Dive into Learning – A Math Enrichment Pilot Program

making a splash at David Douglas Aquatic center

A Math Enrichment Pilot Program made a splash at the David Douglas Aquatic Center this Spring. The David Douglas Aquatics Club (DDAC), in partnership with the David Douglas School District (DDSD), launched a math enrichment pilot program in April 2025.

If you’ve ever spent some time during the evening at the DD pool, you might have seen swim club practices and kids waiting for their brother or sister to finish their practice.

The “Dive into Learning” tutoring program grew out of this observation

The program provided structured math tutoring for elementary students with trained 8th-12th grade tutors from David Douglas Aquatic Club. It provided math instruction through interactive gameplay. Each tutoring session was an hour long, held twice weekly 5:30 to 6:30 PM.

Instruction was centered around the DecaDeck math enrichment curriculum, a game-based system designed to strengthen foundational fluency in number sense, addition, subtraction, multiplication, and problem-solving through engaging, structured play. The tutors may differentiate instruction based on individual student needs.

This was a win-win program for both tutors and students. The tutors gained training from a licensed DDSD teacher and experience, while the students gained extra math learning in a 1:2 format.

What did the students say?

Some said they liked the games the best. They’d do it again. And, most importantly, many said they felt more comfortable with math!

TUTOR FEEDBACK

Many tutors noted how rewarding it was to see students grow both academically and socially. The program is well-positioned for thoughtful expansion based on this feedback.

The tutor team included 8th - 12th grade DDAC swimmers, who were trained by Jim Bowe, DDAC coach and a teacher at David Douglas High School. Tutors were supported by parent volunteers, including three licensed teachers. The tutors named math games (e.g., Bump, Make Ten, dice games) as the most helpful resource. Support included instructional help from adults, visual aids (e.g., multiplication charts), and tools to model problems (e.g., paper, beans).