It’s because I can’t read anything!

"Dear Dr. May,

When he came to Sylvan my son was in the low reading group, Special Ed. Reading. When asked, he would say, “I hate the library.” When asked why he hated the library, he would reply, “It’s because I can’t read anything.” School was getting more difficult for him each year. His self-esteem was dropping. Math had been a strong point for him. However, reading was impacting his math. He needed something to jump start him: reading is essential.

He has a good time at Sylvan. He likes his Sylvan teachers. He enjoys coming to Sylvan even during the summer months. It had been so long since he had had success at school. He wasn't feeling good as everyone was doing better than he was. Since coming to Sylvan, he is seeing real improvement in his reading at home. He is now proud of his reading to his Dad. Before Sylvan, he didn’t want to read at all. He wants to read now. I am so encouraged. He has always been a hard worker. It’s good to see him getting benefit from his hard work. He was getting to the point where he wasn’t sure he would ever be able to read. Now he knows that he can read. He now knows that he can overcome something that is difficult for him."

- Sylvan parent

Now, he raises his hand!

"To: Mat-Su Sylvan Learning Center

This is a quick note about the progress I have seen in my son since coming to Sylvan. Just the other day, we were sitting at the credit union and he read the sign. He has come a long way. He didn't need any prodding; he did it all on his own. Now, he reads all sorts of signs all on his own. He recently told me " I like going to Sylvan. It's just like the commercials. It builds confidence." I have seen a big improvement in his confidence. His teacher, who has had him for 2 years, had never seen him raise his hand in class before coming to Sylvan."

- Sylvan parent

This is fun, I like it!

"To: Mat-Su Sylvan Learning Center

Re: K D

I am very pleased with my daughter's progress at Sylvan. She is happy now and says things like “this is fun, I like it,” when talking about Sylvan. She always wanted to learn things, however, there was a roadblock with Mathematics. When she received the results of her 36 hour CAT reassessment, she was so pleased with her performance. She says of the teachers at Sylvan, “they are great; they don't baby me.” Neither do they say, “Why don't you get it?” Now she has academic self-esteem and confidence."

- Sylvan parent

You really did a good job!

"The following material is taken, with parental permission, from an ongoing progress conference with a parent.


My two sons came to Sylvan for the Summer. Since their return to school this fall, I have seen a complete turnaround in their attitude toward school. Now they do their work and are helpful in class. R is at the top of his class. M is “cruising through stuff” at school. Homework is much better. It gets done without nagging and arguing. It used to be that M would try to watch TV while he did his homework. Now, he won't look at the TV. He will even sit so that he can't see the TV while working. Coming to Sylvan has changed the course of their lives. You really did a good job.

MS"

- Sylvan parent

Sylvan has paid off!

"Sylvan has paid off. His grades are up. Now, he turns in his homework. He isn’t complaining anymore. He likes the tokens at Sylvan and has things on lay away in the Sylvan store. He tells me about his good scores at Sylvan."

Sylvan, good deal!

"Good deal. Something is working. Cool. He thinks that he will get a C in Math. It's been a long time since he got a C. He is beginning to praise himself. I ask him all the time if he thinks this is worth it (Sylvan) and he says it is. I'm proud of him. I'm so glad something is working. You don't know how glad that makes me. It makes him feel good too."

- Sylvan parent

Now he reads!

"When he came to Sylvan was very wiggly and tended to hate reading. He immediately took to the Sylvan atmosphere. He got right to work and tried hard for every session. He consistently showed both good concentration and attention. He surged ahead while at Sylvan. The dividends from his substantial efforts were demonstrated at the 36-hour progress assessment. He showed a 3.5 Grade Equivalent change for the Vocabulary subtest of the CAT and soared for a 6.2 Grade Equivalent change for the comprehension subtest. He attained a Total Reading Grade Equivalent of 4.7. He showed a very clear improvement in his reading behavior in his home school work. Now he likes to read."

- Sylvan parent

He went from basically nothing to WOW!

