Full Name: Reeva Maharaj

Age: 38

 Area: Roodepoort

 When did you decide to join the A+ Students family and why?

– I became interested and really excited about joining the A+ Students family about two years ago but only joined at the beginning of this year. I used to take my children for lessons with another sensei and was immediately interested in the methodology and benefits that the program brought. I enjoyed doing my children’s homework with them as well.

Had you heard about Soroban Maths before that?

– I heard about Soroban Maths before, but didn’t know too much detail on how it worked. I was unaware Soroban Maths was being taught in our very own country.

Do you have children of your own? And, if so, are they also doing the program?

– I have three children of my own. A nine-year-old son, Yarav. Twin boys, Trishaan and Tashay, aged seven. All three are enrolled in the program. Three years ago, I started looking for something that I could get Yarav into as we needed to speed up on his work and boost his confidence. In Grade R he would work fairly accurately but was slow in completing his tasks. A colleague at work told me about the program. I did a bit of investigation and enrolled all three of my children in 2013. A+ Students has made a huge difference to my children’s lives. All three achieve 7’s for maths at school. They participate in the Conquesta for their school every year and always excel and makes their school proud. I also see great and continuous improvement in their reading and comprehension skills, as well as their memory.

They have also become very confident little boys. In May, last year, Yarav competed nationally and was placed in the top 10 % in the country. Yarav was chosen to attend the International Soroban Diffusion Foundation Camp in Japan in August last year. He also represented South Africa in the Pan Pacific Abacus and Mental Arithmetic (PAMA) global competition in San Francisco, USA, in December last year. He brought home a silver medal for South Africa. This year he will be representing South Africa again in Seoul, South Korea, in December. He has only been with A+ Students for three years but has many accolades and boasts seven trophies for his achievements. My twins have three trophies each. A+ Students has really made a huge difference to their academic abilities as well as their social lives. I have no regrets in enrolling them in the program and they will be continuing to learn Soroban Maths for a long time. I often find myself wishing that Soroban maths was taught to me when I was in school.

To have a passion for maths is definitely part of becoming a sensei, tell us when you discovered your love for maths.

– I have always enjoyed maths since school. Although I went into a science based career after university, I have always excelled in anything to do with numbers. I quite enjoy figures.

 Being a sensei is very much being like an entrepreneur, please tell us about your journey in this regard…

– I started with A+ Students in March this year. I really enjoy every bit of it. I am steadily building up my area. Marlene Mouton, our CEO and founder, has been really supportive and goes out of her way to assist and support the A+ Students family. Marlene has held my hand tightly and guided me through my journey thus far. I love working with children and the other aspects of the business, such as marketing, meeting with the schools, financial aspects etc.  gives me quite a balance in terms of work satisfaction. Added to that, I get great satisfaction knowing that I am able to make an impact or make a real difference in the children’s future.

How has your decision to become a sensei, changed your life for the better?

– My life has most definitely changed for the better. I am able to spend a lot more time with my family and I have more time for myself. I see the difference already. There is a lot more love, hugs and happiness in my home. I am also a lot more involved in my children’s day to day activities, their lives as a whole and in their upbringing – something every mother wishes for. I get to spend school holidays with them as well. Something I definitely missed out on previously.

Describe yourself a bit. Tell us about your likes and dislikes. 

– I am a go getter and try to make the most out of every situation. I like to remain positive and I always see the good in people!

Where do you see yourself five years from now? 

– In five years from now, I plan to have a fully flourishing area with at least six sensei’s working with me.

Any other interesting facts about the program that you would like to share.

– My thinking is that Soroban Education should be a part of every school’s curriculum. The benefits and results shown speak for themselves and definitely warrants this.