tutors/ sylvan

[bearloch]

has anyone's child used Sylvan learning centers? Im looking for something for Middle school for test prep, study skills and science for over the summer!

thanks much!!

 

[cookingqueen123]

My suggestion to you you, is to look into hiring a middle school teacher that teaches those subject areas. In the long run, it will be way cheaper than Sylvan, which, in my opinion, does a very poor job.
I am hiring a fantastic math teacher, $15 an hour, for my daughter, this summer, to prepare her for 7th grade math.

 

[averysmom]

My suggestion to you you, is to look into hiring a middle school teacher that teaches those subject areas. In the long run, it will be way cheaper than Sylvan, which, in my opinion, does a very poor job.
I am hiring a fantastic math teacher, $15 an hour, for my daughter, this summer, to prepare her for 7th grade math.

I second this. Sylvan is better than nothing, but it's not great,
IMO. Of course, it could vary from location to location, because I think they are franchises. Also, b/c they "guarantee" success, their initial test is always so crazy low so the kids have nowhere to go but up. Keep in mind that they are a business and are in it to make money.
GL!

 

[disneymom3]

We had a good experience with Sylvan tutoring my homeschooled teen through a rough patch in algebra. However, I bought a special gift certificate type thing for a VERY reduced price. Otherwise it costs a fortune. I would suggest putting an ad on Craigslist for a teacher. Great time to do it as schools are just getting out. That way, your child willl also get one on one, which I was surprised to find out that Sylvan was not.

 

[bmraar]

I looked into Sylvan for my high school aged daughter this year for Algebra II/Trig. I was appalled at the price-- $190 for the assessment, and then the hourly rate varied depending on what level teacher they used. I contacted my daughter's school and they recommended a retired teacher, only 2 years out of teaching so she's still relatively current. I paid $40/week. The school said that typically retired teachers charge app. $30/session at the elementary and middle school levels, $40 for high school.

Hope that helps!
Kim

 

[okeydokey]

Sylvan is different from tutoring. They do not work with the child's textbooks and help with homework. They identify the skill gaps and learning deficiencies the student has and teach them what they are missing. If you can afford it, it ISA great program, but it is pricey.

One of the best things they do is boost a kids confidence in themselves and their ability to learn.

 

[DVC-Don]

We used Sylvan for son in middle school for his organization skills. Worked for him.

 

[Cindy B]

You should be able to find a certified local teacher at a lower cost. I charge $35 an hour, but 1) I'm in a more expensive area 2) I have four certifications, so I can teach these four subjects, I won't tutor in an area that I am not comfortable
And I am a lower cost.. most are in the $50-65 range.

Find a college student that has just finished college. They would love to do it. My local Craigslist is teeming with students looking to tutor. If you don't want to go the Craigslist route, try Wyzant. You could also go to a local college and ask. Some schools have an electronic messaging thing that students can check.

 

[bearloch]

thanks I was shocked too at the prices! Im goona look or a while!

 

[okeydokey]

I second this. Sylvan is better than nothing, but it's not great,
IMO. Of course, it could vary from location to location, because I think they are franchises. Also, b/c they "guarantee" success, their initial test is always so crazy low so the kids have nowhere to go but up. Keep in mind that they are a business and are in it to make money.
GL!

The initial test and the follow up test are different versions of the same test. Any progress made has been earned by the student due to their hard work. I would expect their scores to go up.

 

[rainydayplay]

I have worked for two tutoring companies. For one, I was paid $25/hour. I was given access to the child's testing results (tests done by the company) and had to interpret the results myself, provide my own materials, etc.

The other was Sylvan. I was paid considerably less ($8.50/hour) and worked as many as 4 to 1 instead of 1 to 1 (as with the other company). One the upside, all the kids met you at Sylvan, you didn't have to interpret the testing results and figure out what the child needed to be successful, and there was a full curriculum worked out for the instructors.

It should be noted that Sylvan and other similar companies are not "tutors." These companies test your child first to determine where s/he might have a deficiency. The testing will determine what grade level your child is working on, and will only work on skill strands that your child needs help with.

In other words, it is an individualized program that is geared towards figuring out what necessary foundational skills your child is missing and going back and filling in those blanks and building up to the appropriate grave level. With this program, your child should show improvement -- it may be gradual, but the key is that the company is trying to go back and fill in gaps in the child's learning which can occur for many reasons -- didn't get it the first time, was absent when all or part of that lesson was taught, etc. For some things, if you don't acquire the appropriate foundation, anything that is built upon that foundation will be weak.

Tutors, on the other hand, generally take the child's current coursework, books, etc., and try to help bring the child up to speed on the current work. There is no going back and trying to fill in foundational skills unless it is determined during the course of tutoring that you aren't getting C because you don't understand A and B, and you need know A and B to get C.

(Note that I am not necessarily advocating for Sylvan and other such companies. I just want to make sure the process is understood. It should also be noted that, should you choose to go with Sylvan, when I worked for them, you signed a contract for 36 hours. Our director (franchise...) would have parents sign the contract for at least 42. At that point, (which, again, should be 36 hours of instruction, regardless of whether it's an hour a day 4 days a week or an hour one day every other week) the child is supposed to be reassessed for progress and the curriculum changed, if necessary and if you want your child to continue with the program. Our director would push 42 instead of 36 so he could get more money out of the clients. Maybe because he was a franchise he could do what he wanted...and maybe someone finally complained, and that's why he's not a franchise anymore...)

A PP mentioned that Sylvan boosts confidence. I would agree with this. Sylvan works on a token system. As you successfully complete assignments, the child earns tokens which they can spend in the store.

