I can not say enough good thing about the commonwealth learning center and about my child's tutor…read moreAmy. my child was struggling with reading was diagnosed with dyslexia and was becoming so discouraged with his school. since Working with Amy his reading has improved tremendously and his confidence. Amy works so well with my child always keeps me up to date with everything they are working on and my child is comfortable working with her. We are so so happy with this learning center .

My daughter and I met with Alex, the director, for an initial consult. Alex was well-prepared,…read morehaving read, highlighted, and annotated the test results I sent to her ahead of time. She also was prepared with a set of questions based on that material. Alex is caring, thoughtful, and even during the initial meeting demonstrated deep knowledge and experience. We are so happy to have found them.

I was recommended Beyond Book Smart by a neuropsychologist who diagnosed our teenage daughter with…read moreADHD. I set up a call. The intake person, Stephanie, never phoned me at our appointment time despite several emails reminding ME of our appointment. If this is the face our their company, then no thanks.

I feel compelled to leave this review. My husband & I scheduled a call to find out more about the…read moreexecutive functioning services beyond booksmart could offer our daughter. We were familiar with their two different membership plans. The level 1 weekly rate is $134 and level 2 is $174. Level 1 is geared toward "students who are considering changing their work habits to be more confident and successful" and level 2 is for "students that may be resistant to changing work habits, have complex learning profiles or and/ or an urgent need for support". I included a picture from their website below. I fully expected to learn more about the two options, and decide which would be best in our situation. But only level 2 was presented to us. When I asked about level 1, we were told that the coaching level survey I filled out online (in about five minutes) classified my daughter as level 2. WAIT? WHAT? WHY? Furthermore I was told that because I indicated that my daughter has a diagnosis in that online survey, she would be level 2. Then I was told, if we wanted level 1, we would need management approval for an exception to be made. is that even legal? Is it ethical? At the very least it seemed unfair. The company advertises rates starting at $134 -but children can't qualify for that rate if you child has a diagnosis (ADHD, ASD, Dyslexia, Anxiety, etc). At least without approval. To me that seems wrong. I asked again, so we as parents can't decide which option to choose. And we were told no, we would need management approval to go with level 1, lower cost option. At this point I ended the call. The director of sales did call me after and I had a good conversation with her. I stated that I couldn't understand how these business practices were legal, ethical or fair. She assured me they were legal, ethical and fair. But we agreed to disagree. She thanked me for my feedback and was going to share it with management. At the end of the day, we are not going to move forward with beyond booksmart.

