“Both my husband and I are educators, but Anna was not responding to our math help.  She started having difficulty with math in 3rd grade.  Unfortunately, the problems continued into 4th grade.  We needed supplemental assistance,” says Missy, an elementary education teacher and Anna’s mother.  The family had passed by the Sylvan center and had seen the commercials on TV.  “We decided to call for help and the Sylvan staff in Rome, GA, was so quick to respond.  From the very beginning, the staff was friendly and very hands-on.  We knew we made the right choice,” she adds.

Anna, a ten-year-old 4th grade student, began Sylvan’s Math Essentials and Homework Help programs in January 2008.  “I really, really love Sylvan because it’s ‘plain out fun,’” explains Anna.  Due to her enthusiasm and hard work, in just four months, Anna’s math grade improved from 70% to 87%.  “I know Sylvan helped me because math is not hard for me anymore. I think Sylvan is one of the best places a kid can go to learn.  It’s awesome and really cool.  And, my Sylvan teachers take baby steps until I understand the lessons better,” Anna explains.

Missy agrees. She explains that Sylvan’s personal instructors “act as if Anna is their own daughter,” and, as a teacher, it struck her that manipulatives were used during the lessons to ensure learning retention was achieved both visually and tactilely. She further comments that she and her husband decided to send Anna to Sylvan because of Sylvan’s one-on-one personalized approach and Sylvan’s guarantee that a child's math or reading skills will improve by one full grade level equivalent in only 36 hours of instruction, or Sylvan will give the family an additional 12 hours of instruction free. (Based upon the results of the initial and follow up Sylvan Skills Assessment^®.)

“As a parent, I believe in Sylvan Learning because I have seen a transformation in my child.  She loves going to Sylvan.  She is more self-confident and feels better about her math abilities. That means the world to me, as her mother,” exclaims Missy.  “As an educator, I love Sylvan because the personal instructors go back and fill-in the skill gaps as the students work on their current homework.  As a teacher, I wish that I could do that for every child in my classroom.”   

Because of Anna’s academic success and her belief that Sylvan is fun, she will continue the learning process over the summer.  “There is natural learning regression that happens over the summer.  If the learning is not refreshed, the child will lose those learned skills.  Students have to keep the learning process fresh in order to fight the regression,” explains Missy. 

To learn how Sylvan can enrich your child’s learning experience during summer break, please contact your local center by calling 1-800-228-3413 or visit tutoring.sylvanlearning.com/academic-camps  for additional information.