Introducing SylvanMathPrep.com: Sylvan’s New Online Homework Support Service

Finish your homework faster and easier! With SylvanMathPrep.com, you’ll see short videos, corresponding to the exact pages and concepts in your textbook, that explain the math lessons you’re studying.

SylvanMathPrep.com presents math problems in a new way, shows you the work so you can see how to do it, and provides practice problems (with the answers!), so you can master the concepts in no time!

To get started, visit SylvanMathPrep.com to sign up – a FREE trial is available! Select your textbook and page number and the video will explain exactly what you need to know.

Getting ready for the SAT or ACT? SylvanMathPrep.com can help you study for the math portions of these tests as well. Sign Up Today!

Creating a New Law: the Affordable Tutoring of our Children Act

For over a year, Sylvan Learning has been leading a lobbying effort in Congress to enact a new law aimed at helping middle class families better afford the cost of tutoring for their children. This bill will enable parents who earn less than $110,000 to set aside pre-tax wages to use for tutoring services in the same way many can today with flexible spending accounts (FSAs) for health or dependent care. If the Affordable Tutoring of Children Act (now called S. 744) becomes law, it will ultimately enable many more families across the country to purchase high quality tutoring services that they struggle to afford today. Many Sylvan Learning customers will have more money to spend on tutoring, and new families will be able to afford Sylvan’s services. 

Under present law, an employer may establish a flexible spending account (FSA) either as a stand-alone plan or as part of broader cafeteria benefit plan. An FSA allows an employee to set aside a portion of his or her earnings to pay for qualified medical and dependent care expenses. Money deducted from an employee's paycheck into an FSA is not subject to income or payroll taxes, thus saving both the employee and employer taxes. Federal law currently provides lower income families with resources for professional tutoring services, while upper income families take full advantage of supplemental education services. This proposal is intended to help middle income children obtain professional supplemental instructional services by allowing an employee to pay for such services on a before-tax basis.

Sylvan Learning is leading the lobbying effort to enact this new law because many middle class families find themselves in a chronic financial crisis with an ever growing portion of a family’s income going towards mortgages and health care. At the same time, the value of a college education on income earning has grown dramatically; a worker holding a degree from a 4-year college now earns 96% more than a person with a high school diploma. Many middle class children are performing below grade level in our public schools. For example, 32 percent of eighth graders score below basic in mathematics and 37 percent score below basic in reading.

Under the proposal, S. 744 would allow employees to use their flexible spending accounts to pay for after school tutoring services. This would not include private school costs or home schooling costs. The bill would allow employees making less than $110,000 to use tax free dollars for supplemental tutoring services for dependents ages 5-19. These tutoring services must be provided after school and be in the core academic studies of English; reading or language arts; mathematics; science; foreign languages; civics and government; economics; arts; social studies; or geography. It would also include prep for college entrance exams.

Senators Olympia Snowe (R-ME) and Bill Nelson (D-FL) have sponsored and introduced the bill but Sylvan Learning needs your help to generate more support for the bill so that it can build momentum and become law. Your voice is very important; our Senators may embrace this cause if they hear from enough constituents. Please take a moment and call our Senators: John Cornyn, (202) 224-2934 and Kay Bailey Hutchison, (202) 224-5922. Together we can improve American families' access to the high quality tutoring they need.

Are We Headed in the "Write" Direction?

When it comes to penmanship, the handwriting is on the wall. Although, it may not be written in cursive.

At the peak of the “Handwriting Movement,” before the wide-spread popularity of the typewriter in the 1950s, a majority of educators insisted on practice – as much as two hours a week. A 2003 Vanderbilt University study of primary-grade teachers found that most students now spend ten minutes or less a day practicing handwriting.

This lack of handwriting instruction can affect students’ grades.

“Illegible handwriting means that ideas and thoughts can’t be communicated effectively. Students may not be getting the credit they deserve simply because teachers can’t read their worksheets, quizzes, or essays,” states John Lee, Director of the Weatherford Sylvan Learning Center. “Children with good penmanship are able to better express their ideas – a lifelong benefit that will help them succeed in school and throughout their adult lives.”

In today’s industrialized, fast-paced society, handwriting experts say the immense popularity of email, instant messages and other electronic communication, particularly among children and teenagers, could erase cursive within a few decades. They fear computers are speeding the demise of this uniquely artistic and personal form of expression.

Many educators argue that handwriting plays a pivotal role in academic success and should once again be taught in primary school. They point to research showing children without proficient handwriting skills create shorter and less coherent essays from the earliest grades.

“With so much content to cover in the school day, some educators believe they don’t have time to teach handwriting,” says Jan Z. Olsen, founder and creator of the Handwriting Without Tears curriculum. “Teachers can be very effective teaching handwriting with short lessons that will help their students achieve their other educational goals.”

Legible handwriting is a building block for students not only to achieve good grades and compose with confidence, but also obtain successful careers. Good penmanship is necessary to write meeting notes, take professional exams and compose thank you notes for job recommendations.

To help students acquire this critical communication skill and obtain lifelong, career success, the Weatherford Sylvan Learning Center is proud to offer handwriting assistance for grades K-5. Sylvan’s Handwriting program, using the Handwriting Without Tears curriculum, can be paired with almost any Sylvan academic program for students looking to enhance their penmanship skills in print, cursive or both.

For additional information about Sylvan’s Handwriting program, please contact 817-594-4461 or visit www.tutoring.sylvanlearning.com/weatherford.

Dr. Rick's Blog Offers Education News, Tips, and Expert Advice

Looking for advice on homework, writing, test-taking, and other educational topics? Need creative ideas and tools for students from pre-K to high school? Get the latest ideas and advice from education expert, Richard E. Bavaria, Ph.D. (aka "Dr. Rick")!

In his new blog, www.drickblog.com, Dr. Rick will discuss the latest issues in education and offer tips and tools for students from pre-K to high school.

Dr. Rick's Blog will include current and relevant news articles, reference lists with additional resources, and many other exciting sections as the site continues to expand. The blog will serve as a supportive destination for parents and educators to visit all year long, and all are invited to post their own feedback and views!