Here is what our parents are saying about Sylvan!

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Excited About Math!

"Chris spent the summer working on math skills in order to be prepared for 6th grade. He was struggling in 5th grade and needed extra help to be better ready to kick off a successful school year. After working on his math skills at Sylvan in Cypress, Chris shared that he was happy to have worked on division before going back to school and feels like he's more prepared for the fall.

Mom shared that "Chris looks forward to coming to Sylvan and never complains about his classes. He's never been happy to work on math before. You all have done a great job!""

- Chris' Mother

Nina Loves Reading at Sylvan

"Nina came to Sylvan Learning Center of Cypress this summer to work on her reading comprehension skills and increase her confidence. She is a very smart and sweet girl who needed a boost before starting 3rd grade in the fall in order to be reading at grade level.

She is only halfway through her program, but mom is already noticing a difference and says that her “reading is getting better - much, much better! I’m floored that she enjoys coming to Sylvan!”

Nina says, “I like earning tokens while I’m in class. Sylvan is really fun and helped me with a lot of stuff to get ready for school. The teachers always answer my questions and I learned things I didn’t learn in school.”"

- Nina, Grade 3 and Nina's Mother

Loves Coming to Sylvan!

"Maverick Martin started Kindergarten like any other student: excited to be at school and looking forward to learning to read like his older brothers and sisters. Unfortunately, Maverick struggled with his work at school. Maverick has a mind that is quick, bright, and clever, but for some reason, learning to read was a true struggle. The teacher at school was worried about Maverick being promoted to first grade for fear that he would fall further behind. Maverick’s parents brought him to Sylvan Learning Center in Cypress to address his issues, and after working with the teachers at Sylvan, Maverick is now on track with his reading and ready for first grade. Maverick’s mother, Tammy Martin, has said:

“Maverick is doing so much better and is reading so much better now. It is as if something has ‘clicked’ with him. He loves coming to Sylvan, and I feel so much better about sending him to first grade.”"

- Tammy Martin, Maverick's Mother

Learning to Read and Loving to Read!

"Brantleigh Davidson came to Sylvan Learning Center as a pre-school student and when assessed, she was unable to read at all. Her parents wanted Brantleigh to be exposed to a “school” environment and wanted to give her academic activities during her day. Brantleigh was a delightful, diligent student from the very beginning. Teachers enjoyed working with her, and her progress was fantastic. Traci Davidson kept wondering when the day would come that Brantleigh could read words on her own instead of just memorizing stories and pretending to read. That day came, and at the end of the instructional hour she was told that Brantleigh read her first sentence independently. Traci Davidson said:

“I had been waiting for the day when she would read. I knew it had to be coming soon because of all of the words she was trying to sound out, but this is a great experience! She loves books, wants to read independently, and thanks to Sylvan, she is well on her way. Because of how well she has done, instead of ending her program we are going to keep her coming to Sylvan so she can continue with her reading.”

Brantleigh is pictured with her favorite Sylvan teacher, Amanda Manske, who is now the director of Sylvan Learning Center in Norman, OK."

- Traci Davidson, Brantleigh's Mom

I loved it!

"“Maja has improved so much in all of her classes. She has gone from being frustrated and grumpy about her school work to happy and willing. She has been on honor roll all year and got the Star Student award for the first semester. We have not had any trouble with homework since she attended the Sylvan in Cypress. Thank you so much!”
- Caroline DeBoer, mom of Maja Arney
“School was difficult one year ago when I was in fifth grade. Sylvan has helped me a lot because I am doing really well in sixth grade. Sylvan has also helped my reading subject and my language arts subject. Sylvan is fun and I loved it. It helped me a lot.”
- Maja Arney"

From an F to An A in Math!

"Alec failed math in the 7th and 8th grade because he was lacking basic foundational math skills. These skills were not taught very well in his early years, and it was affecting his algebra scores. Alec began the semester with an F in math, but after attending Sylvan this fall, Alec scored a 94 on his final and now has a 94 average in math for the first semester!"

