'Do The Math' more important than ever, begins Sept. 19

As Kern County schools begin the new academic year in an unconventional distance learning model due to the COVID-19 pandemic, programs like "Do the Math" will be a boon for parents seeking extra help for their students this year.

For the past 18 years, Kern County 4th through 12th graders in need of a little extra help with their math homework have tuned in to "Do the Math," a standards-based mathematics TV show and free tutoring program produced by the Kern County Superintendent of Schools. The 19th season will begin on Sept. 15

The TV show airs from 4 p.m. to 5 p.m. every Tuesday and Wednesday during the school year as host and executive producer Michael Cushine and several math tutors take problems from callers and solve them live on air. Special segments, guests and contests supplement the math instruction. Free, phone-in tutoring is available to students from 3:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. on Tuesdays and Wednesdays by calling (661) 636-4357 or toll free at (866) 636-6284.

"We anticipate more parents than ever will have their students take advantage of the program this year," Cushine said. "Our credentialed math teachers will work with a student for however long is needed to solve a problem, and more than that, so the student understands how they got to the answer."

The program's segment called "Math in the Real World" airs every Wednesday and features live remotes at local businesses, organizations and other community locations where industry professionals demonstrate practical applications of math concepts used in their everyday jobs.

Cushine said "Do the Math" has realigned its focus over the past few years because of a renewed emphasis on Career Technical Education (CTE).

"It isn't just about crunching numbers any longer. It's about problem solving," he said. "The goal is to show math at work. How it is used in the real world, in real careers, especially in STEM related fields."

"Do the Math" is part of 60-plus hours of weekly K-12 educational programing aligned to state standards that is available through KCSOS's Kern Education Television Network (KETN). "Do the Math" can be seen in Bakersfield and Tehachapi on Spectrum Cable Ch. 15, in California City, Boron and Mojave on Ch. 19, and in Rosamond on Ch. 180.

For more information, visit http://www.dothemathonline.net. You can also follow "Do the Math" on social media: Facebook:

@dothemathbakersfield and Twitter:

@dothemathbako.