About Data Detectives

Why I started this

Hi! I'm Richard. I'm a lifelong learner and want you to be as well. I started Data Detectives because I want you to know two things: that with the right tools and teachers, you can learn anything; and that learning about our awesome world is meant to be a joyful experience.

I've spent nearly 20 years teaching across a wide range of topics and demographics and I've spent even longer studying and learning. And through all of it, I have discovered that the best learners are not necessarily those with the highest aptitude, but actually those who simply enjoy what they're learning. I've also discovered how important it is to have a teacher who truly knows the student; learning in a manner that doesn't match leads to discouragement and dislike.

Classrooms are remarkable, but they have a fundamental constraint. A teacher with 25 students can't know that one child makes sense of fractions through food, or that another needs small talk before her brain opens up. No two learners are the same — but most education, out of necessity, treats them as if they are.

Data Detectives exists because I want to supplement what is already happening in the classroom and in the home, by teaching in a way that inspires students to want to learn on their own.

Our philosophy

Real learning happens when it's enjoyable. The teacher's job isn't just to present information — it's to spark curiosity, make material click, and walk alongside a student as they grow. I think of this as an apprenticeship model: deep, personalized guidance meant to powerfully supplement classical education. When students get to see the impact of what they're learning and apply it in creative ways, they learn beyond any lecture or classroom.

Data Detectives gives students and instructors a shared space to track progress, set goals, and reflect together. When learning is visible, it becomes a conversation. Students see how they're growing. Instructors spot where to push and where to encourage — the feedback loop that's impossible in a classroom of 25 becomes natural here. Our instructors understand this inherently because they themselves are learners. They know it can be difficult but rewarding, and are available to help every step of the journey until the student can run off on their own.

My background

I was a professional student myself — five years in a PhD program, a lifetime of competitive academics leading up to it — and I've had the privilege of refining my teaching techniques over decades of life and a multitude of students. I've taught a wide variety of topics, including chess at an early age, AP Chemistry, various material for college-level courses, MBA and executive MBA programs, data science, and theology. I've taught a wide variety of people, from kids all the way to seasoned adults, those who have excelled in our traditional educational systems and those who haven't. Through these years and experiences, I've learned that the best learning is personalized; and not just personalized, but delivered personally. Explaining one concept at the right time in the right way because you know the student can unblock the student for a lifetime of learning.

Who is this for?