- Bryan Shewe

100% Improvement!

"When Trysten started Sylvan, she was not confident in herself. Partly because she was behind in her school studies, especially in reading and math. She was having a lot of trouble with her phonics and sounding out words, and this was giving her trouble with her math word problems, too. I (as her grandmother) had a hard time trying to keep her focused long enough to sit down and do her homework. But we kept trying, and we brought her to Sylvan. Finally, I was relieved because I saw that she was doing very well-- a 100% improvement to be exact, thanks to Sylvan and Staff!"

- Juanita C. Diaz

New-found Confidence / Abby Horn, 4th grade, and Jennifer Horn, mom

"Our daughter Abby is starting 4th grade this year. She has worked really hard to keep up in school for the last couple of years. Homework took hours every night. She started Sylvan at the beginning of the summer with the hope of easing her struggle with reading. She will be starting the 4th grade with new-found confidence! Abby has attended all of her scheduled sessions, and she is now exhibiting ease with reading. We are so proud of her. After each session at Sylvan, her outlook is more positive. Abby has gone up an entire grade level in reading! Thank you, Sylvan teachers!"

- -Jennifer Horn, Abby’s mother

Falling Behind!

"Lubbock has dyslexia and had fallen behind in his reading level; he was also having trouble in vocabulary and spelling. He asked to come to Sylvan, and he has really enjoyed his classes. Each day he leaves, I ask him what he learned, and he says, “ I learned a bunch of new skills!” He has improved greatly and he feels like he is a better reader. Lubbock also enjoys running with his mom and playing on his computer."

A Dream Come True

"I came to Sylvan to receive help with passing the math section of the THEA test. Truman was wonderful and listened to my needs as well as asking what I thought was best for my success. Truman partnered me with Mr. Doug, the instructor, who was patient and kind.
I love Sylvan, and I will consider Sylvan for any future needs for my daughter. Also, I passed the THEA with flying colors, and I am enrolled in the final stages of my degree. Thank you, Sylvan! Thank you, Mr. Doug! ALL of the staff are extremely helpful and friendly."

- Pamela Hollister

Very Thankful

"Megan had trouble reading since she started school. Though she loves books, putting words together was very difficult. She had a hard time sounding out words, breaking them up, and remembering easy words like “was”. We had tried two other tutoring programs, but not much improvement was seen. So we started Sylvan in May of 2008 (at that time she was finishing second grade). But she was below level in reading and was almost held back. Megan attended Sylvan all summer long and by her first six weeks’ report card, she made all “A’s” and was on level in reading! She was so happy. I am very thankful for the program."

- --Kim DeRouen

Since I was a little boy...

"Since I was a little boy, I have had problems learning in school. At the age of 5, due to my below average grade level, my parents had me tested for learning disabilities. To no one’s surprise, the test results came back confirming our predictions. I had severe learning disabilities in math, reading, and spelling. All through junior high and high school I struggled with all of my classes, but math was one subject that never seemed to get any easier. My high school did not have a math class in between resource math and algebra. I didn’t understand algebra, so I was put into resource math—which was too easy. I had that same class with that same teacher for all four years of high school, but I never improved my math skills. Now I am in college and enrolled in the lowest pre-algebra class available, but I still had no idea what was going on in class. I felt lost and didn’t know what to do to get my math skills up to pre-algebra level—until my friend Jamie told me to try Sylvan in Cypress. The first thing Sylvan did was give me an assessment to see where my math skills were, and of course they were nowhere near college level. When I started my program at Sylvan, I could hardly do multiplication facts, and now I can do them all in a flash. The Sylvan teachers also helped me in my college pre-algebra class- I am currently getting a B! I could never have done any of this before Sylvan came into my life, boosting my confidence in math. Now I have hope again, and the basics to make it through college math."

