Meet Matthew Demattei of Parent’s Choice Tutoring in Tempe

Today we’d like to introduce you to Matthew Demattei.

So, before we jump into specific questions about the business, why don’t you give us some details about you and your story.
I have always had a passion for learning and knowledge. Since I was a little boy, I always saw the world as if it was one BIG machine with THOUSANDS of moving parts! I wanted to know how the parts worked — how they fit together and how they worked together. I imagined that if I studied enough different things and how they interacted, I would come to understand something of how the WHOLE UNIVERSE worked. Certain organ pieces by J. S. Bach would (and still do!) bring me to tears because something about the way Bach would take different melodic lines, express them in a variety of different ways, and then bring them all together at the conclusion, seemed to mimic the way I was seeking to know and understand the universe around me.

Upon finishing high school, if you would have asked me what profession I sought to pursue, I would have answered “Astronomy” without hesitation. Enrolling in a local junior college the following year, I was sure to get acquainted with the Astronomy teacher almost as soon as I arrived on campus. Naturally, with my love of Astronomy, I told him of my aspiration and excelled in his class. However, he saw different potentials in me because I was spilling over with knowledge of the many subjects from books I had read. He told me that, with all the learning that I loved to share with others, that I should aspire to be someone who does just that.

It took me over twelve years to take his advice. Interest in Astronomy had given way to interest in Liberal Arts. A budding career at a high-tech company in Silicon Valley went the way of the Dot.com bust. Finding myself at a crossroads, the words of my old Astronomy teacher echoed in my head again. My first desire was to become a high school History teacher. This line of thinking ended abruptly when I began working as a paraprofessional—a classroom teacher’s aide. The school district I was working for placed me in Special Education classrooms. I started to get flashbacks to those times in fourth and fifth grade — a little kid with ADHD at a Montessori school in San Francisco. I knew then that I had to take the focus off what I wanted and place it on what kids needed. I remembered what it was like to struggle in school. If I could help kids, maybe they would not have to struggle as much as I did — this is where the help is really needed. I sought at that point to become a Special Education teacher.

With all the learning that I love to share with others, I was finally aspiring to be someone who does just that. I got my Master’s in Special Education from the University of San Francisco and did my Master’s Thesis on Reading Disabilities and Dyslexia. I taught at several schools in California and Arizona for fifteen years. I love teaching, but the limitations all teachers face when working in a public-school classroom made me wonder if there was a manner of education where I could do what I love even better. Inspired by the writings of Robert Kiyosaki, I sacrificed the sense of security and predictability that a school teacher position offers in favor of entrepreneurship. At the beginning of this year, my wife and I formed Parent’s Choice Tutoring and have never looked back.

Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
Since becoming a tutor, the road has been remarkably smooth. Most of my struggles have been internal due to my paradigm shift in mindset. While schools offer a sense of security and regularity, with predictable routines and vacations, tutoring is anything but predictable and I would be dishonest if I said that there were not times of fear and uncertainty about cash flow and adapting to widely varying schedules and constant changes. This is the meat and drink of an entrepreneur and I have acquired a taste for this dish with a little extra mustard on the side. Uncertainty has given way to learning how to be flexible and resourceful in new ways.

Parent’s Choice Tutoring – what should we know? What do you guys do best? What sets you apart from the competition?
I am a tutor, I teach kids and inspire them to learn—if there was anything I could be the proudest of, it would be this. I build relationships with my students, so I can get to know their learning strengths and areas of need. I work in tandem with families, teachers and therapists as a team to help students find success. I specialize in Special Education for special students and I am willing to teach anybody who has a desire to learn. I also consult with families through the stages of the IEP process (from evaluations to meetings, to progress reports) and can function as a personal liaison between parents/guardians and schools. Let me advocate for you and your children!

What sets me apart from others? Quality, quality, quality! The universe is made of THOUSANDS of different parts, remember? I cannot teach about just one part — I must teach about the parts that connect to it and how their gears mesh. A few pieces of information always lead to a few more — this is why my wife calls me “Mr. Intellibits.” Sometimes, when I am working in a home, the parents stop what they are doing to listen to me teach because they find my tutoring lesson so interesting. What tutor do you know will try to get you to understand the whole universe? I build connections with my students and families, so I can build connections in their minds about the subjects I teach.

In addition, it is amazing to be inspired by the universe, but inspiration does not always pay the bills. True, “it takes a village,” but the members of the village need to know how to make money. Taking the lead from Kiyosaki again, I also offer my students and their parent’s tips and lessons in financial literacy and entrepreneurship. The worthiest thing that I can teach students is a sense of their own self-worth.

And speaking of money, I also want to spread the news to families about Empowerment Scholarship Accounts (ESAs). If you have a child with disabilities, or you are in the military, you may be able to take advantage of this state program where you can take personal charge of your child’s education. Parent’s Choice Tutoring is all about your choice as a parent. ESAs can empower you to give your children the educational attention of your choosing.

What is “success” or “successful” for you?
For me a sense of success is fleeting, I am never satisfied. There is always something more I could do. What am I missing? When I see a student of mine learning, I am happy for that student’s success. As for me, success can only be measured when my job is done — I still have more to do. Life under construction! Please pardon my dust.

Contact Info:

• Phone: 480-382-9595
• Email: matthew@parentschoicetutoring.com
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/parentschoicetutoring

Image Credit:
Nahnalah_G Photography

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