RSM is an after school private enrichment program for mathematics. It caters to children from K-12…read more I attended RSM about 10 years ago when the school was still small. I was forced to go every single weekend for about 2 hours of extra math by my parents. I lived in Andover, which at the time didn't have a branch of RSM, so the only option was in Newton. Trust me, driving an hour for math was not my idea of a fun weekend, neither was getting stuck in traffic for an extra hour both ways when I had weekday classes. For some reason, my parents never complained about the drive- I guess because they knew it was for my own good. Class sizes at the time were pretty large- from what I remember there were only two levels. When I first began, I strived to be in the advanced class and worked up until the point when I was moved up- the occasional McDonalds trip with my father helped that motivation too. I also consider the homework at RSM an integral part of the curriculum. It is extremely important for children to actually sit down and do over the course of a week, not the 30 min car ride homework session right before my class that I would sometimes try get away with. What is taught in the 1-4 hours of class time is not enough for a child to retain for the next week or in a year, at least in my case. Throughout the constant battles of doing homework with my parents, I realized that the times when I actually spent 2-4 hours on my homework, would be the most benefiting classes for me. I have actually spoken to a lot of parents and their kids in the past couple of years who have/currently do attend RSM. A lot of parents simply send their children off to RSM and expect their kids to "do" the hw. "Doing" homework like it is done in public elementary schools is just not enough anymore. I have a younger brother who scribbles god knows what on his paper, hands it in, the teacher draws a big star on the sheet of paper and gives him 100%. I'm sorry but 9x9 does not equal to 75-- effort should be awarded, but how is he going to learn from his mistakes if the teachers don't even take enough time to look at his mistakes? And this is why I continue to love RSM. I probably received about 50 C's,D's or even F's on my homework or quizzes.. why? Because each teacher I had took the time to grade each problem-- looking for key strategies taught in class, including the correct answer! It wasn't until I entered high school that I personally realized what RSM had done for me. I was in honors classes all throughout high school, took AP Calc and AP Stat and did pretty well. --Don't get me wrong, I wasn't a whiz to begin with, but RSM developed critical thinking skills in me from childhood that helped me understand and grasp new materials easily. SAT's at this point, seemed like a piece of cake- thankfully, I was able to avoid the annual SAT craze. The SAT craze is what I call the obsession for SAT cramming in sophomore/junior year of high school. Andover had a huge SAT craze as the local parents went crazy for the "best tutors" for their children in high school. I completely disagree with spending hundreds of dollars an hour during sophomore/junior year in high school trying to cram information into a child's head. Of course the SAT's are all about tricks, but you also have to have a solid foundation of the material in order to complete the test quickly and correctly. Throughout the RSM curriculum, by the time I was in 8th grade, I took my first SAT test for the Johns Hopkins Competition. Believe it or not, I did better than an average junior or senior in high school. By my sophomore year, I did not have to take any additional tutoring sessions and now was the one with all of the free time. While my friends crammed in 4-6 hours of SAT prep, multiple times a week, with extremely expensive private tutors, I scored in the high 700's for the math portion of the SAT I and SAT II, and got to finally relax on the weekends of my junior and senior year. On top of the quantitative proof of the results of previous RSM students and their astonishing accomplishments at higher institutions of learning, RSM fosters a place of personal development and growth. I grew up spending most of my weekends at RSM and ended up making friends who are actually my roomates in college now. I treated RSM as an activity, like any other sports team--I went to learn and even made a few lifelong friends along the way. In conclusion, Many of us have seen the new "Waiting to Superman" documentary which was right--how can we expect the next generation of children to advance the world if their education is limited? Well, the solution is in your hands and RSM is here to help.

This was the most stressful experience I have ever had with my kids' extracurricular activities…read more The class was fine -- teacher was actually pretty good -- and the math was good and kids were able to do their homework without too many challenges; the administration was awful and I have never encountered such a mercenary business, particularly one that is for children. We told them when we first came in to get an evaluation that we are a middle-class family and would need financial assistance in order for our kids to attend. They told us that they had an application to fill out and I was pretty confident we would get one as we do for most of the activities in town. The application was ridiculous and exhaustive, and it took a long time to complete it (I've never been asked what charities we donate to??). Every pay cycle, I would reach out by email and ask if they had reviewed our application. I would wait to pay our monthly bill, there would be no response, then bam -- they'd slam us with a late fee every time for not paying by the due date, even though they never got back to us about whether or not we received a scholarship and what the amount should be. They would also immediately shut down our account if we payed late, so that the kids couldn't access their homework. After the last day of class and final exam, we tried to check their scores online, but lo and behold, they had already closed our account. The teacher was surprised that the administration had done that; they knew we were not going to register for another term as we couldn't afford it (after many weeks, they finally denied our application), so it was vindictive and just unprofessional. I've heard from teachers at private schools that Art of Problem Solving is a much better program, and one is supposed to open in Newton soon. If you just need a simple math class and you can afford it, RSM is probably not bad; it was just terrible for us.

We had a great experience with Steve from Strength in Numbers, who tutored our middle-school…read moredaughter in math, and Melissa, who tutored our son for the SAT. Steve was able to work with our daughter on her homework each week and help her understand any concepts she might have missed in class. He also helped her prepare for both regular public school math tests and standardized tests for private school. We had used a private math tutor and Mathnasium before and found that Strength in Numbers was far better at meeting our needs. Likewise, Melissa did a great job working with our son to prepare him for the SAT, which he recently took and felt very positively about.