- Chris Bakies

Alec

"Alec started at Sylvan of Cypress towards the end of his Kindergarten year. He was having a hard time with his reading and especially his writing, and his school was concerned about letting him move on to first grade. We decided to have him placed in first grade, and we enrolled him in Sylvan during the summer for ten hours a week to help him prepare for first grade. We also wanted him to become more successful and confident. We had noticed that he was getting less confident and a little frustrated with his writing. He enjoyed going to Sylvan during the summer and before he was due to start first grade he really started to catch up. Once first grade started we could tell that his reading had improved significantly. Towards the end of the first semester he was reading at the level expected of a first grader. His writing is continually improving, and we are convinced that the help he gets at Sylvan (now 4 hours a week) together with the focus of school has made him more confident and secure. Both his reading and writing are no longer a task—he enjoys them."

- Simone Van Der Schalk

Proud of My Report Card

"As soon as I walked in the door at Sylvan I was nervous and really scared, but when I started going there more often I wasn’t so scared and nervous. All of the teachers I have had have been great. They helped when I didn’t get it and when I had questions. School may seem really boring, but the teachers at Sylvan make it fun to learn. Since I have been going to Sylvan I’ve been making all A’s and B’s; before, when I didn’t go to Sylvan, I made C’s, D’s, and F’s. Sylvan has helped me make a great improvement. Now I don’t have to be afraid to show my parents my report card. I can give it to them with a good feeling—I used to be afraid but now I’m not, and it’s all because of Sylvan."

- McKinzie Byrd, 7th Grade, and Beverly Shults, mom

Exponential Progress

"When Arnav first came to Sylvan, he had issues with reading, comprehension, math, word problems, and writing skills. Arnav has been attending Sylvan of Cypress since June 2008 for his reading, and in August the family added math and writing. His father, Fal Jariwala, says, ”there is a tremendous boost in his confidence and vocabulary, as well as exponential improvement in his grades overall”."

- Arnav Jariwala, 4th grade, 10 years old and Kal Jariwala, father

“An Absolute Miracle”

"When Kayli came to Sylvan, she was struggling in reading and became so frustrated that she had given up. With Kayli refusing to even try, I brought her to the team of people at Sylvan of Cypress. I have seen incredible progress made not only in her ability to read but also in her newfound excitement for learning. To see Kayli now reading books on her own is an absolute miracle. Sylvan has been an answer to our prayers. Kayli’s confidence and self-esteem have grown tremendously; she now goes and read books without prompting. Her math has also improved along with her reading skills.
Thank you for bringing out the brilliant little girl that was hiding inside my beautiful daughter!"

- --Melissa Davis

“Worth Every Penny”

"Chase struggled through 2nd grade. He hated school and had no confidence in his abilities. The main cause of his struggles was reading and comprehension. Throughout 2nd grade, Chase had tutors and I worked with him myself most nights. We made progress, but not enough. The school’s recommendation was to hold Chase back. I gave Chase his choices: mess around all summer and repeat second grade or attend Sylvan during the summer and hopefully go on to third grade with his friends. He picked Sylvan. I wish I could convey the changes in Chase after attending Sylvan—he loves school, he loves attending Sylvan, his attitude is great, he no longer complains about homework, and his self-esteem and confidence are sky-high. His reading, comprehension, and phonics abilities are on track for Chase to be “on-level” in third grade! Chase is a new student now. He is confident and has a great attitude towards school and homework; last year, he absolutely hated school, and he had no confidence in his abilities—sitting down to do homework was a nightmare.
Thank you for helping me, Sylvan! Initially I felt it was just too expensive, but I can tell you it is worth every penny!"

- --Dall Landry

“Just What he Needed”

"When we moved into the Texas school system, Dyllon was in the fourth grade. Moving to a different state was a big change, especially in school. Texas schools are more advanced and had their and own techniques for teaching math; he was at least a year behind. Dyllon struggled to catch up in math for two years. A new Sylvan moved into our area, and that was just what Dyllon needed. Sylvan has helped Dyllon advance, and he now is doing much better in math and has also brought his grades up."

