WSU professor helps kick off math tutorial program at Detroit’s University Prep Academy

"We're looking to establish a relationship first," WSU math professor Naresh Mahabir says of his new tutorial program. "And eventually build a pipeline where their kids just walk across the bridge and go to college."

Just 12 minutes of math tutoring has the potential to build confidence and problem-solving skills.

But the impact could stretch much further - from a single classroom at Detroit's University Prep Academy to a potential pipeline connecting city students directly to college.

That's the vision behind a new math tutoring and mentorship initiative being launched by Wayne State University mathematics professor Naresh Mahabir, who plans to begin working with students at University Prep in April.

Amanda Johnson, an assistant principal at University Prep, reached out to WSU to initiate the program.

The program will bring Wayne State mentors into the high school during the school day to work with small groups of students on targeted math problems, study strategies and confidence-building exercises. If the pilot succeeds, Mahabir hopes it will grow into a broader partnership between the university and the Detroit charter school - one that eventually reaches multiple grades and helps guide students toward college.

"We're looking to establish a relationship first," Mahabir said. "And eventually build a pipeline where their kids just walk across the bridge and go to college."

Addressing post-pandemic learning gaps

The idea for the collaboration began when administrators at University Prep reached out to the mathematics department at Wayne State - which sits about a mile from University Prep - seeking support for students whose academic progress was disrupted during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Mahabir said educators at both institutions are seeing the same challenge: students whose education was shaped by the unusual conditions of remote learning and interrupted classroom time.

"They reached out to us for assistance," he said. "Apparently, they are undergoing the same thing that we're combating here at Wayne State with the whole 'pandemic kids' situation."

University Prep math instructor Dursey Wade, among the teachers who will tutor alongside Mahabir, calls WSU's involvement in the effort "essential."

University Prep administrators say the issue is serious but believe that the tutoring program can make a major difference.

"We have an issue where teaching to whole groups is not working and it hasn't been working," said Amanda Johnson, the assistant principal at University Prep who reached out to WSU to get the program started. "The only way for us to fill these gaps with our math is for teachers - and this is where Wayne State comes into play - to do small group instruction. The data suggests that even something as little as 12 minutes consistently, daily, can show huge gains."

Before designing the tutoring model, Mahabir visited the school to meet with administrators and teachers and better understand how the partnership might work. Those early conversations focused on building trust and determining whether the collaboration would benefit students.

"It was almost like dating," he said. "Is this going to work or is it not going to work? These are their babies. They don't want to just put their babies with anybody."

A flexible tutoring model

The program will operate during the school day rather than after school. Teachers will identify students who need extra support and send them to meet with the Wayne State tutor in short rotating sessions.

Mahabir expects to work with small groups of two to four students at a time in rapid, focused meetings lasting roughly 12 minutes each.

"They've really narrowed it down to a very good protocol," he said. "You're really only spending 12 minutes with every kid."

Over the course of an hour-long session, that format allows tutors to meet with dozens of students. The goal is not only to help solve math problems but also to strengthen problem-solving habits and confidence.

"Math is the fun part," Mahabir said. "But that's just the platform to build a relationship."

Mahabir also hopes to establish a dedicated tutoring space inside the school - potentially branded as a "Warrior Room" - where students can work with Wayne State volunteers in a welcoming environment.

"You make it a place where people want to go to rather than the place you got kicked out to," he said.

Starting with one class

The partnership will begin as a pilot program focused on a single ninth-grade class. If successful, Mahabir hopes to expand the effort to additional classes and eventually across multiple grades.

"We're going to see if we can help one class," he said. "And if that is effective, let's do that for all the classes of that grade. Then after that, let's see if we can scale up."

Future phases could include tutoring support for upperclassmen and preparation for standardized tests such as the SAT.

Mahabir also envisions involving Wayne State undergraduates - particularly students studying mathematics or education - as volunteer tutors.

With University Prep so close to Wayne State's Midtown campus, the logistics of the program are unusually convenient.

"I park in front of their school and then walk to my office every day," Mahabir said.

Inspired by Math Corps

Mahabir's commitment to community outreach is rooted in his own experience as a Detroit student.

As a seventh grader, he participated in Math Corps, a nationally recognized Wayne State outreach program that provides math enrichment and mentorship to Detroit youth.

The program had a profound impact on his life.

"Steve [Kahn] and Len Bohm saved my life," Mahabir said. "Saved me from the hood."

Now a professor, he hopes to extend that same spirit of mentorship to another generation of Detroit students.

"I started off as a seventh grader in the program," he said. "So, I'm deep-seated with Wayne State because of just how my life has been."

Building stronger university-school connections

Mahabir believes programs like this can strengthen connections between Wayne State and the city's schools - connections that can inspire students to see college as an attainable next step.

"It would be great to have a Warrior Room in every high school," he said. "A place where kids can come in and actually talk to somebody from a college."

University Prep math teacher Dursey Wade agreed, maintaining that WSU's participation with predominantly Black high school students underscores the importance of the university's ties to the local community.

"Culture and representation matter," Wade said. "Because of where Wayne State is located - not just literally next to us, but in the heart of Detroit - its involvement is essential. Our student demographic is mostly African American so it's good to see some Wayne State faces in a community where they're present."

Mahabir expects to volunteer his own time initially while the partnership develops and additional resources are identified.

But even a small start, he said, can make a difference.

High school students bring a sense of curiosity and energy that makes the work rewarding.

"They're a breath of fresh air," Mahabir said. "They'll keep the life in you."

If the pilot succeeds, the short tutoring sessions could become the foundation for something much larger - a pathway connecting Detroit classrooms and Wayne State's campus, one student at a time.