"Charlie’s mother notes that before coming to Sylvan he had been in Special Education classes for 4 years. He had substantial problems in reading and didn't like to read. Now, after only 42 hours of instruction at Sylvan, his teacher has been calling home twice a week for the last few weeks to let his family know that Charile has stayed in from recess in order to read a book. His mother notes that now "I'm buying him chapter books at Walden's." He even read 14 chapters in one day. Now, he will have to finish a chapter before he puts a book down. She relates, "My heart is a flutter. He went from basically nothing to WOW!""

- Sylvan parent

She is now interested in going to college!

"She loves coming to Sylvan. This has been a great match. You should have seen her face when she came out of the HSQE math test. She is now interested in going to college. The change is like night and day. I knew I had to do something, but didn't have a clue what do do. Sylvan was serendipitous. I didn't think such a change could happen. Her positive attitude toward school is such a gift."

- Sylvan grandmother

Sylvan, it's wonderful!

"Sylvan is really helping my daughter. I can’t even think of the language to use to describe it. It’s wonderful! Her grades are up to A’s and B’s now. She reads out loud to her dad. Homework has improved a lot. Now, she is taking responsibility to turn her homework in."

- Sylvan parent

Now, my son is reading!

"My son is reading now and this has helped his math. It has gotten to the point where I have to tell him he has to do his homework before he can read his personal books. I can see his school work is improving."

Sylvan has clearly made a big difference for my son.

"The following material is taken, with parental permission, from an ongoing progress conference with a parent.

Reading has been a great difficulty for my son. While his math has always been better than reading, even his math has improved as his reading and writing have gotten better. Now, he has a much better self-esteem. He is reading passages in front of the congregation in church. Church members have remarked how much better his oral reading is now. Sylvan has clearly made a big difference for my son."

- Sylvan parent

Now, he wants to go to school!

"The following material is taken, with parental permission, from an ongoing progress conference with a parent.

My son is doing good. He can actually read stuff. I can tell a difference. He is using reading. Now, he wants to go to school. Before Sylvan, he used to try to find any excuse to stay home from school. His self-esteem has improved a lot. He used to have his head down. He fits in more with the kids at school. He can read with them now. He even reads with his brother. He doesn't stutter as much. Now, when he talks to you, you can actually hear him. He is even getting more into sports. He is starting to act like a regular teenager. He hangs out with kids his own age now. Before, he would spend time with much younger kids. It (Sylvan) will make a big difference when he is older. If he had been held back anymore, he wouldn't have wanted to graduate high school at 20. He would have dropped out, like his mother's older sister. If you can read better, it changes so many things. He doesn't feel left out now. It even changes your social life. Before, his mother was worried for him and his future. She wondered, what will he do when he gets 18. He couldn't even have gotten into the military. Before Sylvan kids were being mean to him and picking on him because of his reading."

- Sylvan parent

The people here are special to her!

"The following is taken with permission from a recent progress conference.

“This (Sylvan) is great. She (SM) definitely has more self-confidence. She said at this last testing (progress), “I think I did better.” She loves it (Sylvan). The people here are special to her."

- Sylvan grandmother

Everything was worth it!

"Restated from an exit conference with permission.

My daughter has come to Sylvan (for more than 200 hours) and everything was worth it. I've given her the foundation I wanted for her."

- Sylvan parent

Her overall attitude toward life improved!

"Taken with permission from a Parent Progress Conference:

My student actually liked coming and enjoyed it. Initially she had a terrible attitude that she was going to have to go to school in the summer but, that changed. We sure noticed a difference. She really enjoyed showing her progress reports to her step mother. Her overall attitude toward life improved. We want to thank her teachers at Sylvan. It's a shame we couldn't continue but, she had to go home."

- Sylvan parent

She now reads because she wants to!

"Taken with permission from a Parent Progress Conference:

8/24/06
She loves it here. I can see improvement. She is reading now and homework is much quicker. She actually learned. Now, she participates in class. The confidence is one of the most notable things. You have built her confidence that she can do it. She now reads because she wants to not because she has to."

- Sylvan grandmother