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Christopher Nelson is already building his legacy by tutoring students in Math. He was born on 29th January 2000, and hails from Den Amstel, West Coast, Demerara, Region Three.
Nelson is currently pursuing a Bachelor of Science degree in Electrical Engineering at the University of Guyana and has maintained an impressive Grade Point Average of 3.9. In addition to his studies, Christopher is also a songwriter and singer who enjoys writing and performing music in his free time.
The budding engineer is also passionate about athletics and soccer and can often be found playing sports with his friends or engaging in some form of physical activity.
Christopher has established his own business, called MATH WITH CHRIS – a math tutoring service where he helps students improve their understanding of various mathematical concepts. “I have a passion for math and enjoy helping others succeed in this subject area,” said Nelson.
Nelson is only 23 and has a list of accolades that follow his name.
In 2016, he was named valedictorian of his class at Stewartville Secondary. He was selected to represent Guyana (and STEMGuyana) in the Inaugural First Global Robotics Competition in Washington DC in 2017. Additionally, he was recognised as the top student of the Electrical Engineering course at the Government Technical Institute (GTI) in 2018.
Christopher is a driven and ambitious individual with a passion for learning and helping others. He hopes to continue to pursue his passions in music, sports, and education while also making an impact in his field of electrical engineering.
Nelson added, “When I was thinking about starting my math tutoring business, I wanted a name that would be both catchy and memorable. I also wanted to convey my personal approach to teaching math, which is to make it a fun and engaging experience for my students. After brainstorming different ideas, I came up with the name ‘MATH WITH CHRIS’. I chose this name because it’s straightforward and easy to remember. It also puts the focus on the student-teacher relationship, which is at the heart of what I do.”
He continued by saying, “When my students come to me for math tutoring, I want them to feel comfortable and at ease, like they’re working with a friend. By using my name in the business name, I hope to establish a personal connection with my students and create a positive learning environment for them.”
He believes that the name ‘MATH WITH CHRIS’ captures the essence of what he does as a math tutor – making math less intimidating and more approachable by working with his students on a one-on-one basis. He noted that juggling school, work, and his tutoring business can be challenging at times, but he has developed a system that allows him to manage his time effectively.
“First and foremost, I prioritise my academic commitments and make sure that I am up-to-date with my coursework and assignments. I also try to schedule my work hours and tutoring sessions around my classes to ensure that I have enough time to devote to each activity,” Nelson said.
In terms of his tutoring business, he sets aside specific hours during the week where he can meet with his students. This allows him to balance tutoring sessions with other commitments and ensure that he has enough time to prepare for each session. Additionally, he is constantly looking for ways to streamline his workflow and increase efficiency.
He also utilises technology effectively, to manage his schedule, communicate with his students, and share study materials. This helps him to stay organised and makes it easier to manage his time effectively. Overall, juggling school, work, and his tutoring business can be challenging, but with proper planning and time management, Nelson has been able to strike a balance and pursue all of my interests and goals simultaneously.
He opted to start his math tutoring business, ‘MATH WITH CHRIS’, for various reasons. “First and foremost, I have a passion for math and enjoy helping others succeed in this subject area. I have always been interested in education and have spent a lot of time tutoring my classmates and friends over the years. Starting my own tutoring business was a natural progression of these interests.
“Secondly, I saw a need for high-quality math tutoring in my community. Many students struggle with math and are in need of personalised attention to help them succeed. I wanted to create a tutoring program that could provide this kind of support and help students reach their full potential,” said the young entrepreneur.
Develops important skills in entrepreneurship
Starting a tutoring business has allowed Nelson to develop important skills in entrepreneurship and business management. Over the years, he has learned how to market his services, manage my schedule and finances, and effectively communicate with his clients.
Further he posited, “These skills will be invaluable to me as I continue to pursue my academic and professional goals. Overall, starting my own math tutoring business has been a rewarding experience that has allowed me to combine my passion for education with my entrepreneurial spirit. I look forward to continuing to grow my business and help even more students succeed in math.”
When asked about why he started the tutoring business, he noted that ‘MATH WITH CHRIS’, began during his studies in Electrical Engineering at GTI. As a top student in his program, he often found himself helping his classmates and friends with their math homework and exam preparation. He enjoyed teaching math and was always looking for ways to make it more engaging and approachable for his peers.
He highlighted, “After graduation, I decided to turn my passion for math education into a business. I wanted to create a personalised tutoring program that could help students overcome their math struggles and achieve their academic goals. I started by advertising my services on social media and through word-of-mouth referrals from friends and family.
