Congratulations on joining Russian Math Tutors! You are now part of a team dedicated to transforming how children learn mathematics through our online platform. This guide will prepare you to deliver our BYOM (Build Your Own Math) curriculum with confidence and effectiveness in a virtual environment.
Our approach is fundamentally different from traditional tutoring. We don't help students memorize procedures—we guide them to discover mathematical principles for themselves. This distinction is at the heart of everything we do.
About Russian Math Tutors
Russian Math Tutors serves over 2,000 students worldwide, offering rigorous mathematics education through our proprietary BYOM program. Our work has been featured in:
The Wall Street Journal
The Times of London
New York Post
Daily Mail
Town & Country
The Online Advantage
Flexible scheduling: Work with students across time zones
Digital tools: Virtual whiteboards enable clear mathematical visualization
Session recordings: Students can review lessons for reinforcement
Global reach: Connect with motivated families worldwide
The BYOM Philosophy
BYOM stands for "Build Your Own Math." This name captures our core belief: students should construct their mathematical understanding through guided discovery, not passive reception of rules and formulas.
The Peterson Activity Method
Our curriculum is based on the work of Dr. Lyudmila Georgievna Peterson, a Russian methodologist and Doctor of Pedagogical Sciences. Since 1975, Dr. Peterson collaborated with leading Soviet mathematicians to develop a comprehensive mathematics curriculum spanning ages 3 through grade 9.
"Not a student for mathematics, but mathematics for a student."
Three Stages of Mathematical Knowledge
Mathematization: Building a mathematical model from real-world situations
Model Study: Constructing mathematical theory within the model
Application: Applying results back to the real world
The 12-Step Lesson Structure
Motivation: Establish purpose and self-determination for learning
Activate Prior Knowledge: Connect to what students already understand
Trial Action: Attempt a challenging problem that creates productive difficulty
Identify Difficulty: Locate the specific obstacle blocking progress
Construct Project: Design a path to overcome the difficulty
Implement Project: Execute the solution approach
Verbalize: Articulate the discovery in external speech
Independent Work: Practice with self-checking
Integration: Connect new knowledge to existing understanding
Review: Consolidate and reinforce
Reflection: Metacognition about the learning process
Summary: Capture key takeaways
Seven Didactic Principles
Activity: Students construct knowledge through doing, not receiving
Continuity: Learning builds seamlessly on prior understanding
Holistic Worldview: Mathematics connects to reality and other subjects
Minimax: Each student works at their optimal level
Psychological Comfort: Learning environment feels safe and supportive
Variability: Multiple approaches to problems are encouraged
Creativity: Students become co-creators of mathematics
Understanding Minimax
Maximum: We present content up to the highest difficulty level. Every student is exposed to challenging, advanced material.
Minimum: We only require mastery of an acceptable baseline. Not every student must solve every problem.
"Present everything. Require the minimum. Let each student reach their maximum."
Discovery vs. Memorization
Traditional Approach
The teacher writes 5 + 5 + 5 on the board, says "this can be written more simply," introduces the multiplication sign, and explains the rules. Students memorize: "multiplication is repeated addition."
BYOM Approach
The teacher presents a problem: "A school has 856 students. The school decides to buy each student a book for $120 as a holiday gift. How much does the purchase cost?" Students try to write 120 + 120 + 120... but quickly realize this won't work—it's too slow. They need a better way. Through guided exploration, they essentially reinvent multiplication.
The student who discovers multiplication owns it. The student who memorizes it rents it.
Curriculum Overview
The BYOM curriculum follows a spiral structure. Concepts are introduced at an appropriate level, then revisited multiple times at increasing depth.
Example: Sets Across Grades
Grade
Set Concepts
Grade 1
Groups of objects, comparing groups, more/less/equal
"Your child won't just learn math facts. They'll understand where those facts come from and why they work. By the time most students are dreading fractions in 6th grade, BYOM students have been working with them confidently since 4th grade."
Explaining Our Assessment Approach
"We don't use traditional grades because they measure the wrong things. Grades tell you how your child performed on one particular day. We track how your child's mathematical thinking develops over time."
When Parents Worry About Screen Time
"Our sessions are active, not passive. Your child isn't watching videos—they're solving problems, explaining their thinking, and interacting with me constantly. It's more like a conversation than screen time."
Platform Rules and Best Practices
Lesson Completion
Mark lessons complete promptly
Payment processes 48 hours after completion
Use "Request Reschedule" to move lessons
Avoid canceling—students may lose bulk pricing
Wallet & Withdrawals
Minimum withdrawal: $50 USD
Frequency: Once every 20 days
Payment methods: Wise or PayPal
Processing time: 1-4 working days
Encourage Reviews
Google Reviews: Click the star rating on our homepage
Trustpilot Reviews: Students receive automatic email invitations
Encourage Subscriptions
Benefits for students: 10% discount, rate lock, automatic purchases.
Benefits for you: Predictable income, reduced churn, higher commitment.
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