Meet Kirk Lunde | Math Therapist & Tutor

We had the good fortune of connecting with Kirk Lunde and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Kirk, can you walk us through the thought-process of starting your business?
I saw a way to use my training and experience to meet a need supporting families with complicated children.

Can you give our readers an introduction to your business? Maybe you can share a bit about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
Kirk’s Tutoring started in 2010 while I was homeschooling my sons. It grew over time from one-of-three part time jobs to full time job. I started focusing on math in 2015 when I found Crewton Ramone’s House of Math and took the training he offered. When he stopped offering training, I continued to learn from Anna Tarnowski.

My business is very niche in that I work with students that have multiple challenges. The majority of the clients I serve have had several other tutors before finding me.

What sets me apart from other math tutors is that I provide Math Therapy. Math Therapy respects the whole student and addresses more than academics.

My previous career as a pediatric respiratory therapist and asthma educator gives me a wide range of knowledge about how environmental factors affect students’ learning. As a former foster parent, I am aware of the effects that trauma has on student’s ability to learn and have attended trauma conferences to learn more. As the parent of two medically complex sons, I can help families navigate the hoops and hurdles at school to get the appropriate supports in place.

I am most proud of my clients when they follow their passions. Academic success is not my goal. I want my students to understand their brains, know how to deal with anxiety, and be confident.

In the interest of full disclosure, readers need to know that I am not a certified teacher or therapist. I am someone who cares about children and wants to ease the pain school, especially math, causes.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
When friends visit, the list of places to go includes: Main Street Tucker, Stone Mountain – park and Main Street, Little 5 Points, Manuel’s Tavern, The Brockett Pub, PDK Airport park, The 57th Fighter Group, Arabia Mountain, downtown Decatur, & Vogel State Park. I am not a Buckhead kind of guy except occasional visits to Peachtree Road United Methodist Church to hear the Georgia Boy Choir sing.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
Two people who stand out are Crewton Ramone and Anna Tarnowski. They taught me how to make math simple and fun.

I continue to be trained by Jonily Zupancic to expand the ways I can reach students.

One of the most influential books for my practice has been ‘Brain-Based Learning’ by Jensen and McConchie.

Website: https://kirkstutoring.com

Instagram: @kirks_tutoring

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/kirkstutoring

Youtube: @kirkstutoring2048

Image Credits
Kirk Lunde