INDIVIDUALIZED LEARNING PROGRAM

WV student regains
confidence at centre

FOR YEARS Cindy’s teachers had unintentionally pushed
her through the school system, but when she reached grade
eight the gaps in her education were beginning to show.

NEWS photo Mike Wakefleld

LAURA MADDICK, teacher with North Vancouver’s Sylvan Learning
Centre, tutors pupils Aaron Hall (left) and Brook Parker at the new
facility.

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Cindy’s mother said her 13-
year-old daughter changed from
being ‘‘happy-go-lucky’’ to a
sullen child. .

“She was almost in a state of
wanting to quit. She just thought
she was stupid,’’ said Cindy’s
mother, who requested anonymity.

It was at this point that the West
Vancouver girl was enrolled in the
Sylvan Learning Centre, located in
Kerrisdale. The centre offers
children intensive training in math
and reading as a supplement to
their regular education.

The centre first tested Cindy to
see what grade level she was func-
tioning at before preparing her an
individualized learning program.
That was in January — two mon-
ths later Cindy’s grades have risen
sharply and her .confidence has
returned, '

This week Cindy transferred to
North Vancouver’s Sylvan Learn-
ing “Centre, which opened in
mid-March.

The centre’s North Vancouver
director, Adrian Parker, said the
school will guarantee a_ child’s
grade level will increase by one

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after 36 hours of instruction.
“We're not saying by coming
here a child will skip a school
grade, but we'll guarantee he'll be
functioning at a grade level higher

than what he came in at,’’ said

Parker.

“It’s our method of teaching
one-to-one and the resource mate-
rial that makes that possible.”’

Parker explained that, unlike a
tutoring program, the Sylvan
Learning Centre is able to isolate a
child’s academic weaknesses and
specifically address those areas.

She said the centre attracts stu-—

dents; like Cindy, with learning
problems, and students who need
extra challenges in education. In
the first week of opening, the
North Vancouver centre enrolled
10 students, although it has room
for between 100 ar.d 120,

The initial testing of a child, to

determine what skills he is missing,
costs $100. The program costs
$275 a month, which includes be-

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tween eight to 10 hours of learn-
ing.

Some students are in the pro-
gram for as little as 36 hours, while
others have stayed as long as a
year, she said. .

Motivation is a key for students
in the program, said Parker, and
they are awarded bonus points for
each academic task they suc-
cessfully complete.

Students can spend these onus
points at the Sylvan Learning
Store, where two points can buy an
eraser, for instance, and 290 points
could buy a walkie-talkie.

“Just like an adult with work, if
you didn’t get paid; you wouldn’t
want to continue there,’’ said
Parker.

“Te’s an extra plus that.makes it
fun forthe kids. But generally
what keeps ‘students in is the suc-
cess they have at school.””

Parker said the centre does not
try to compete with the regular
school system. The. centre is open
outside of regular: school hours —
Monday to Thursday from 3:30 to
8:30 p.m. oe

“We want to be partners: with
the North Shore school system. If
parents want to pay extra-for our
services we're here for them,’’ she
said.

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