From the owner: Math and science tutoring for students in Greater Boston and surrounding areas. One-on-one academic…read moresubject tutoring and test preparation specializing in AP courses - AP Physics, AP Calculus, AP Chemistry, SAT, SAT II, GMAT, GRE, and Subject Tests. Eastern MA, Dedham, Needham, Boston, Dover, Newton, Greater Boston, and the Metro Boston Area.

I had a very negative experience with the Director that does not seem to align with the website…read moregoals. I was looking for tutor and thought Fusion might be a good fit. After meeting with her, explaining how shy and anxious my kid is, she wrote him off within 5 mins for not being enthusiastic enough about going to a tutor and said Fusion could not help. (He succeeded no problem at another place last year, I just wanted a shorter drive and thought Fusion's website looked good). During the 2 tours she gave, she loudly proclaimed the silent area was no talking, completely disrupting the students that were there at the time. She demonstrated her agenda was more important than the students. She seems completely disingenuous about the school's stated goals and exceptionally rigid about how kids should be. I am really glad we will not be interacting with her regularly.

I love Fusion. I have a daughter that is academically advanced but socially challenged. (High…read morefunctioning autism/ 2E) She started kinder early at 4 and then skipped 5th grade. She simply loves learning and while in traditional private schools was bored and increasingly anxious about social interaction and group work. She's been at Fusion for two years. She works 1:1 with various teachers depending on the subject and while officially in 7th again this year (we decided to have her repeat as we are worried about her being closer in age to her peers when she graduates) she was able to take HS college prep biology last year, HS zoology and psychology this year in addition to her more typical classes (English, algebra 1, French 2, and medieval history) The teachers are wonderful with her. They have a collaborative style and really keep her focused, engaged, and enthusiastic. I receive academic summaries from each teacher everyday letting me know what they covered and how she did. Looking forward to her taking science in person at the Newton campus next year so she can do the labs in person rather than virtually.

Both of my kids (soon to be in 3rd grade, soon to be in 7th grade) are thriving at Wellan. It's a…read moreterrific learning community for pre-K through 8th grade; ~300 children, from pre-K to 8th grade, with small classes and skillfully staffed. It feels like a traditional schoolhouse model right in the heart of Newton center. The Montessori method leverages a child's interests, inspiring curiosity, creativity, and a desire to learn.

I recommend NMS to anyone that I can. When going on tours of various preschools for my son a…read morecouple of years ago, I had no real knowledge of what Montessori teaching was. Honestly, I thought it was very "hippy dippy", kids just doing whatever they wanted all day. When I took the tour (Deanna is awesome!), I was amazed... like jaw-on-the-floor amazed. The things she was showing me in the classroom just MADE. SENSE. It was like a light bulb went on, and I knew my son had to go there. We are now in our second year at NMS and couldn't be happier. The building is filled with people who care, immensely. The amount of planning that goes into a classroom is insane. NMS has a great community around it, the events held for student and families outside of school, educational events for parents (like Montessori in the Home), and fun events for parents too. The administration at NMS is amazing, every teacher is amazing, the specialists (library, music, language, etc) are amazing, the Parent Association is amazing, the early/late care staff are amazing, the office staff are amazing. I know that I am doing the best that I possibly can for my son by sending him to Newton Montessori. I've already seen the difference it has made, and I know that it's really the best environment for him to become the best, happiest, smartest, kindest, little boy he can be. And those are all things that will serve him throughout his life. Everything in his classroom is there for a reason, whether it works on fine motor skills, or how to hold a pencil, it all builds on lessons throughout the Montessori classroom years.

