1. What is the School for?
2. What are Some Other Options for Additional Math Education?
3. Who is the Founder of the School?
4. What is Our Educational Philosophy?
5. How does Each Session Look Like?
6. How does the Class Assignment Happen?
7. How to Become a Student?
8. What Courses and Programs are Available?
9. How to Pay for Classes?
10. Hot to Get a Refund?
11. How to Contact Us?

Classic Math School is a nonprofit organization, designed for promoting Math study among school children in the response to broadening concerns regarding the situation with Math Education.

Many official and unofficial resources and surveys confirm the unfortunate fact that American students lack basic math knowledge, to say nothing about advanced math studies.

Inconsistency and repetitions together with lack of systematic approach in teaching Math around the country can be named as the major weaknesses of American schools.

In our efforts to improve the situation, we, as a group of math professionals (and concerned parents at the same time) have established the Classic Math School to utilize our well-respected Russian Math Education and classic traditions of various teaching experience.

Our mission is to create a system of Math Education parallel and supplementary to the public education.

Primarily we target mathematically gifted children who will thrive in the challenging learning environment; however, we have several options for children of all ages and abilities, who will definitely benefit from the small class setting and systematic approach to Math.

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If you agree with what you have read above, you would probably consider some          possibilities for additional educational sources. Let’s see what is available across the country:

1. Summer schools and camps.

2. Individual tutoring (including tutoring via the Internet).

3. Learning centers.

Besides undoubted advantages each of the mentioned above types has substantial disadvantages. The most interesting type of additional education is certainly summer schools at university sites; however, it is at the same time the most expensive. Disregarding money and complicated process of applying and testing, there is always one major shortcoming of all summer schools (camps). Any “piece of knowledge” obtained through such school (camp), no matter how valuable it is by itself; will more likely to remain disjointed, fragmental and unclaimed in the nearest future. It is not surprising because several summer weeks are obviously not enough for a breakthrough in the developing students' fundamental deep math knowledge. 

Individual tutoring is the most popular even not always affordable way of additional education. (We have tried to make it really affordable. See our “Math EnSurance” Program.) 

While the possible advantages of individual tutoring mostly depend on a tutor, the obvious disadvantage is students’ poor motivation due to the absence of competition. (Even though, we don’t consider competition as a main factor of motivation, some competition elements (moments) are definitely very useful for both a student and a teacher.)

There are basically two types of learning centers: one type is intended for students fallen behind the school program or students with learning disabilities and other special needs. Actually, those centers provide the same kind of additional learning as individual tutoring, but just more expensive because of administrative expenditures.

The other type is “drill” based centers (Kumon, Score, MPM, etc.). They become more and more popular because they promise (and in many cases keep their promises) the quick and measurable results. Unfortunately some parents don’t realize (or realize when it is too late) that those results achieved by multiple repetitions of simple math techniques are leading their children to nowhere, although their grades can get short term improvement. Moreover, the price (besides the tuition) that the parents actually pay for this phony success is enormous. Mechanical drills without understanding of Math concepts eventually suppress the creativity, weaken the critical thinking skills, and cause “Math is Boring” and “I Hate Math” attitude for years to go.

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Classic Math School was founded by Mariya Gutman. Mariya Gutman is a professional Math educator. She graduated with honors from Voronezh State University in Russia in 1982 and earned her Master’s degree in Mathematics and Computer Science. She has about 15 years of successful practice teaching of Math at different schools and universities back in Russia. 
After coming to the USA Mariya Gutman was working at elementary, middle and high schools in Berkley, Michigan, and obtained the Michigan Secondary Teacher Certificate with major in Math and minor in Computer Science. 
As an experienced representative of famous Russian Math School, she was invited to participate in the Berkley School District Math Curriculum Review committee. Then for two years she was working for Fremont Unified School District as a High School Math Teacher. 
Mariya Gutman is certain that she started her Math Career as a high school student. It was at Advanced Math High School in Russia, where she made up her mind to become a Math Educator. This school graduates are now working for leading hi-tech companies and famous universities all around the world. To our best knowledge, they are living and working in the USA, Israel, Canada, Germany, Australia and Brazil. All of them are grateful to their Teacher – David Smorgonsky, who managed to create challenging and encouraging learning environment and atmosphere of Math adoration. 
Classic Math School founder, Mariya Gutman, has a dream to recreate the same exciting atmosphere and beneficial friendly learning environment in her school. 

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1. Our school is an essential supplement to the existing educational system, not its denial. Although our courses partly overlap ordinary school Math programs, they increase the scope and depth of the study of Mathematical topics. We are proud to state that unlike most schools our school provides a systematic Math education of full value and considers Mathematics as an integrated discipline. We employ only true professionals with major in Math, who once fell in love with Math and stay loyal, not those “educators” with some credits in Math pretending they can teach everything.  That’s why our students easily get higher grades in their regular Math classes.

2. There is a generally accepted idea of the importance of Math education because of vast varieties of Math applications needed everywhere. We strongly believe that logical reasoning, problem solving abilities and analytical skills “application” (we call them “Indirect Math Applications”) have at least the same importance. We see Mathematics as an excellent and universal instrument to boost our students’ critical thinking skills and make them into independent life-long learners who will successfully use “Indirect Math Applications” no matter what career they choose.

