Success Begins One Person at a Time

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Starfish Story

During a professional development session with math teachers, I shared a story with them about a man who was walking along the beach early one morning after a big storm. As he was walking, he noticed a small boy approaching. As the boy walked, he paused every so often and as he grew closer, the man saw him reach down and throw an object into the sea.  He asked the boy what he was doing. The boy replied, "Throwing starfish into the ocean. The tide has washed them up onto the beach and they can't return to the sea by themselves. When the sun gets high, they will die, unless I throw them back into the water. The man said, "But there are tens of thousands of starfish along the beach. You won't be able to make a difference." The boy bent down to pick up another starfish, and threw it as far as he could into the ocean. Then he turned, smiled and said, "It made a difference to that one."

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It is the goal of Successful Math GEMS to make a difference for each student or teacher who is willing to join us on the path to being successful, even if it is one person at a time.

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Founder



When you can do math, you can do anything!

Chandra L. Spicer, the founder of Successful Math GEMS, LLC has been a Teacher of the Year, Class Act Teacher, Golden Apple Awardee, Math Coach, Lead Teacher, and Math Specialist. With over 27 years of experience in education, she has been making a difference in the lives of students, teachers, and educators with her passion for helping others by teaching math skills.

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At the tender age of 10, I was asked the question so many kids are still being asked, "What do you want to be when you grow up?" Initially, I didn't know exactly what I wanted to do, but I knew I wanted to help people. By the time I completed the 5th grade, I knew I wanted to become a teacher. It was in the 6th grade that I decided I wanted to teach mathematics. I enjoyed doing math and knew this was the path I had to follow.

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Chandra is on a mission to encourage students and teachers to do their very best, all while providing them with resources and tools to excel, elevate, engage, and enjoy. In 2019, Chandra became more intentional about helping individual students who desired access to improve in their classes or on state and national exams. 

It brought me joy to see students improve academically as a result of them taking advantage of additional help beyond the classroom. Although I enjoyed my last job as a Math Specialist for the state by working with students and teachers, I believed I needed to do more beyond the buildings and classrooms I visited daily.

Chandra worked with other math specialists to improve teaching and learning in her state. Students were tested and each state was assigned to a ranking. The results inspired her to come out of the classrooms and focus on individuals and groups of kids in the community. Chandra wanted to make a difference, even if it was going to take one person or group at a time. Chandra's passion for success led her to create her own business, Successful Math GEMS, LLC. Every participant has shown academic growth and has excelled.

I am so grateful for the work I'm able to do. I believe math should be fun, interactive, and understood. With Successful Math GEMS, everyone has the opportunity to achieve and fulfill a desired purpose and goal. I believe if a person can do math by learning how to be a problem solver, learning how to reason, and communicating their understanding, they can do anything! Let's work together to Get Equipped with Math Skills.

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