ACTIVITIES FOR LEARNING - Key Persons
Joan worked as an engineer at Univac (now Unisys), resigning when her children were born. She taught her three children at home before and after school and during summer vacations. To help them learn their arithmetic, she devised card games that were published in her first book, Math Card Games: 300 Games for Learning and Enjoying Math.
After starting a Montessori preschool, Joan taught in several Montessori schools and incorporated Suzuki violin and piano. She also taught mathematics in grades 6-8 and worked with children with special needs.
Dr. Cotter designed the double-sided AL Abacus and wrote RightStart Mathematics, a comprehensive elementary and middle-school mathematics program that incorporates visualization, the AL Abacus, math card games, and drawing board tools. The RightStart curriculum is an outgrowth of her doctoral research. She is currently writing RightStart™ Mathematics Second Edition. Dr. Cotter conducts workshops and speaks at conferences across the US and worldwide.
Joan and her husband, Al, have three adult children, four adult grandchildren, a 9-year-old granddaughter, and a 12-year-old great-grandson. . Dr. Joan A. Cotter can be reached by email at JoanCotter@RightStartMath.com.
Job Titles:
- Vice President and Curriculum Developer
Kathleen Cotter Clayton is the daughter of Dr. Joan A. Cotter, author and creator of the RightStart™ Mathematics program. She was one of the first children to grow up under the Activities for Learning principles. Kathleen has a degree in Home Economics from the University of Minnesota and has two Masters Degrees from the University of Mary in Bismarck, North Dakota. Kathleen and her husband Steve have six adult children ages 29 to 35.
Kathleen is currently responsible for program development support, sales, and general management. She travels all across the US and Canada, sharing the RightStart mission of helping children understand, apply, and enjoy mathematics. She is currently supporting/teaching an online class with a group of middle-school students. In her spare time, Kathleen designs and sews quilts and is re-learning how to unicycle.
Maren has a Bachelors Degree in design and art from North Dakota State University. She is responsible for general management of the company, curriculum development and support, sales, assisting with marketing, convention support, and helps support the online middle school classes when needed. She travels to conventions within the US and Canada to help children benefit from using RightStart Math.
She has 30+ years of accounting and customer service experience. Maren is married with three children ranging from high school to adult and has three grandchildren. Maren used RightStart Math with her youngest daughter, who has excelled in math for this very reason. She enjoys painting, reading, camping, home improvements, and landscaping. You may contact her at Maren@RightStartMath.com or by calling 1-888-775-6284.
Rachel Anderson has been homeschooling for 15 years. She has been married to Steve for over 25 years and has been blessed with four children: Brady, Logan, Parker, and Makenna. Prior to homeschooling she graduated from Cincinnati Christian University (formerly known as Cincinnati Bible College) with degrees in Music and Business and an M. Ed. in Special Education. She has taught children with learning disabilities and coached families and teachers of students with special needs. She worked in Human Resources, Information Technology Department and as a Music Minister at her local church. Once she had children and started to homeschool, she realized that one of her children has significant learning struggles. As a result, she has done considerable research learning how to teach the ‘Struggling Learner' in her family and loves to pass on her knowledge and experience to other parents looking for help.
Rachel has used RightStart Math from Kindergarten on. In fact she has "graduated" three children from RightStart Math and had been thrilled with her kids' understanding of math concepts. She currently responds to emails sent to RightStart Math regarding questions about the curriculum or simply parents needing some guidance in their homeschool situations. She also enjoys working at homeschool conventions and sharing information about RightStart Math at the booth or in workshops. You can reach her at Rachel@RightStartMath.com.