Building Pathways for Reasoning

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Sculpted Minds is a boutique tutoring studio providing one-one and small group instruction for students in grades 4–12 in math, physics, chemistry, grammar, test prep, college essays, and more.

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How Sculpted Minds Began

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Sculpted Minds was born in June 2010, when we acquired our first student.

Every weekend, this seventh grader would come over for geometry “fun” with his friend Aditya. When they got stuck, they would ask Aditya’s mom, Neela (a former schoolteacher) for help. Soon, she found herself conducting geometry races with the goal of solving every problem in the Art of Problem Solving Geometry book.

The child loved these sessions so much that his father insisted we formalize them into a paid tutoring arrangement, and Sculpted Minds was formed. Soon after, the child brought his brother along. And his brother told his friends. And they told their friends. These zestful children lingered throughout the year—some for ten years—until they grew up and went to college. Through the years, as interest has accumulated both in Orange County and beyond, we have transitioned to primarily online offerings. Throughout, our commitment remains to providing a safe, nurturing yet academically demanding space. 

Our Approach

Our instructional process, designed to foster both procedural fluency and facility with concepts, includes the following: 

  • clarifying what counts as successful completion of a given task (whether a homework problem or semester-long coursework).  

  • laying out a sequence of manageable steps the task requires. 

  • attending to factors—such as uncertainty about process, gaps in knowledge, reduced engagement—hindering a student’s independent completion of the task. 

These observations help us calibrate instructional choices both during and after each round. Learning is supported through cycles of task engagement, reflection, and feedback, with an emphasis on mastery.

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