Title: Davit Zakhariyevich Gondauri
Subtitle: Life and Work — A Biographical Documentary Volume
Description: Davit Zakhariyevich Gondauri: Life and Work is a biographical-documentary volume dedicated to Davit Z. Gondauri (1921–2002)—a renowned Georgian mathematics teacher, pedagogue, and public figure honored with the title People’s Teacher of Georgia. Compiled on the occasion of his centenary and issued in Tbilisi by Universali (2021), ISBN 978-9941-26-812-0, the book blends scholarly rigor with public accessibility. Drawing on personal archives, institutional records, press coverage, photographs, and both published and unpublished methodological writings, the editors (led by Gondauri’s grandson) reconstruct a life spent shaping generations through mathematics education and civic example.

The volume is organized into seven chapters. Chapter I presents a carefully sourced chronological biography (1921–2002): from Gondauri’s upbringing and studies, through his appointment as a mathematics teacher in 1940, to six decades of service in Tbilisi schools—especially School No. 77—punctuated by major honors for educational excellence. The chronology documents awards and public recognition spanning the Soviet and post-Soviet periods (e.g., high sectoral distinctions and decorations acknowledging outstanding contributions to education). Source attributions are provided so readers can gauge evidentiary weight.

Chapter II surveys the genealogy and historical footprint of the Gondauri family, tracing roots in Akhmeta and settlement in Tbilisi/Avlabari, and linking family history to wider currents in Georgian social and educational life. Chapter III curates Gondauri’s methodological work in mathematics teaching: practice-anchored problem design; geodetic fieldwork with student-made instruments; early and systematic use of vectors in the school geometry curriculum; assessment and examination practices; and reflections on curricular and textbook reforms. The selections illuminate his hallmark approach—intellectual rigor joined with applied orientation and formative assessment as a driver of mastery.

Chapter IV compiles press articles, interviews, and reviews that track Gondauri’s public profile and his influence on teaching culture, while Chapter V collects memoirs by students and colleagues that reveal his moral authority, civic ethos, and student-centered mentorship. Chapter VI situates his practice within his family context, and Chapter VII provides a photo chronicle and document facsimiles—including awards, commendations, and manuscript pages—offering a visual record of classroom craft and public service. A concluding bibliography supports further research.

Positioned at the intersection of biography, pedagogy, and public history, the book is intended for educators, historians of education, and general readers. It documents how professional excellence, civic responsibility, and pedagogical innovation can sustain a community of learning across turbulent decades. By uniting chronological narrative with primary documents and classroom method, the volume serves both as a reference for Georgian educational history and as a practical resource for contemporary mathematics instruction.
Subjects: Davit Zakhariyevich Gondauri People’s Teacher of Georgia Mathematics education Pedagogy Educational history Soviet and post-Soviet education Mathematics teaching methodology Georgia (Tbilisi) Biography Education and civic responsibility Mathematics teacher training Public education Educational heritage 20th-century pedagogy History of mathematics teaching Educational innovation Teaching excellence Educational leadership Mathematics curriculum development Georgian educators
Places: Tbilisi, Georgia; Akhmeta, Georgia; Avlabari (Tbilisi, Georgia)
People: Davit Zakhariyevich Gondauri
Time periods: 1921–2002 (20th century Georgia, Soviet and post-Soviet period)