Questions
Frequently asked questions.
The things families ask before a first class, answered plainly.
Is Athena religious?
No. Athena is secular. We teach mathematics as a shared inheritance, open to any family, and leave questions of faith to the home.
What do you teach right now?
Mathematics — private one-on-one tutoring for every grade, kindergarten through twelfth, and small-group advanced classes in San Ramon. Competition preparation is built into our tutoring. We would rather do one thing properly than many things thinly.
Do you prepare students for math competitions?
Yes, as part of our tutoring. We prepare children for Math Kangaroo in the early years; MOEMS, the AMC 8, and MATHCOUNTS through middle school; and the AMC → AIME → Olympiad pathway in high school — the genuine problem-solving habits the contests reward, not tricks.
Do you really teach on paper, with no screens?
Yes, by design. Writing and working by hand engages attention and memory in ways a screen does not. The student’s work is always done on paper.
What are your class sizes?
Our small-group classes hold no more than seventeen students. Private tutoring is one-to-one.
Who teaches the classes?
An expert teacher, at the board — not a supervisor with software. See our Faculty.
Do you serve homeschooling families?
Yes. Private tutoring is available during the day for homeschool enrichment, and after school for acceleration and preparation.
Where do you teach?
Private tutoring is in your home across the Tri-Valley and San Ramon Valley. Our small-group classes meet in person in San Ramon.
Is there a registration fee?
No. You pay tuition and, where a course needs them, materials — nothing else.
How do we start?
With a trial class or a short placement conversation. Book one, and see the teaching for yourself.