remember, it is the teaching, not the program that will provide success for your child. The Making Math Real methods are the most comprehensive, systematic, and incrementalized in the world today. However, an educator who merely takes a class does not guarantee that educator’s ability to teach the Making Math Real Simultaneous Multisensory Structured Methods effectively.

Please See Below for Some Resources to Help You In Your Search For An Appropriate Practitioner For Your Child:

Questions To Ask the Professionals:

LD OnLine offers hundreds of expert-reviewed articles and resources for educators, parents, and others concerned about children and adults with learning disabilities and ADHD:

Stay safe and be well.

David Berg, E.T.
Founder & Director of the Making Math Real Institute
Creator of the Making Math Real Simultaneous Multisensory Structured Methods