IMPORTANT ANNOUNCEMENT
Upstairs Education originally focused on delivering in-person educational programmes, including maths and Russian language instruction.
Several months ago, the organisation transitioned away from teaching into a consultancy and project-development role, supporting the design, launch, and early operation of educational initiatives and centres internationally.
The educational programmes previously delivered by Upstairs have since been taken over by BeSmart (https://besmartcy.com/), which now runs and develops those activities independently.
Parts of the Upstairs website continue to reflect earlier programme delivery and are kept online for legacy and reference purposes while updates are underway.
Some have moved to another country and are faced with a new language and education system. Some are struggling to keep up due to a snowball effect of misunderstandings, while for others the school programme is too easy.
In today’s world, maths knowledge and skills are essential in a variety of professions and areas of life. Maths is not just a collection of formulas and rules, but a powerful tool for understanding the world, developing abstract thinking and solving real-world problems.
"Upstairs" courses are an opportunity not only to keep up with the school curriculum, but also to immerse yourself in mathematical culture and traditions, to believe in your own mathematical abilities and to learn to apply them in practice.
"Upstairs" is not just about maths. "Upstairs" is a community of like-minded children and their parents, where the atmosphere and culture we have grown accustomed to and miss so much is preserved. A space of safety, mutual support and development.
Upstairs — is
Methodology
At "Upstairs" we have combined the traditions of strong Russian maths schools with modern, progressive approaches to the education and teaching of children.
Our methodology allows us to maintain interest in learning, develop the potential of each child and solve a wide range of problems — from mastering the school curriculum to achieving high Olympic results.
Our methodology allows us to maintain interest in learning, develop the potential of each child and solve a wide range of problems — from mastering the school curriculum to achieving high Olympic results.
Team
Culture
Respect for each student, motivated work, a focus on development and an individualised approach enable children to feel comfortable, achieve good results and really engage with the subject.
We do not prepare students for exams, but help them to gain confidence, set their own goals and achieve them.
We do not prepare students for exams, but help them to gain confidence, set their own goals and achieve them.
Our team has extensive experience of working in leading Russian schools, both in terms of traditional physics and mathematics, as well as the humanistic approach to education: Lyceum "Second School", Tubelsky School of Self-Determination, New School.
What the classes look like:
The age of the child is not an indicator of the subject level and the amount of knowledge, which is why we create cross-age groups.
The basic age range is 5−6, 7−8, 9−10, 11−13, 14−16, but if you find that your child is 10 years old, for example, but already knows a lot of maths and is ahead of their age in that sense, you can try an older group (11−13 years).
In the groups of 5−6 and 7−8 year olds there will initially be no more than 6−7 children. In the other groups up to 10.
The basic age range is 5−6, 7−8, 9−10, 11−13, 14−16, but if you find that your child is 10 years old, for example, but already knows a lot of maths and is ahead of their age in that sense, you can try an older group (11−13 years).
In the groups of 5−6 and 7−8 year olds there will initially be no more than 6−7 children. In the other groups up to 10.
Groups and levels:
The main course of our programme aims to develop an interest and love of mathematics. The foundation of this course is a series of basic topics from the school programme. But the approach to learning and the exercises can be very different from those of the school, because our task is to interest the child, to motivate them to engage with maths, to teach them to think and analyse.
At the same time, the tasks in the group are at a differentiated level so that everyone can learn at their own pace. This means that the children in the group are given tasks with different levels of difficulty and we help each child to solve the tasks at the level that suits them.
We did this when we met the children and realised that this is the biggest challenge for most children. Learning the school curriculum is not the biggest challenge for most children. But falling in love with maths and learning how to apply it is a skill that develops a child and stays with them for life (and helps some to become programmers or go into business or science).
In addition to the main course, we have "Maths Olympiads" groups where the children solve complex problems and, if they wish, prepare to take part in Olympiads.
And a 'school curriculum' course — for children who need support with specific sections of the school curriculum.
We also provide feedback and recommendations for each child.
At the same time, the tasks in the group are at a differentiated level so that everyone can learn at their own pace. This means that the children in the group are given tasks with different levels of difficulty and we help each child to solve the tasks at the level that suits them.
We did this when we met the children and realised that this is the biggest challenge for most children. Learning the school curriculum is not the biggest challenge for most children. But falling in love with maths and learning how to apply it is a skill that develops a child and stays with them for life (and helps some to become programmers or go into business or science).
In addition to the main course, we have "Maths Olympiads" groups where the children solve complex problems and, if they wish, prepare to take part in Olympiads.
And a 'school curriculum' course — for children who need support with specific sections of the school curriculum.
We also provide feedback and recommendations for each child.
Contacts
Photos courtesy of The New School, its students and parents