Some other things to note:
Sylvan has a 100% free reading program called Book Adventure. (http://www.bookadventure.com) You can sign up your child for this program. Most of the Book Adventure books are Accelerated Reader books. I recommend this site to my students' parents. It has quizzes that are similar to the AR quizzes. Last time I was on it, you could test on a book 3 times without passing before it locks you out of the quiz. For AR, you can only take it once. You can sign up for Book Adventure, have your child take the quiz, and get an idea of whether or not your child is ready to take the AR quiz at school. Again...similar tests -- they do not use the same questions, but it does ask questions about what was read and such just like AR.

Sylvan also does "classes" like Study Skills, ACT Prep, and has a credit recovery program (aka Summer School). I don't know how the cost for credit recovery compares to the cost through the school system, but if your child is in that situation in which s/he needs to make up a class s/he failed, you might want to ask about this.

 

[My2Qtz0205]

I was a Director at Sylvan 10 years ago before I quit to have my first child. It is expensive, but it does work! I agree with what the PP said about filling in the gaps. The standardized test we used would determine which skills were weak, then we would set up a plan to work on those skills during a set number of hours. The general rule was 36 hours of instruction=1 grade level improvement. Thus, if a child was two grade levels behind in reading, we would recommend 72 hours of instruction.
I'm not sure if all centers do this, but my Center Director & I would also attend IEP meetings if requested by the parents, and also conference with the students' teachers to make sure we were all on the same page. This did not cost extra.
I am putting my own son in Sylvan this summer to improve his reading comprehension skills. I have researched the competitors, and I am still convinced that Sylvan is the best choice for him, even though the closest center is 30 minutes away. He needs to have a teacher right in front of him, and he needs praise and encouragement.
By the way, I saw a commercial last night that Sylvan is offering a starting rate of $95. Not sure what that is? Could that be a special assessment fee?

This has NOT been a paid advertisement for Sylvan! LOL.

 

[zannyscott]

My husband and I own a local franchise of Club Z! In-Home Tutoring in AL. So, we couldn't help you personally but their website will tell you if there's one close to you. We talk to the parents and review materials such as standardized tests and report cards. Then, we determine the areas of need. We match the tutor up to the student based on expertise and personality. We have a very small franchise (just started in October) and have around 25 tutors. I meet with each parent and child. (My husband and I both have a M.Ed. and I have 17 years of teaching experience.) I would highly recommend Club Z! It's very helpful to the child and parent knowing that a qualified individual is coming to their home. The child builds a comraderie with the child and is able to build a customized plan. In addition, you don't sign a long-term contract. (month-to-month) You can message me if you have any other questions.

www.clubztutoring.com

**Yes, I'm a Club Z! franchise owner. No, I would not profit from your tutoring. **

 

[averysmom]

I second this. Sylvan is better than nothing, but it's not great,
IMO. Of course, it could vary from location to location, because I think they are franchises. Also, b/c they "guarantee" success, their initial test is always so crazy low so the kids have nowhere to go but up. Keep in mind that they are a business and are in it to make money.
GL!

The initial test and the follow up test are different versions of the same test. Any progress made has been earned by the student due to their hard work. I would expect their scores to go up.

Right, but I've had students who *I* have assessed at reading at a certain level (John's), and their parents send them to Sylvan and Sylvan tests them at 2 to 3 grades below where I am saying they are reading at. Or I've given a key math assessment and Sylvan's test comes back, again, 2-3 grades below. There is no way. I'm not saying that progress isn't made - but it sure looks good that they went from grade 2 to grade 6 math in 36 hours

 

[okeydokey]

Right, but I've had students who *I* have assessed at reading at a certain level (John's), and their parents send them to Sylvan and Sylvan tests them at 2 to 3 grades below where I am saying they are reading at. Or I've given a key math assessment and Sylvan's test comes back, again, 2-3 grades below. There is no way. I'm not saying that progress isn't made - but it sure looks good that they went from grade 2 to grade 6 math in 36 hours

Every Center is different and I have worked at a great one and a not so great one (not for long). At the time I worked there many moons ago we used the California Achievement test. If the student was a 5th grader, we used the 5th grade level test. Then we gave it again after 36 hours of instruction (different version of the same level). The score it what the score is. We also used many other assessments, but the starting level of the program was based on the level the student scored on the CAT. You can believe me when I say that the Centers I worked at would NEVER fudge test results, if that is what you are implying.

Not sure what John's is.

 

[My2Qtz0205]

Every Center is different and I have worked at a great one and a not so great one (not for long). At the time I worked there many moons ago we used the California Achievement test. If the student was a 5th grader, we used the 5th grade level test. Then we gave it again after 36 hours of instruction (different version of the same level). The score it what the score is. We also used many other assessments, but the starting level of the program was based on the level the student scored on the CAT. You can believe me when I say that the Centers I worked at would NEVER fudge test results, if that is what you are implying.

Not sure what John's is.

Exactly.

Let me also say that test scores can also be influenced by the type of day a kid is having! If a kid is not focused, that is going to affect his/her test results! As an example from my own life, my son scored a 2.9 on his STAR reading test last Friday. His teacher felt this was way off, and actually showed a regression from the beginning of the school year. She re-tested him on Monday, and he scored a 4.4! The difference was that he was on a computer that was set apart from other computers, beside the teacher's desk, and that his dad and I had greatly (ahem) encouraged him to take that test seriously after we found out Friday's results! If you feel like test results are too far off from what you have seen based on school performance and observation and conferences with the teacher, bring up that concern. I agree wholeheartedly that Sylvan does not fudge results for financial gain, but it could be that your kid was having an off day!