Our toddler started at SolBe on day one of the school opening. We had very high hopes after our…read moreinterview, despite the cost being much higher than the alternatives. For the added expense, we were promised minute by minute updates, a two-to-one ratio of teachers to students, and a focus on education that could be overlooked elsewhere. Unfortunately, despite an excellent experience with the Director and our son's first teacher, a significant change was made after a few months. The Director, along with many more staff members, were replaced, and the focus seemed to shift notably towards higher profits and cost cutting measures. Our son was moved into a much larger room where there were often two teachers for eight babies, even after they showed up late. The stress put on the staff still making an effort meant that the "minute-by-minute" updates through the app were ignored until the afternoon when they played catch up while all the kids were napping. Often, we wouldn't find out if our son had eaten or had a diaper change until hours after he'd been picked up. The high ratio also contributed to clothes being lost or ruined with art materials unsuitable for infants, diaper changes being skipped, brusies and scrapes, and a near weekly changeover of staff who were clearly frustrated with the experience as well. Our son's class shared a changing room with another, and it was very common to hear the teachers there, unaware they were being observed, repeatedly screaming at the toddlers "everyone come here" and "be quiet". Another thing for prospective families to consider is that SolBe considers themselves a school first and a daycare second. On the average month, SolBe closes around three working days for holidays, conferences, and "teacher enrichment", meaning that working parents will suddenly have a child to account for (not even to mention the frequency that they contact you and ask you to bring your child home early because they "seem like they're not feeling so well', with no other symptoms than a low fever and a lack of energy; a very common experience for young kids). Obviously, the monthly cost is the same regardless of how many days they actually care for your child. Ultimately, we found another center that is offering 5 nine-hour days a week for the same price that SolBe was charging for 3 seven-hour visits. The new school doesn't have a fancy app or gourmet lunches, but we feel our child is a lot more than just an income source in their eyes, and we're much happier. (FYI- This review refers to the new location on Sherman Road, which doesn't have its own listing as of this date.)

Our family is extremely fortunate and blessed that our son's first social experience was at Solbe…read more He started school when he was just one year old, and was greeted with unparalleled love every day by his class teacher, all the other teachers, the director, and the chef. Now, he runs out the door and into his classroom. This 2 years old ability to love others and accept himself is on full display not only at Solbe, but also at the park, the supermarket, and on trips, where he greets everyone with a smile and a "Hello!" As parents, I am most grateful for : Solbe's nutrition system, the best in the US. Three meals a day, chefs prepare fresh, nutritious, and varied menus, allowing our young children to experience a wide variety of foods and get the most nutrition. So I can forgive myself when I serve him just chicken nuggets at dinner :) Furthermore, from such a young age, the teachers provide new art experiences every day. My son loves drawing, talking, singing, dancing, and running around--all of these activities are spontaneous and active. Thanks to Solbe, his brain, mind, and motor skills have developed remarkably, and most importantly, he seems very happy. So I can forgive myself when I let him watch TV before dinner time :) I am grateful to the teachers and staff who provide the world's best early education, nutrition, with a big love spirit and we truly appreciate their professionalism.

Amazing experience!!!! Wonderful school and city. The atmosphere is awesome and the staff is super…read morefriendly!!! It was the first time I took an English course, and that was the best choice I could have made. THANK YOU for excellent instruction, facilitators and facilities.

Great school! So happy to be part of BIAs students! It's a place where we can learn English, make…read morefriends, see different cultures. Just love the staff and teachers!

My disappointing Pearson experience is identical to the other one-star reviews that I see here…read more I purchased a book with the accompanying MyLab. It turned out that my university does not have a contract with MyLab/Pearson so I could not access the MyLab online component. I spent two hours on the phone with Pearson's answering service. These operators are clearly working from scripts, so I don't blame them for Pearson's poor customer service model. It took two hours of my time (and theirs!) for the fourth customer service representative to recognize and communicate the problem. Turns out, I purchased a bundled textbook and MyLab and therefor MyLab cannot be refunded separately from the book. So, I decided to keep the book and eat the cost of MyLab. Resolved? Oh no, my friends. Seven weeks later, I received an unauthorized charge on my credit card from Pearson Education. I have no idea what this charge is for since I have not made another purchase, have not received any refund, and it is not identical to the cost of the book, the MyLab, or the book and MyLab combined. As I write this, I am again on hold with these jokers... approaching completion of my second hour on the phone with them (and fourth overall)... having been transferred to another operator that supposedly "will resolve this. we apologize. bla bla bla." Yeah, I'm getting other work done as I run on this hamster wheel but forking sheet... I will never ever use this company again. You've heard of too big to fail? These guys are too big to succeed. I feel like I am a small fish to them and they just don't care.