A New Understanding of Mathematics St. Louis Community College at Meramec has initiated a new and exciting venture in the study and learning of mathematics. Students enrolled in either "Hands-On Arithmetic Workshop" or "Hands-On Algebra Workshop" utilize manipulative materials and guided discovery worksheets in addition to group interaction and teacher-directed presentations, all at a self-paced rate of learning. Breaking the lock-step nature of mathematics instruction is beneficial to both teachers and students. Students are more likely to understand abstract mathematical concepts better in the long run if they learn mathematics by understanding.