3. Our Math program is designed to challenge but not overwhelm. While it covers a great deal of material, emphasis is placed on active learning, developing abilities to think and reason independently and clearly by engaging in Math polemics. Students are encouraged to present their own analysis of a Math concept or problem, receiving critical feedback from both teacher and peers.

4. We strongly believe that this kind of learning is a great pleasure and fun by itself as well as a great deal of work. We don’t see any contradictions here! Moreover, we feel that students are more likely to have real learning fun when they are putting their best efforts in accomplishing a true challenge. That’s why we do not anticipate providing any other fun except learning fun. (Besides, this is an ethical issue also: we are paid for teaching not for entertaining.) In other words, instead of getting a candy for a correct answer, our students are more likely to get another reward - a portion of more challenging questions like “How did you get it?” or “Why is it the correct answer?” So, there are no games, except Math games.

5. We have high expectations for student performance and active student participation. We know how to help our students to overcome their Math phobia and substitute it with genuine interest for Math. We wish our students to admire grace, logic, and beauty of Math as we do!

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We advocate an old classic nowadays almost forgotten academic routine. 
Mental Math. Unfortunately, according to our observations, most students, no matter how advanced they are in Math, lack basic mental math skills, which we consider to be incredibly important. Since paper-and-pencil calculation demands careful attention to digits and bookkeeping rules (not surprisingly many people confuse those rules with Math!), students usually do written computation mechanically with very little sense of what they are actually doing. Mental computation, on the other hand, forces students to think about actual number relationships and incorporate basic arithmetic operation properties which otherwise may remain unclaimed. Despite its many attractive benefits, mental computation skills have not been significantly incorporated in most contemporary math programs; moreover, the students have not been encouraged to do any Mental Math. We are trying to improve the situation by starting each session with Math Gymnastic, mental math warm-up and avoiding calculators whenever possible. 
Each session includes homework discussion along with previously learned material review. In harmony with classic academic approach, the introduction of a new topic is given in the form of lecture with the students’ questions welcomed after it. Then there is a class discussion of the examples and problems illustrated the introduced topics in the form of brainstorming and individual student-teacher interaction. Finally, homework is assigned with necessary comments and hints.

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Classic Math School is intended for children ages 6 - 17 (K - 12th grades). The usual class size is 8 to 10 students. The low students/teacher ratio in class is allowing considerable opportunities for individualized instruction and attention. Besides courses the classes differ by level of difficulty and pace. Students are to be divided into classes according to their Math background rather than to their grade level and abilities. The decision about appropriate program and class for a student will be based on the Placement Test results and discussion with the student and parents. Each class except Basic Math has two-hour sessions two times a week. The duration of most courses is 15 weeks; afterwards, students, who want to continue their education at school, will be placed to the next class according to their achievements.

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Applications to the school are accepted all year long, online applications are available. All students in 4^th grade and older are required to take a Placement Test (there are two versions available that differ by math level). Younger students may also be tested, if their parents would like them to.

After completing the written portion of the test, every student is interviewed by a teacher for more accurate assessment. The test results are discussed with the parents along with placement recommendations.

The Placement Test, according to its name, was designed for meticulous assessment of student’s math skills/aptitude/learning style with subsequent placement of the students with similar math backgrounds into the same class.

Generally students are assigned to classes on a “first come, first served” basis; however, returning students have a priority. Spaces are limited, if there are no spaces in the appropriate classes for some candidates, they will be placed on a waiting list.

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Tuition rate is different by location. Each tuition payment includes $100 non-refundable deposit. There are some additional fees: application fee - $45, testing fee - $35, interviewing fee - $40. No textbook purchase is required (except SAT Preparation Classes). All necessary educational materials are provided and automatically become student’s possession with no extra charge.

There is 20% discount for a second student from the same family and 5% reference discount.

Programs, Payment Options, and Schedules

  “Math +” AFTER-SCHOOL PROGRAM  TUITION  and  FEES

Minimum subscription period is 15 weeks, two days per week. Discount if applied before September 5th.

 Math Enrichment Program (Classes) 

Tuition rate is different by location. (call for details)

Math “EnSurance” (Permanent Tutoring) - $150 per month - _

Clinics - $60 a week

Geometry Clinic (for High School Geometry students only)

Algebra I  Clinic (for High School Algebra I students only)

Algebra II  Clinic (for High School Algebra II students only)

PreCalculus Clinic (for High School PreCalculus students only)

 Three times a week, one hour of lesson and one hour of tutoring,

Plus additional hour of permanent tutoring two times a week – free of charge!

Minimum subscription period is 4 weeks.   

      *If subscribed in September   

Enrichment Program

The Classic Math School guaranties full refund upon the request submitted before the beginning of the first assigned session (except non-refundable deposit).

If the request is submitted before the beginning of the second session, the tuition is partially refundable (except $100 non-refundable deposit, prorated tuition for one session, and cost of provided supply and materials).

No refunds requests will be accepted after beginning of the second session.

Summer Math Camp

Payments are refundable only before June 15th (except non-refundable deposit).

Spring Break Test Prep Program

Payments  are refundable only before March 15th (except non-refundable deposit).

All other programs ("Math +" After-School Program", "Math EnSurance Program", Clinics)

Payments are not refundable.

All refund  requests must be made in writing to the school administration (e-mail is acceptable). Refunds take up to three weeks to process after the School has received a written refund request.

All refunds will be issued in checks only.

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