My son coasted through math until this year, when 8th grade algebra stopped him cold. Homework became a minefield of wrong answers and mounting frustration. Quizzes were returned with “retake” marked across the top. Study sessions devolved into tears: “I don’t understand this!”
At an impasse, we reached out to Jackson—a family friend and math teacher from a nearby middle school. When Jackson started tutoring my son, their conversations weren’t isolated to fractions and formulas. They talked about gaming and soccer. He saw my son as a whole person, not just a struggling student.
Jackson slowed my son down. Walked through problems step by step. Showed him how to write out his thinking and notice patterns. Once Jackson phoned a friend mid-session to verify a formula—teaching my son that asking for help isn’t weakness, it’s wisdom. Gradually, the panic faded. Concepts clicked. My son’s confidence grew and he became more comfortable tackling new material. He still doesn’t love algebra, but he’s persisting.
I wish every student had access to this type of intervention. In classrooms where teachers work with 30+ students, that one-on-one attention seems impossible. But what made Jackson’s approach work wasn’t the ratio—it was good diagnostics and responsive instruction.
This issue explores how schools can build this kind of strategic support into everyday practice. Emma Chiappetta reveals the power of mistakes: Errors literally prime the brain for deeper encoding and stronger recall (p. 28). Nathan Levenson and David James explain why effective intervention requires targeted instruction and visible progress monitoring—not just more time (p. 14). And Jessica Garner explores how AI tools can make personalized support—adapted texts, tailored scaffolds, multiple explanations—more accessible (p. 8).
In several articles, a common thread emerges: The best support builds independence, not dependence. Elly Blanco-Rowe and Robert Pauker teach students to observe and question before solving (p. 48). Lee Ann Jung shows how a “fluid support” model for paraprofessionals preserves student autonomy (p. 34).
What my son found with Jackson is what every student deserves: instructional support that builds competence and confidence. This issue shows how to make that the norm, helping struggling learners not only catch up but thrive.
