Hidden Gems: Meet David Reames of Mathnasium

Today we’d like to introduce you to David Reames.

Hi David, we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, maybe you can briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today?
Born in Kennesaw, GA, I’ve spent most of my life within 20 miles of 285. Gwinnett, Fayette, DeKalb, Cobb, with one exception: a short stint over in Clarke County. I’ve held a wide range of jobs, from professional dry cleaner to web developer, restaurant kitchen staff to cashier. All forming my opinion on what I want to do, and who I want to work for. I was never the “decide the rest of my life in high school” type; needing to see what the world offered for myself was always the goal.
I joined Mathnasium in April of last year, starting as an instructor and working my way up to Center Director by Q4 2024. This year, I put my name on a mortgage, cementing my stance on location and work.

We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
Certainly not smooth, but the bumps are what make life interesting!
I’ll gloss over my adolescent struggles. We all had them, and I was somewhere in the middle of the pack. There are plenty of polarizing topics there, so let’s skip ahead to adult me.
I lost a leg in my early 20s. Cut down in my prime and cut off above the knee. Time to adapt. On a new leg, my journey through life continued. I changed majors from Mechanical Drafting and Design to Computer Science, tried (and failed) to open a franchise with a company in Athens, and spent the next decade bouncing around to see what kind of work suited me long term. While working in finance, I discovered teaching, and found a strong connection with the sense of purpose and meaning it brings.
Believe it or not, math was a major challenge for me in high school and college. Part of why I love Mathnasium is that I get the chance to help remove that discomfort for students. It’s amazing the difference a good mentor or teacher can make! As well as the right medication if you have spicy-brain syndrome.

Thanks – so what else should our readers know about Mathnasium?
There are plenty of ways to shove information into someone’s brain. Mathnasium (which exists exclusively to teach math to K–12 students) focuses on two things: the vibes and mastery through Socratic teaching methods reinforced by repetition. We encourage critical thinking and dialectical inquiry. These methods allow us to peek under the hood of a student’s mind to truly understand what needs to be taught for a concept to take root.

We have superb success rates, and some of the highest google reviews I’ve ever seen for any business. We provide custom learning plans for each student. We have vetted, background checked, capable instructors. We stay active in our community with math nights at schools, and free homework help nights in-center.

Borrowing a few sentences from our corporate office: The first Mathnasium Learning Center opened in Los Angeles in late 2002 and began franchising in 2003. Proving wildly successful, Mathnasium became an award-winning, world-class math education company, with over 1100 locations on 5 continents.

Our particular center opened in 2018, just in time to get blindsided by COVID!

Where we are in life is often partly because of others. Who/what else deserves credit for how your story turned out?
Rarely does one forge their own path without help, and I’m no exception. I’ve had plenty of help from friends and family, and of course teachers and doctors. Mrs. Harrelson my 2nd grade teacher, Mr. Dike my graphic arts teacher, the EMS team that pulled me out of a creek, the surgical team that put me back together (and then chopped some off), Dr. Howard my pain management specialist, the whole team at Georgia Prosthetics, and many others. Educating me on the skills I need to achieve the goals I’ve set for myself, and rebuilding me when I break. Also a shout out to all the politicians who voted for the ADA when I was 1 year old back in 1990. Handrails are important!

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.mathnasium.com/math-centers/snellville