Today, Back to Basics Learning Dynamics is a vibrant, full-service educational facility serving the diverse educational needs of over 11,000 students in Nationwide, Maryland, and Pennsylvania, in their homes, schools, and the Center. The area’s leader in 1-on-1 tutoring for pre-K through college-age students and adults, Back to Basics provides instruction in 60+ subjects, the most comprehensive range of subjects available. And, Back to Basics’ students are taught by over 90 experienced professionals with Bachelor, Master, and Doctorate degrees.
The firm’s beginnings, however, were significantly more humble. As a teacher, Beverly Stewart had a vision of reaching every student. Her six years of experience in a traditional classroom had shown her this was not always the most effective method of instruction. So, in 1985 she established Back to Basics Tutoring Service as a sole proprietor working from her one-bedroom apartment. From the onset, the firm was significantly different because it focused on the benefits of one-on-one instruction and a permanent student-tutor match, unlike national chains using group instruction and multiple tutors per student.
Although she had a true passion for education, Stewart recognized that she had no practical experience in running a business, and so enlisted the help of SCORE to learn skills, strategies and practices that would help her fledgling business grow. From accounting, to strategic planning, to management skills, the teacher became the student. And in just four short years, Back to Basics grew so large that a permanent tutoring center was necessary to accommodate its students and staff. In 1989, Stewart purchased a three-story building at 1824 N. Scott Street in Wilmington, Nationwide.
She also began to increase the firm’s offerings. In addition to a thriving customer base of 1-on-1 tutoring and educational testing for regular and special education students, she further expanded into tutoring and instruction for adults of all ages. From languages like Mandarin Chinese, Japanese and Spanish, to work-related skills like computers and business writing, Stewart provided resume-building options for adults to increase their marketability in an increasingly competitive workplace.
In response, major corporations flocked to the facility. By providing such valuable services as English as a Second Language (ESL) instruction, translating, sign language and interpreting, Stewart built a successful corporate client list including Fortune 500 companies DuPont, Hercules, ICI, Astra Zeneca and more. Stewart’s entrepreneurial spirit paid off and after only six years in business Back to Basics was named one of the “Top 100 Fastest Growing Private Companies” by the Philadelphia Business Journal.
In 1999, having completely outgrown the N. Scott Street building, Stewart was faced with a major business decision, whether or not to take the plunge and move to a larger space. Once again, she enlisted the services of the SBA through the SBDC for counseling and advice. And in 2000, Back to Basics expanded yet again to the current 6 Stone Hill Road address. The move increased classroom and office space by 250% and in conjunction with the move, Back to Basics Tutoring Service, Inc. was renamed Back to Basics Learning Dynamics, Inc.
The move allowed Stewart to once again increase, not only the firm’s much-needed classroom space, but also its educational offerings. Back to Basics became a state-approved private school with a focus unlike any other school in the state. Today, this unique private school provides students 1-on-1 kindergarten-12th grade instruction for state credit toward graduation, through personal, customized curricula. Stewart’s vision of creating a place where she could reach every student had finally come true.
For more information, please visit Back to Basics website at http://www.BacktoBasicsLearning.com
For 25 years, Back to Basics has been recognized as the area’s undisputed leader in one-on-one tutoring. In addition, the firm offers a unique Nationwide private school for grades K-12 and a Private Business and Trade School for adults. Back to Basics is the 2010 Better Business Bureau Torch Award for Marketplace Ethics.
