Today we’d like to introduce you to Dimitris Christodoulou.
Thanks for sharing your story with us Dimitris. So, let’s start at the beginning and we can move on from there.
Young students face tremendous difficulties in math classes, and it is not because they do not try. The majority of the students graduating high school do not have the background to pursue any subject in college that uses math. In 2002, I decided to do something about this problem on a local scale (in the Bedford area and surrounding towns). I established a tutoring center the goal of which is to provide students with the required math background should they chose to pursue science and engineering subjects in college; and to help all others tackle math at the high-school level.
Conceptual math begins in the 8th grade when the students are exposed to theoretical algebra for the first time in school. The first concept taught is that of the variable x that does not necessarily have a numerical value attached to it. From there on, students have to take and learn geometry, a lot more conceptual algebra, trigonometry, and calculus at the high-school level. My idea was to start with students in the 8th grade, teach them algebra properly, and then retain them over the next 4 years so we can complete the entire cycle of high-school math.
No students came to me in the first year, but then my tutoring center started growing as word of mouth began to spread in my geographic area. Parents took a hint from the children of their friends that I had the ability to make math easy and easily understood, something that was not happening in the schools of the area. Eventually, I ended up with a group of about 40 students each year who would stay with me for the entire 4 years of their high-school career. Consistency was the key in this effort, as my students were able to learn all subjects in a concise manner and get the background they needed to move on to college.
My students fall into 3 categories:
1) Very good students who already know a lot of math come to me to learn a lot more material that is not covered in schools.
2) Good students who are only interested in passing basic math easily at school and without too much pressure. These students move on to study subjects that do not require
math.
3) Problem kids (those with behavioral problems, or ADD, or a strong dislike of math) with their parents wishing that something be done for the awful trend to be reversed.
Over the past 15 years, I have had great success with 1) and 2) students and a partial success with 3). My records indicate that a total of 420 students have worked with me since 2002.
The problem that I had to face in the past 15 years is that there is no-one else who could do the same for students, my methodology stems from 40 years of experience in math and science and I could never find anyone with comparable experience willing to tutor math and science. So this is not a growing business and it will dissipate with me when I retire after another 10 years or so. In the meantime, I have been trying to save my methodology in written form, but it has proven difficult. It turns out that it is a lot easier to communicate the ideas in a live presentation rather than via a write-up.
Has it been a smooth road?
In the first year or so, classified ads and some presence in the internet did not really help. People did not really know what kind of service I could provide to their children and they could not imagine how I can make such a big difference compared to what the students were learning at school.
My business grew slowly and it was word of mouth that led to an exponential growth in the number of my students. These days, I do not advertise any more, I let my students and their parents spread the word.
We’d love to hear more about your business.
I specialize in math-science teaching in grades 8-12. Math is by far the biggest problem that students face because science teaching is substandard in high schools and most students do not take AP courses, so they do not get challenged in science.
I am known for teaching a new methodology in math, one that can be easily understood and put to use by the student right away. This alleviates pressure and the result is much higher student grades in exams and tests.
I do not think that my tutoring service can be compared to other services in the area, I always felt like I was a monopoly. My work cannot possibly be compared with the work of others, such as those using pre-made problem sheets and programs with no regard to what is been taught at schools, or those using college students of limited experience to teach high-schoolers. The prevailing practice in this business is repetition: my colleagues seem to believe (and practice) that if their students solve many similar problems, then they will discover the underlying concept on their own. I strongly oppose this strategy. Concepts must be taught explicitly by the experienced teacher and I consider this a large part of my job.
Is our city a good place to do what you do?
Yes, the Boston area is the best place for someone to develop tutoring. Our high schools, although not great, are significantly better than high schools in many other states.
Contact Info:
- Address: Math Methods
54 Middlesex Tpke
Bedford, MA 01730 - Website: www.MathMethods.com
- Phone: 781 492 0714
- Email: info@mathmethods.com
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Math-Methods-Educational-Services-217002978319101/
Getting in touch: BostonVoyager is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you know someone who deserves recognition please let us know here.
