A long time ago, not in ancient times, but before TikTok and iPhones ruled the world, there was a quiet revolution happening in math education. It didn’t begin in a big tech company or inside a giant office. No. It started in a regular classroom, with one teacher, one problem, and one big idea.
This is the real story of Hooda Math.
And the man who made it: Michael Edlavitch.
The Math Teacher Who Saw Too Much
Michael Edlavitch was not famous. He didn’t wear a lab coat or speak like a robot. He was a middle school math teacher in Minnesota, USA. That means he worked with kids between 11 and 14 years old, the kind of kids who often say, “Why do I have to learn this?” when someone puts a math problem in front of them.
Michael heard that question a lot. He watched students lose interest in numbers. They didn’t see why math mattered. And textbooks? They felt like walls, not bridges.
That bothered him. Not just because he was a teacher. But because he believed something that not everyone understood:
Math is not just rules and formulas. Math is thinking. And thinking is a tool for life.
But here’s the truth: most kids didn’t see it that way.
Michael realized something bold: the way we teach math was broken.
So, he didn’t wait for permission. He made something new.
The First Step: Build One Game
It was 2008. Schools didn’t have fancy tablets or digital boards yet. But Michael had a laptop and an idea.
He started building a math game. One game. Not a whole company. Not a platform. Just one game that kids could play on the computer and still learn real math.
The game was simple, but smart. It made students solve math problems to move forward, like puzzles in a video game. No pop ups. No mindless clicking. Just thinking.
And here’s what happened: it worked.
Students actually wanted to play. They didn’t roll their eyes. They asked for more. And that’s when Michael saw the path clearly.
He didn’t need to force kids to learn math. He just needed to design the right experience.
From One Game to Hundreds
Michael called the website Hooda Math. Why “Hooda”? Good question. He never made a big deal about the name, but it stuck—and it’s hard to forget.
At first, Hooda Math was just a small site with a few games. Michael built them himself. He worked nights and weekends, slowly turning his ideas into real tools students could use.
He made logic games. Escape games. Geometry puzzles.
> He designed games that used real math—not fake fluff—to challenge students. He added timer games for speed practice. He gave teachers printable worksheets too.
And he made one decision that changed everything:
He kept Hooda Math free.
>No paywalls. No log-ins. No sales pitch. Just open math.
Why? Because he remembered what it felt like to be in a classroom where students didn’t have enough. He knew not every school could pay for expensive software. So he built Hooda Math for all of them.
From Teacher to Full-Time Creator
In 2010, just two years after starting Hooda Math, something surprising happened.
Michael looked at the money the site made through simple ads. It wasn’t much—but it was more than his teacher’s salary. He faced a hard decision.
Stay in the classroom? Or go all-in on this thing he built?
He chose the second path.
He left teaching.
And he became a full-time game creator.
That’s when Hooda Math really grew.
> He started hiring help. He made games faster. He listened to teachers and updated the site with what they needed.
And he kept his focus sharp:
Make math fun. But don’t fake it. Always use real skills.
What Made Hooda Math Different
A lot of websites make math games. But Hooda Math stood out. It wasn’t just because it was free. Or because it was made by a teacher. It was something deeper:
- It respected the student.
It didn’t talk down to kids. It didn’t turn math into cartoons. It made them think. - It respected the teacher.
Teachers could trust that the games followed real math standards. They weren’t random. They were built with purpose. - It stayed small but smart.
Michael didn’t try to be flashy. He didn’t chase trends. He focused on usefulness, not noise.
And here’s the best part:
Hooda Math still runs today. Still free. Still adding games. Still helping students.
A Quiet Legacy
Michael Edlavitch didn’t become a millionaire. He didn’t sell Hooda Math to a tech giant. He didn’t build an app to trick people into watching ads.
He stayed focused on one thing:
Give kids a better way to learn math.
If you’ve ever played a Hooda Math escape game, or clicked on a puzzle that actually made you stop and think, you’ve seen his work.
No teacher training. No tests. Just your brain, solving problems because you want to.
And that’s what history remembers.
Not the loudest idea.
Not the richest person.
But the one who solved a problem that others ignored.
Michael saw math differently.
Then he built a tool that helped millions see it too.
That is who made Hooda Math.
And that is why it matters.