Philadelphia’s HBCU-rooted, neurodivergent-inclusive, Black-owned tutoring.
What We Stand For
Black-Owned. Black-Led. Welcoming to All.
Dreaming Elephants Tutoring is a K-12 tutoring company in Philadelphia, founded in 2017 by Thomas Sumter III and Dr. Jeremy Cooper. We tutor Math, ELA, Science, and Test Prep, in-home, in-community, or online.
Meet Thomas
CoFounder & STEM Educator
BS Chemistry & Biology, Voorhees University (HBCU). 20+ years of tutoring and education experience. Lean Six Sigma certified. PMP certification (2026). Diagnosed with a learning difference at 32, which deepened his commitment to a neurodivergent-inclusive platform and curriculum. That lived experience shapes everything we do.
Meet Dr. Jeremy Cooper
Co-Founder
Dreaming Elephants Tutoring would not exist without Dr. Jeremy Cooper. As co-founder alongside Thomas Sumter III, he helped build the company from the ground up, shaping the vision, values, and academic philosophy that still guide everything we do. His brilliance, rigor, and belief in the potential of every student are woven into the foundation of DET, and we honor the lasting impact of his early leadership.
Black-Owned Tutoring in Philadelphia With HBCU Roots
Rooted in the HBCU tradition, we bring high expectations and genuine care to every session, serving K-12 families across Greater Philadelphia in-home, in-community, and online.
Our Mission for Philadelphia Students
Dreaming Elephants Tutoring was built on a simple belief: every student deserves an educator who sees their brilliance. Representation matters, and students thrive when they are taught by educators who believe in them completely and understand their lived experience.
We partner with families across the School District of Philadelphia, charters, private academies, and homeschool settings. Led by educators with decades of combined experience, we treat tutoring as a relationship, not a transaction, one devoted to your child’s academic growth, self-belief, and long-term success.
What Sets Our Tutoring Apart
Certified, Caring Educators
Every tutor on our team is a certified or degreed educator with real classroom and tutoring experience. We do not hire gig workers reading from a script. Instead, we invest in professionals who understand how children learn and who genuinely delight in watching a student succeed.
Personalized, Diagnostic-First Plans
Learning is never one-size-fits-all. Before regular sessions begin, we assess each student’s strengths, gaps, and learning style, then design a plan built specifically for them. That plan evolves as your student grows, so support always stays relevant and effective.
A Welcoming Space for Every Learner
We are proud to be neurodivergent-inclusive, welcoming students with ADHD, dyslexia, autism, and anxiety, as well as gifted learners and everyone in between. Every family, background, and identity is celebrated here, because we believe great tutoring begins with genuine belonging.
Since our founding, we have had the privilege of supporting hundreds of Philadelphia students on their academic journeys, from struggling readers who found their confidence to college-bound seniors who earned the scores they needed. What unites them all is a simple truth we hold dear: with the right support, encouragement, and belief, every single student can dream bigger and achieve more than they ever imagined.