Sylvan Learning, the Nation’s Leading Provider of Supplemental Learning, Reveals Tips To Parents to Help Students Succeed for the Remainder of the Academic Year

With the second half of the school year in full swing, it has become apparent that many students are struggling to keep up with the pandemic-induced learning loss. Some students are excited to be in person, while others are still experiencing learning from a virtual setting. For parents, the challenge of dealing with a student who is struggling with challenges from the inconsistent learning over the past three school years can place a huge stress on the family dynamic.

Emily Levitt, vice president of education at Sylvan Learning, the leading provider of personal learning for students in grade K-12 with more than 750 points of presence worldwide, places importance on the second half of the academic year, and offers some tips for parents to help students get caught up.

The first tip is to develop a routine and check in regularly with your student and their teacher.

“There’s no big secret to academic success,” stated Levitt. “It’s about putting the work in and being consistent — and that means sticking to study and homework routines and making sure that the student is getting plenty of sleep as well. Check in regularly with your kids, and if they're younger, also with their teachers. Ask them regularly how they are feeling and if they feel overwhelmed so you generally understand what's going on. If you have behavior concerns, talk to a teacher.”

Parents should also be monitoring their student’s behavior, looking for changes. Levitt explained that parents should be tuned into whether children are focused in the classroom (or at home) or disruptive. If in person, sometimes a simple seat change can limit distractions and help a child focus. If the student is virtual, perhaps their learning space needs a makeover to remove any distractions.

“If a parent isn’t sure why their child is not caught up, they can always bring them into Sylvan for testing at any time,” assured Levitt.

Sylvan administers Renaissance Learning’s STAR Reading, STAR Early Literacy and STAR Math, and these are standardized tests that look at data of not just the students tested at Sylvan, but students everywhere, nationwide.

“We are able to look at the children holistically and also compare them against national averages to let parents know exactly whether their child is on track,” said Levitt. “And if they're not, we develop a plan for each child, based on their specific needs.”

With more than 40 years of experience and more than 750 points of presence throughout North America, Sylvan Learning is the leading provider of personal learning for students in grades K-12. Sylvan is transforming how students learn, inspiring them to succeed in school and in life. Sylvan’s proven tutoring approach blends amazing teachers with SylvanSync™ technology on the iPad® for an engaging learning experience.

Sylvan also leads the way with Sylvan EDGE — STEM and accelerated courses and Sylvan Prep — college and test prep courses. Sylvan supports families through every stage of the academic journey. Sylvan is a wholly owned subsidiary of Franchise Group, Inc.