Experiences w/ learning/tutoring centers for math remediation?

[thenmama]

Hi all,

 

Wondering if anyone has used any of the learning/tutoring centers for math remediation for PANS kids whose math has been affected by exacerbation? Dd has had so many exacerbations and had such a long bad stretch prior to finally being dx'd with PANS that her math skills/abilities have been really inconsistent. She's doing great as far as PANS goes now-- IVIG last spring and going strong on treatment dose of abx since. She's doing well academically in other areas but we're both still struggling to get her math back on track. It's so hard to tell what she's got down and what she has lost or never picked up while flaring. Because of this, we've been stuck in a pattern of thinking we're finally set to cruise, then hitting another brick wall. I'm just flummoxed at this point. I'd really like to turn the diagnostics, remediation planning, and at least some of the implementation over to someone else. I also suspect she might regain some interest and enthusiasm working with someone new (who's not her parent). And frankly, I've been operating in the state of overwhelmed for so long now it'd be a huge relief for me to be able to outsource this one stressful thing and know it was being handled.

 

So-- wondering if anyone has used any of the tutoring/learning centers like Kumon, Huntington, Sylvan, etc. If so, would love to hear about your experience, pros/cons, feedback, etc.

 

TIA!

Edited February 2, 2012 by thenmama

[peglem]

Hi all,

 

Wondering if anyone has used any of the learning/tutoring centers for math remediation for PANS kids whose math has been affected by exacerbation? Dd has had so many exacerbations and had such a long bad stretch prior to finally being dx'd with PANS that her math skills/abilities have been really inconsistent. She's doing great as far as PANS goes now-- IVIG last spring and going strong on treatment dose of abx since. She's doing well academically in other areas but we're both still struggling to get her math back on track. It's so hard to tell what she's got down and what she has lost or never picked up while flaring. Because of this, we've been stuck in a pattern of thinking we're finally set to cruise, then hitting another brick wall. I'm just flummoxed at this point. I'd really like to turn the diagnostics, remediation planning, and at least some of the implementation over to someone else. I also suspect she might regain some interest and enthusiasm working with someone new (who's not her parent). And frankly, I've been operating in the state of overwhelmed for so long now it'd be a huge relief for me to be able to outsource this one stressful thing and know it was being handled.

 

So-- wondering if anyone has used any of the tutoring/learning centers like Kumon, Huntington, Sylvan, etc. If so, would love to hear about your experience, pros/cons, feedback, etc.

 

TIA!

I used to do tutoring for a company called Mathnasium. I've worked for several other tutoring companies and I think their system of identifying and targeting/remediating the specific skill set the student needs addressed is the best I've seen.

[thenmama]

Thanks for sharing your thoughts on this, Peggy-- great to get an insider's perspective! I had ruled Mathnasium out based on a phone conversation I'd had with someone at a location near us, but I'll give it another look now. He did say we could come observe, so maybe that'd be the best way for me to assess it. Some people are better in action than they are talking about it.

 

Thank you!

 

TH

[AmySLP]

Not sure if this will really be helpful, but in regard to sylvan....the teachers are paid very very poorly, so it would make me wonder about the quality of teaching. They are paid the same regardless of number of kids in group and based on what my sister told me (who is a math teacher and considered tutoring there until they told her that most sessions are group of a variety of level leathers and what she"d be paid) . She couldn't believe what parents were paying for what they were getting in return. I'd consider hiring a math teacher privately.

[thenmama]

Thanks, Amy! Finding an individual tutor is an idea I keep returning to. One of the concerns I had when I spoke to the Mathnasium person was the "students work independently with supervision and assistance as needed" model. That model (among others) has already failed us so I'm not sure the difference in materials would be enough, especially knowing dd's personality and learning style.

 

Maybe I should consider hiring out for the assessment and see if more formally identifying the gaps/weaknesses would be enough to focus our efforts and get us back on our way.

 

I should probably know better than to expect standard/commercial tutoring services to be a good fit for my kids who are not cut out for standardized anything-- we are square peg/round hole extremists

 

TH