Seriously Addictive Math (SAM) – Riverwoods

Seriously Addictive Mathematics Chicagoland, commonly known as S.A.M, is a multi-award-winning academic enrichment program for children, specializing in Singapore Math and English language arts instruction. Part of the global S.A.M network, which was established in 2010 and has grown to encompass more than 200 centers across 20 countries, S.A.M Chicagoland operates three centers in the greater Chicago area: one in the Lincoln Park neighborhood of Chicago, one in Naperville, and a newest location in Riverwoods that opened in September 2025 to serve families in Chicago’s northwest suburbs including the Buffalo Grove area. The program is built on the world-renowned Singapore Math curriculum, the same pedagogical framework used in Singapore’s public education system that has propelled Singapore to the top of international rankings in the TIMSS (Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study) and PISA (Programme for International Student Assessment) benchmark exams for the past three decades.

The cornerstone of the S.A.M program is its Math Enrichment curriculum, which takes a fundamentally different approach from traditional tutoring or drill-based programs like Kumon or rote memorization methods. Rather than focusing on procedural mastery alone, S.A.M emphasizes deep conceptual understanding, critical thinking, and problem-solving skills. The program uses the Concrete-Pictorial-Abstract teaching approach, guiding students through hands-on manipulation of physical objects, to visual pictorial representation, and finally to abstract mathematical reasoning. Students learn 12 problem-solving heuristics including the bar model method, enabling them to analyze and efficiently solve complex word problems. The math curriculum spans levels 0A through 6, covering the full range of early childhood through elementary mathematics, and is designed to prepare students for the challenges of middle school math, placement exams, and eventually high school AP examinations. Over 80 percent of S.A.M students have been reported to exceed the Advanced level in international benchmark exams, demonstrating the effectiveness of the method.

Each student’s journey begins with a comprehensive diagnostic assessment that pinpoints the skills already mastered and identifies areas needing support. From this assessment, Certified S.A.M Trainers develop a personalized learning plan tailored to each child’s individual skill level and learning pace. The program operates on a two-pillared approach combining a weekly 60-minute in-center Classroom Experience with a structured at-home Worksheet Experience. The classroom sessions are conducted in small class sizes with one-on-one trainer attention, using a coaching methodology that engages students through dialogue, probing questions, manipulatives, games, and encouragement. The at-home worksheet component draws from a library of more than 30,000 meticulously designed worksheets that feature narrative instructions and worked examples before each topic, calibrated to maintain an appropriate level of challenge while keeping learning enjoyable. This dual approach instills self-discipline, independent learning habits, and a genuine love for mathematics that extends well beyond test preparation.

In addition to its math program, S.A.M Chicagoland offers the Seriously Addictive English (S.A.E) program, based on the United Kingdom’s leading after-school English curriculum rooted in Cambridge standards. The English program uses a structured phonics approach that simplifies the English language into 44 sounds, enabling children to learn to read and spell systematically without memorizing thousands of words individually. For younger students ages four through seven, the program focuses on developing fine motor skills, phonics proficiency, early reading and spelling, vocabulary acquisition, and beginning comprehension skills. For students ages eight through twelve, the curriculum advances to consolidate reading fluency, strengthen spelling and vocabulary, and build competency in grammar, punctuation, comprehension strategies, text structuring, planning, and independent writing. Like the math program, the English curriculum follows an integrated spiral structure that teaches, consolidates, revisits, and strengthens literacy skills at progressively complex levels, with each student guided through an individualized learning plan based on diagnostic assessment.

S.A.M Chicagoland’s curriculum aligns well with both public and private school standards in the Chicago area. Many local private schools already use Singapore Math or elements of it, and the Common Core standards adopted by public school districts were heavily influenced by Singapore’s approach. S.A.M’s program is typically more comprehensive and explicitly focused on conceptual understanding than what students encounter in their regular school curriculum, making it beneficial for students at all ability levels. Basic and average-ability students can build confidence and progress to more challenging material, while advanced students are further stretched with rigorous problem-solving work. The program does not offer summer camps or day-off camp programming, as its focus is exclusively on year-round academic enrichment through scheduled weekly sessions. Free diagnostic assessments are available for prospective families at all three Chicagoland locations to determine the best starting point for their child.