clarissageo

Has anyone heard of, or had any dealings with this company?

We took our boys there on Tuesday to get them assessed - At age (nearly) 11 we knew that they were slightly behind the US kids on their education, as we have been having them doing some US schoolwork for their age that we got from the local schools website and they struggled with that a little. They should be going into grade 6 this year.

The youngest twin also has an IEP at his english school, so we know that there are issues there.

However......

Imagine our horror when we went for our consultation after their assessment to be told that the child with the IEP was at grade 1 level, and our supposedly intelligent son, the one who has been being taught with children a year older than him for all his school life and has been getting excellent results, is at grade 3 level, borderline grade 4!!! They did put a small amount of it down to accent when it came to reading and pronunciation of vowels, but there was 'severe problems' right the way through (by their assessment anyway).

The upshot of this - between them nearly 700 hours of tuition and a bill for $30,000.

I'd be interested to hear anyones experiences or opinions - I know that we will be getting them assessed when they start at their american school, but has anyone else had a child that has been (supposedly) so far behind, and how have the school handled it ???

fatbrit

Find a tutor by hiring a suitable student from your local college.

Manc

they wouldn't earn any money telling you the kids are great and all is swell.

clarissageo

Oh I'm under no illusions that they are running a business not a charity and are there to make money........ but damn, they are saying these kids are nearly 6 years behind! Is UK education really that bad, or do I just have 'i'm a dumb brit, open my purse and take my money' written on my head?

Manc

well......... I don't think so.

fatbrit

You could take the young Einstein there and they'd be offering remedial maths lessons.

But beyond that, your kids are from a different culture and have learnt different stuff. A college student (fresh out of grade school themselves) will quickly bring them up to par.

ugacrew

Screw'em. All your kids need are parents like you and great teachers. I went through school myself with learning issues and I made it through with two degrees without the help of the Sylvan Learning center. What helped me was having parents that took charge of my education. My mom in particular made sure I was on a college prep track as opposed to a vocational track. Vocational school here really pigeon holes a student into pursuing something other than a 4 year degree. My mom pretty much WAS my guidance counselor by going with what the universities required as opposed to the minimum requirements needed to graduate from high school. She also made sure that we lived in the best school districts. That really helped me out. I'm fortunate to have had her as my advocate throughout my education. That's something Sylvan can never be for a student. That's what matters most to me. That and Ritalin.

lisa67

Please don't panic...if it were me I'd wait until they started school. Make sure you voice your concerns to their teachers and ask them for their advice. I have found the teachers very understanding both when we moved over from the UK and when we recently moved states.
I have a friend whose kids were the same age as yours when they came to the US for a couple of years and fitted in fine here in the US and then went back to the UK and were fine there too....neither of them were exceptionally gifted.

Good Luck

RoadWarriorFromLP

Don't panic. Go to the school and find out what your kids will be studying next year for their respective grade levels. You have the summer to provide them with supplemental materials if there a few gaps to fill.

If the problems are limited to spelling and grammar differences, don't worry about it. Spend the summer showing them some of those differences, they'll figure it out. Once the school term starts, being immersed into school will quickly make them familiar with American ways. Kids are like rubber, they'll adapt in no time.

It might help if you gave them a bit of kid-level US history, too. It shouldn't be hard to find them a book or two on the subject that make fun and interesting.

anotherlimey

I'll teach your kids all they need to know for $29000...

clarissageo

lol Deal !!

Hubby has been trying to immerse them in the 'american way' since we first got together, and they do try very hard to drop the 'u' in words, although I do sometimes wonder if its because my little IEP baby just cant spell!!

I do think we will wait and see what school has to say, its worrying though knowing that the kids will be 'different' anyway to their peers, what with their funny accents, and one of my biggest fears is that they will be known as the 'dumb brits' instead of just the 'brits that talk funny'

I was going to do a degree once we got settled, and me and hubby were talking about me cancelling my degree to pay for the kids to be bought up to speed at school - I had to smile when the eldest (so called brainy) twin turned around and said 'no mum, you do your degree then you'll earn loads of money and then you can pay for us to go to sylvan, cos otherwise we'll be dead brainy and you'll still be thick and we wont be able to buy a wii' lol......... kids, gotta love em!

ugacrew

I think the above proves you've got a brilliant kid with an even more brilliant future ahead of him. That's what I call having common sense at an age when none exists. You can learn that at Sylvan no matter how much money you spend. You have absolutely nothing to worry about.

lisa67

get them to milk their accent for all it's worth !!
My daughter can turn it on and off to suit..even after 8 years
My kids came over here when they were nearly 4 and 6 and although they were a little apprehensive they soon slotted in and it was "really cool" to be friends with the kids with the "funny" accents.