From a passion for math to mentoring

For many pupils, math is the subject they worry about most before exams. For Sabrina Chilat, a 12th-grade pupil at Bogdan Petriceicu Hasdeu Theoretical High School in Bălți, math has become more than a passion. Her love for math inspired her to support younger students, helping them better understand the subject, gain confidence in their own abilities, and overcome their fear of exams.

Sabrina’s passion for math began in ninth grade, when she was preparing for her own exam. “That’s when I started working more with textbooks and problem sets and studying with my teacher. The more I understood math, the more I began to enjoy it”, Sabrina recalls.

Over time, her passion for math grew into a desire to help others learn. Inspired by an older classmate who had participated in the first edition of the “Peer-to-Peer Mathematics” campaign, Sabrina decided to become a mentor. She often saw him helping other pupils work through math problems and admired the enthusiasm with which he did so.

“He always had a smile on his face. I liked that, and I thought: if he could do it, why couldn’t I?”, the pupil recalls. With the support of her math teacher, she enrolled in the programme and began her own journey as a mentor.

Over the past school year, Sabrina provided nearly 100 hours of additional math tutoring; she managed to help 16 ninth-grade pupils successfully pass the graduation exam. Their results show that sometimes the best motivation comes from a peer who has recently faced the same challenges and knows exactly how to turn a fear of math into confidence.

A mentor, not a teacher

From the very beginning, Sabrina wanted to build a different kind of relationship with the younger students she would be mentoring. “At first, it seemed strange to me that all the students addressed me formally. I told them that we were equals, I was just two grades ahead of them. I didn’t want to act like their teacher. I wanted to be their guide, someone they could rely on, and a mentor”, she says.

The sessions took place after school hours and were tailored to the pupils’ needs. In each lesson, Sabrina provided clear explanations for the topics the students had struggled with in their practice tests, worked through exercises and problems together on the board, and reviewed their homework. She also encouraged them to ask questions whenever they encountered concepts they didn’t understand. “Our motto in every lesson was: ‘Why?’ question, we answer it right away. Because I’ve come to understand that any question that might seem insignificant to us can be very important to a student. One small gap in understanding can make the whole topic difficult to grasp”, she explains.

They thought I was just there for show

The journey wasn’t without its challenges. At first, some students didn’t take it very seriously and weren’t used to studying regularly outside class, much less doing their homework. “They thought I was just there for show and that we wouldn’t get much done. It took a while for them to understand that they needed to practice at home, too. Regular, consistent practice is very important, because it’s not just about getting a better grade on the exam, but about building a solid foundation of knowledge”, says Sabrina.

To make the lessons more engaging, she used methods she had also applied in her own studies. One of these methods was using flashcards. The flashcards contained formulas, theorems, and sample problems written on them, and the students would pick them at random and try to answer. “At first, they would say, ‘the flashcards again?’, but then they started to like them. Some told me they use this method in other subjects as well”, says the pupil.

Results that brought confidence

Nichita Lefter was one of the 16 pupils Sabrina mentored. Before participating in the programme, he struggled with systems of equations and avoided asking his math teacher questions. During the extra lessons, however, he became more comfortable asking questions because Sabrina approached the sessions as a peer. This helped him improve his results considerably, and during the exam, he felt much more confident in what he knew. “I walked into the exam room feeling confident because I had reviewed the material and knew I’d be able to solve as many problems as possible”, the pupil adds.

Diana Postoronca had a similar experience. She says the lessons helped her overcome her fear of exams and better understand difficult topics, especially geometry. “I expected a lower grade, but with Sabrina’s help, I did much better than I expected. You could ask her questions because she had recently been in the same position herself and understands how hard it is to prepare for an exam”, Diana explains.

An experience that changed her as well

The high school math teacher says that Sabrina stood out for her responsibility and creativity. “She is a very confident and disciplined pupil. She found different ways to motivate the students. She created worksheets, devised exercises and problems, and was always looking for ways to make lessons more engaging”, the teacher says.

In her opinion, the peer-to-peer learning model works and should be replicated in other subjects as well, since students communicate more openly with a peer than with a teacher.

For Sabrina, the greatest reward wasn’t her students’ academic results, but what the experience taught her. “I learned that you have to be patient and explain things, even ten times if necessary. The project helped me mature and taught me what it means to take responsibility for others”, she says.

“Thank you so much” – words that meant the world

The most emotional moment came after the exam results were posted. “When I saw that none of my students had received the minimum passing grade of five, I was incredibly happy. And when they came up to me and said, ‘Thank you so much,’ those two words meant the world to me”, Sabrina says, visibly moved.

Today, she sees math as more than just formulas and calculations. “Math isn’t just about numbers. It prepares you for life”, she says. For this reason, she encourages other students to join the ”Peer-to-Peer Mathematics” campaign, convinced that the experience benefits both those who are learning and those who help others learn.

Solidarity and teamwork

The ”Peer-to-Peer Mathematics” campaign is a national initiative in which high school pupils mentor their younger students who are preparing for their middle school graduation exams. The programme promotes peer-to-peer learning, based on the idea that pupils can sometimes explain certain concepts more effectively to peers going through the same challenges.

During the 2025-2026 school year, the campaign took place for the second consecutive year on a national scale, implemented by the Ministry of Education and Research and the National Agency for Curriculum and Assessment, with support from UNDP Moldova, the Government of Norway, and UNICEF. As part of this year’s edition, approximately 300 pupil mentors taught over 3,000 hours of math to their peers in 9th grade.

The peer-mentoring model was first introduced at the “Alexei Mateevici” Theoretical High School in Dondușeni in 2022, when 10th- and 11th-grade students tutored younger students preparing for the math exam. In the first year of implementation, all pupils involved in the program passed the middle school graduation exam, a result considered historic for the school.

What began a few years ago at a high school in Dondușeni has now grown into a nationwide initiative involving hundreds of pupils. Sabrina’s story illustrates the impact that peer-to-peer learning can have when pupils are encouraged to take on leadership and mentoring roles. Beyond exam results, the campaign helps build confidence, responsibility, and a sense of solidarity among students, demonstrating that academic success can also be achieved through mutual support.