As my business grew, I saw the impact that my tutoring was having on my students. They were becoming more confident in their math skills and were able to achieve better grades and test scores. I was thrilled to be able to make a difference in their lives and help them unlock their full potential.”
Over time, ‘MATH WITH CHRIS’ has become a trusted name in math education in Nelson’s community. He has expanded his services to include online tutoring and have students achieve academic success. He is euphoric and proud of what he has accomplished through his business and looks forward to continuing to help even more students excel in math.
Running the math tutoring business has posed a number of challenges, but Nelson developed strategies to cope and overcome them.
His first challenge has been managing his time effectively, especially as he was a student with other commitments. To solve this, he created a schedule that allowed him to manage his schedule.
Another challenge has been finding new clients and growing his business and Nelson utilised social media and word-of-mouth referrals to market his services. He has also built strong relationships with his existing clients, which has led to repeat business and referrals.
“Additionally, I have faced challenges in adapting to the individual needs of each student I work with. To cope with this, I have developed a flexible teaching style that allows me to tailor my approach to each student’s unique learning style and needs. I also make sure to communicate clearly with each student and set clear goals for our sessions.
“Finally, I have faced the challenge of maintaining my own motivation and energy, especially when working with students who may be struggling. To cope with this, I focus on the positive impact that my tutoring is having on my students and celebrate their successes along the way. I also make sure to take breaks and engage in self-care activities to recharge my own energy.
“Overall, running a math tutoring business has presented its share of challenges, but I have developed strategies to cope with them and continue to grow and thrive in this rewarding field,” said Nelson.
Achievements, future plans and inspiration
Nelson is proud of several achievements, viz:
He feels accomplished through his math tutoring business, because it helps his students achieve their academic goals.
“Seeing my students excel in math and achieve their academic goals is one of the most rewarding experiences for me. I am proud of the hundreds of students I have helped over the years to improve their grades and test scores, as well as their confidence and motivation to learn,” he said.
Representing Guyana in the Global Robotics Competition: As a robotics enthusiast, Christopher was thrilled and beaming with joy, to be selected to represent Guyana in the Global Robotics Competition organised by STEM Guyana. This was an incredible opportunity to showcase his technical skills and collaborate with other robotics enthusiasts from around the world.
Being the Valedictorian of Stewartville Secondary: Nelson mentioned, “This was a major achievement for me as a student, and it demonstrated my dedication and commitment to academic excellence. It was an honor to be recognised as the top student in my class and to deliver the valedictory speech at graduation.”
He was also recognised as the Top Student of Electrical Engineering Course at the Government Technical Institute. This achievement demonstrated both his technical skills and his ability to excel in a challenging academic program. He said, “It was an honor to be recognized as the top student in my programme and to receive this award. These achievements have helped me to build a strong foundation for my math tutoring business, and they have also given me the confidence and motivation to continue to strive for excellence in everything that I do,” said Nelson.
In the future, he plans to grow and develop his ‘Math With Chris Initiative,’ while also pursuing his career goals and personal interests.
Expanding my business: I plan to continue to market my services to new clients and expand my reach to more students who could benefit from my tutoring. I also plan to hire additional tutors to work under my brand and help me meet the growing demand for my services.
He aims to pursue a master’s degree in the field of electrical engineering to further develop his technical skills and knowledge. This will help him to continue to provide the highest quality tutoring services to his students and will also open up new opportunities for him in his career.
Nelson is also known in the music industry. As such in the future, he aims to write and record music. “Songwriting is one of my hobbies, and I plan to continue to write and record music in my free time. I would love to release an album someday and share my music with a wider audience,” he said.
Giving back to his community is also of importance to him, as such he plans to continue to volunteer his time and resources to local organisations and initiatives.
He mentioned, “I am particularly interested in volunteering with youth organizations and mentoring young people who are interested in math and technology.
Overall, my plans for the future involve continuing to grow and develop in all areas of my life, while staying true to my passions and values. I am excited about what the future holds and look forward to the opportunities that lie ahead.”
Christopher can be contacted via, Email: chris.nelson29012000@gmail.com, Facebook: Chris Nelson/ MATH WITH CHRIS (https://www.facebook.com/chrisnelsonmath?mibextid=LQQJ4d) and Cell: 6530031
“Pursue your passions, set achievable goals, believe in yourself, seek out mentors and role models, stay curious, keep learning, be resilient, and give back to your community. With a positive mindset, hard work, and determination, they can achieve anything they set their mind to,” is Nelson’s advice to youth.
