Child 1 Age 14 - 15 (Male)
Program(s) focused in Academic/Tutoring (multi), Instructor lead (one on one)
(5) Overall experience
My child has always been hesitant and resistant to going to instructors for academic support. We had tried many other tutors in the past, and none seemed to be able to connect with him. After attending one session with Kelly one-on-one, he felt relieved and happy that she was not like the other tutors. During the following sessions, my son remained engaged and responsive to the different strategies Kelly taught based on his needs for organization and planning. My son continues to be supported academically by Kelly, and I believe she connects well with him. She was able to break the barrier he had with learning by giving him various learning strategies based on his challenges. It means a great deal that even though my son does not enjoy learning and finds it difficult, he continues to enjoy his time with Kelly as she provides a safe and fun learning environment for him. I would and will continue to send my child to this program because I can see that Kelly has made a difference in encouraging my son to make an effort to try to do his best at school.
(5) Reason for choosing the program
My child needed support with executive functions, and the organization was offering a course focused on this with Kelly. My son learned a great deal, and I could see improvements after the course when school started up again. I continued to stay in touch with Kelly. She was offering tutoring and, more specifically, coaching to help with academics and also some guidance with learning disabilities challenges. I felt I trusted Kelly, and my son already had a great connection with her. I chose the program over others because it offered a little more than simply tutoring. Yes, I believe it was a good investment as I could see results after my son attended sessions with Kelly.
(5) Program quality and activities
My child was resistant to the program at first but after meeting with Kelly, he became more willing to learn the material. My expectations were met with the program. At first, my son was not interested at all in learning the skills, however Kelly made the learning more interesting and fun with card games and board games, where my child was engaged and learned at the same time. Initially, she would probe and ask him questions about his likes and dislikes - and eventually found things that interested him (like crime stories and mysteries), and she incorporated his interests in the learning process. Kelly provides an ongoing summary of the activities and learning during the time she spent with my son. It was detailed and thorough, and also provided suggestions for teachers at school to help support his learning. The teachers at his school use this document to help support him in classes.
(5) Social dynamics and experience
My child interacted at times with a small group. His regular sessions with Kelly were one-on-one - there were no issues with bullying or inclusion in his program. I don’t have any examples or comments to make at this time regarding this area. There were no existing friendships and very few interactions with others
This is a non- applicable question.
(5) Skills and growth
The skills my child gained from this are: how to manage expectations and deal with his learning disabilities in a positive way. Kelly was very comfortable working with Cooper and found ways to help Cooper cope emotionally and academically. Cooper has grown and continues to make more effort in achieving results at school. I believe the social conversations with Kelly were challenging at first for my son. The suggestions for organization and asking for help at school were also especially challenging.
(5) Staff/Instructors/Counsellors
The organization was very supportive and tried to work with my schedule. Administration was helpful and respectful. Communication was through email mostly and some phone calls. Written documentation was completed and sent weekly. There are no conflicts at this time. Kelly is very responsive and returns phone calls and emails immediately
(5) Advice and tips
The advice I would give someone who was interested in this program is that Kelly is a very approachable person who is professional and knowledgeable in the areas of coaching and tutoring. She has a gentle spirit that engages children in a comfortable environment with no judgment. She challenges children, at their pace, and is always mindful - even when kids are resistant.
My son has ADHD and was struggling with comprehension and was disengaged in school. He really didn’t care. I was concerned about what would happen to him in high school. When he started, he was a B...
