We joined the Sylvan family just before Christmas of 2021. And we're so grateful we did. They say…read moreit takes a village to raise a child...just make sure Mr. Rick Hernandez and his brilliant daughter Nadia, owners of Sylvan Learning of Edison, are a part of that village.
Allow me to preface this review by saying that I'm a proud, former math and science student. Playing with numbers are a comfort zone for me. With that being said, being a math geek does not assure progeny with the same acumen. Nor does it guarantee an ability to translate and transfer those math skills to a struggling teen. We're not all naturally born teachers, despite earnest parental attempts. And as a result, my hard-working child suffered from my shortcomings, coupled with the troubled virtual learning experience of the pandemic lockdown.
Beloved son was always an A student in his elementary school years, including in Math. But he worked very hard to achieve this. Math was never his forte. His Honors Geometry class in his freshman year of high school only served to highlight his ongoing struggles.
By the second marking period, we knew we needed to escalate and find additional resources.
After an unsuccessful experience with another learning center, we found the relatively new Sylvan Learning Center of Edison, conveniently located right on Route 1, next to the very familiar Chuck E Cheese.
Responding within a few hours, a very pleasant Mr. Rick invited us to come to the center and take an assessment.
It was immediately obvious, Sylvan is not like your typical learning center. The center is pristine...brightly lit...with multiple tables reserved for each tutor and his/her one or two dedicated students. There is coffee provided in the front lobby for parents choosing to wait. There is a fun and decorative prize section for the children to choose earned rewards from their sessions. (Older kids can earn gift cards if they'd rather forego little toys!) They even provide drinks and snacks for the children, so that hunger is never an issue. It is a place where children can be comfortable and their learning experience properly nurtured.
And unlike other learning centers, there are no generic group sessions comprised of rote math exercises force feeding memorized equations. Rather, Sylvan provides personalized one-on-one instruction with resources hailing from the most applicable backgrounds. (Case in point, Mr. Rick strove to find top tutors from some of the area's best universities to provide instruction. He knew that the knowledge these instructors would have would be the most relevant and current with the latest teaching strategies.)
I knew that there were gaps in my son's math education. The Sylvan assessment immediately identified each and every gap of my son's math foundations as early as from his third grade skills up to the most current.
Once the assessment data was compiled, Rick could now legitimately design a learning plan for my son, with most importantly, required milestones and an actual end date. (This was a must for us. Unlike with other learning centers, I had no interest in an undefined relationship with ambiguous goals. )
To be fair, Sylvan was not the cheapest option. The other center was almost half the price. But the difference in learning experience was striking. And working with Sylvan is still much more economical than hiring a single private tutor outside. It was the perfect compromise where we were concerned.
However, while a learning plan was set, there was still the concern of flexibility. Mr. Rick assured me that they could always work around our ever-changing commitments. And he did. Again and again and again. As long as I could endeavor to give at least a day's notice, he would handle the re-scheduling of his incredible staff so my son could work with the same group of tutors.
Along with the instruction, a few minutes per session could also be used for homework help, if needed. But this would not be a focus. Recall, each student has a learning plan in place. To supplement the learning, Sylvan also provides access to its learning website...where students could access homework assistance from home. While we didn't always take advantage of this offering, it was good to know that such a resource was available when not in session.
Finally, after a pleasant six months at Sylvan, during an equally difficult time in high school, beloved son is finally confident that he's completely "caught up" in math. He was able to comfortably pass in his class when in reality, Honors Geometry became progressively harder each day. I don't really know what we would have done had we not found Sylvan.
If you're looking for additional instruction for your child, whether it be in math, English or even in preparation for standardized exams, including the SAT/ACT, give Rick Hernandez a call. You can thank me later.
