Live online classes with a student portal and a parent portal
How Avatar's Online Math Classes Work
Avatar Learning Center classes are live over Zoom, in groups of 5 to 6 students and never more than 8. Every week has a live class, a homework set that is checked the moment it is submitted, and a parent portal that shows each result.
This page walks through what a week looks like for a family.
A class, step by step
What Happens in a Class
Each class follows the same rhythm, in math and in coding. The point of it is that students work on their own copy of the material, so they experiment and learn rather than watch.
The teacher explains the new topic
Live over Zoom. Every student has their own copy of the lesson workbook, open on their own screen. They follow the explanation on their copy, not a screen share, so they can pause and write on it.
The teacher works through examples
Students work the same examples on their own copy, step by step, and change the numbers to test the method.
Students try problems in class
Each student gets problems to solve during the class on their own copy, with the teacher checking the work and helping where it sticks.
Homework before the next class
A homework set in the student portal, checked the moment it is submitted. Students work on it before the next class, and the next class opens by going over the problems they raised a hand on.
Class schedule
How Often Classes Meet
Between classes, the homework carries the topic forward: it is checked the moment it is submitted, and a raised hand tells the teacher what to go over first. Younger children learn best in short, frequent sessions, so grades 1 to 3 meet twice a week.
| Grades 1 to 3 | Two live classes a week, one hour each |
| Grade 4 to Pre-Calculus | One live class a week, two hours |
| Every course | 34 weeks, September to June, one homework set a week |
Course pathway
Which Math Course for Which Grade?
Most students follow this path, but it is a guide, not a rule. The free placement assessment confirms the right starting point, and a child can move up during the year.
| Grade in school | Most students take | A child who is ahead takes |
|---|---|---|
| K | Kindergarten Math | Math 1 |
| 1 | Math 1 | Math 2 |
| 2 | Math 2 | Math 3 |
| 3 | Math 3 | Math 4 |
| 4 | Math 4 | Math 5 |
| 5 | Math 5 | Math 6 |
| 6 | Math 6 | Pre-Algebra |
| 7 | Pre-Algebra | Algebra 1 |
| 8 | Algebra 1 | Geometry |
| 9 | Geometry | Algebra 2 |
| 10 | Algebra 2 | Pre-Calculus |
| 11 to 12 | Pre-Calculus | — |
Write 40 as a product of primes.
Lucy had 36 stickers and shared them equally with 3 friends. How many did each person get?
The student portal
Homework That Answers Back
The week's class materials and homework are in one place in the student portal. A student types an answer and presses Check. A right answer turns green and a wrong one turns red, and the student can fix it and try again. Mistakes are caught while the lesson is fresh, not a week later.
If a problem will not give, one tap raises a hand on it, and the teacher sees every raised hand before the next class. Every answer is saved as the student works, so nothing is lost when a tablet closes.
Students who think better on paper can print the homework as a worksheet and type the answers afterwards.
The parent portal
What Parents See in the Parent Portal
Every parent has their own login. There is nothing to request and no report to wait for.
Attendance for every class
See which classes your child attended and when the next one meets.
Scores as soon as work is checked
Each week's homework and quiz scores, the time your child spent, and the problems your child asked the teacher about.
The trend over the year
Weekly results side by side, so a weak topic shows early and progress is visible. Siblings sit under one login.
The teacher
A Small Group and a Teacher Who Knows Every Child
Avatar was founded in 2020 by four women scientists with PhDs. Most of our instructors hold a PhD or a master's degree and have worked as scientists or engineers.
5 to 6 students, never more than 8
Small enough for the teacher to see every child's work during class.
Raised hands come first
The teacher opens the next class with the problems students flagged in the homework.
The same teacher all year
One teacher follows your child's work through all 34 weeks of the year.
Our own curriculum, generally aligned with school
Avatar teaches its own curriculum. It is generally aligned with what schools cover in each grade and goes deeper.
Before the first class
What a Family Needs
What equipment does my child need?
A laptop, Chromebook or tablet with a camera and microphone, Zoom, and a quiet place for the class. The student portal works in any browser.
When are the classes?
After school, in the evenings and on weekends, in Eastern Time. We offer several class times for each grade and level and discuss your schedule during the assessment.
What if my child misses a class?
The class materials stay in the student portal, so your child can catch up and do the homework afterwards. The teacher goes over flagged problems in the next class. Tell us ahead of time when you can.
Can my child move to a different level?
Yes. Teachers watch the weekly results and recommend a move up when a child is ready, or a different level if the current one is not the right fit.
Is my child's data private?
Yes. Each family sees only its own students, portals need a login, and we never share student information outside Avatar.
See Where Your Child Stands
The placement assessment is free. It comes back with a written result and a recommended course and level.