Shlomo Buchan, Ph.D.

Shlomo Buchan is a mathematician and STEM educator who brings over twenty years of experience working with students across a wide range of learning profiles, with particular expertise in supporting students with dyscalculia, math anxiety, and other learning differences affecting numeracy and reasoning. He earned his Ph.D. in Mathematics with doctoral research in Mathematical Logic, and holds an M.A. in Philosophy as well as a B.A. in Philosophy and Linguistics. As an Associate Educational Therapist with LA MindWorks, Shlomo specializes in translating rigorous mathematical and scientific content into accessible, confidence-building experiences tailored to each student’s unique learning profile.

Shlomo’s approach is rooted in the conviction that every student has a mathematical mind — one that often simply needs the right key to open it. As a research mathematician, he brings rare depth to his diagnostic work: identifying the precise logical and conceptual gaps underlying a student’s struggles, then building targeted, structured interventions that create genuine and lasting understanding. His work spans pre-algebra through Algebra 1 and beyond, and he has particular skill in helping students who have experienced repeated failure in math to fundamentally reorient their relationship with the subject.

In addition to his work at LA MindWorks, Shlomo teaches 7th Grade Mathematics, 8th Grade Algebra 1, and Earth Science at Yeshiva Ohr Eliyahu Middle School in Los Angeles. His classroom practice reflects a decade-long tenure at The Buckley School — where he was a recipient of the Teachers Fellowship — as well as experience at Milken Community School and other Los Angeles independent schools. He also creates and publishes educational materials on Teachers Pay Teachers, reaching students and educators nationwide.

Shlomo is deeply embedded in the Los Angeles Jewish community and is highly familiar with the culture, values, and academic expectations of Jewish day schools. He brings a nuanced understanding of the experiences of students in dual-curriculum environments — including the particular pressures and rhythms of yeshiva and Jewish day school life.

Through his work, Shlomo employs a strengths-based, relationship-centered approach, weaving together structured mathematical literacy, metacognitive skill-building, and genuine curiosity to help students not only succeed academically, but to find meaning and confidence in their own thinking.