- --Monique Raab

“Immediate Improvement”

"Bobby was failing Algebra II and having a difficult time understanding concepts such as inequalities, so he asked his parents to help him get some tutoring. He started attending Sylvan of Cypress immediately, and within one month’s time he brought his grade up from an F to a B!"

- --Charlene Jones

“I Would Not Hesitate to Recommend Sylvan to Anyone”

"Eric initially began in private schools where he was able to do very well. His grades consisted of mostly A’s and B’s. Unfortunately, as he got older and was transferred to public school, the A’s and B’s soon changed. The classrooms were not as small and the teachers were not able to administer such one-on-one attention. Once Eric began to slip into this downward spiral, it seemed more and more difficult to get him out. As his mother, I tried everything that I knew to try. I came to the conclusion that he was not applying himself, and I began to believe that I was the only party concerned about his education and progress. We talked, and I could see that Eric was unhappy about his performance as well. After having him tested, we found that he was extremely capable of doing much better in school. Having exhausted all of my options, I called Sylvan and talked to one of their counselors. They assured me that all hope was not gone; they guaranteed that if Eric committed to learning and using the study skills taught to him, he would learn how to study more effectively and become more organized. In return, his grades would improve.



Well, this was one of the best decisions as a parent that I have made on behalf of my son’s education. I am very pleased to share with everyone that Eric had all B’s this six weeks’ report card. We are all proud and Eric is very pleased with himself.



Eric enjoys going to Sylvan. He loves the staff. He thinks the director at the Cypress location, Ms. Heather, is great, and I share the same sentiment. We gathered that from our first encounter with her when we tested at Champions. I never have to remind Eric to go to his sessions; he is always excited to attend. He thinks Mr. Truman is one of the coolest teachers alive. I think he had no idea could actually be friends with a teacher, but Mr. Truman changed his opinion. His tactics and encouragement work well for Eric. After having our conferences, I too could see the genuine concern he has for the success of the students at the center. I would not hesitate to recommend Sylvan to anyone."

- Tetra Taylor

Tailored Instruction to Her Specific Needs

"Mary Kate was struggling primarily in math, but was also having some difficulty with reading. She had become frustrated with homework and how often she found herself confused. She also had troubles staying focused. Sylvan was able to identify the specific skills and areas in which she was lacking. They created a plan to focus on what Mary Kate needed.

The instructors were very positive and encouraging, so Mary Kate wanted to go and always had a positive experience. She wanted to work hard. We worked with her pediatrician to find a medication that worked to help her stay focused and worked with the school to make sure she was getting the extra help she needed. With the work of Sylvan instructors, Sylvan directors working with her teachers at school, and hard work by Mary Kate, she improved her math level by almost a grade level and works on grade level in reading!

When we added Sylvan to the extra help Mary Kate was getting, it gave her the chance to catch up on the concepts and skills she was missing in a non-threatening, encouraging environment. She was pressured by the tests and grades, but the Sylvan teachers were capable of teaching and building confidence. We know Mary Kate can be successful. We just needed the help to get her back on track to believing in herself and getting the tailored instruction to her specific needs."

- --Nancy Williams, mother of Mary Kate Williams, 4th grade

Reading Success!

"John spent the summer working on reading skills to better prepare for the 6th grade. John struggled in reading comprehension in elementary school and needed to strengthen his skills before entering middle school. After a summer reading program at Sylvan Learning Center of Cypress, John improved his reading level and could not be more excited to start 6th grade! John’s mother, Kendra, said:

“I can’t believe what Sylvan has been able to do with my son! He has progressed so much and I am so thankful for all the teachers and staff of Sylvan of Cypress.”
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- John's Mother, Kendra