What is the difference between Engage the Brain and a national learning center? Highly trained learning specialists and a passion for student success.
We all do it.
Whether it is for our home, our car, or even our bodies, if we have a problem that we cannot solve, we Google. For example, if my brakes are squeaking on my Jeep, I might Google “best brake repair in Orlando.” Immediately dozens of national businesses that paid to have their company appear on the first page of Google pop up in front of me.
But as a savvy consumer, I do not click on the first one. I refine my search words and try again: “best Jeep brake mechanic in Orlando.” Suddenly a new list of possibilities lights up on my screen, including some of the same ones from my first search. Now I use my critical thinking skills and narrow my search down to a few possibilities, check their customer reviews, and make plans to call them.
Not to confuse the importance of brakes and children, but parents often go through the same digital dance outlined above when it comes to finding a tutor for their child. Johnny comes home struggling in math and a panicked mother grabs her device, opens Google and types in “math tutor Orlando.” Guess what comes up in the search results? A list of national tutoring centers.
While reliable and accurate statistics are difficult to find, at least 10% of K-12 students have used a tutor at some point in their school career. The percentages climb in middle school and high school with up to 50% of secondary students seeking a tutor.
Learning Specialist Vs. Tutor
Of course not all tutors are created equal. An excellent high school math student may offer their services in exchange for volunteer hours or a low hourly rate and call themselves a tutor.
A Learning Specialist is highly trained, often in one area of expertise. According to the Child Mind Institute, learning specialists are “professionals, who often hold a master’s degree, are trained to evaluate and aid children with learning disabilities. They work with you, your child, and your child’s school to develop strategies to compensate for any learning deficits.”
Jennifer Disch, owner and founder of Engage the Brain, says a big difference is a learning specialist really dives deep to target a student’s area of weakness. Specialists at Engage the Brain are trained in intervention techniques like Orton-Gillingham or Lindamood-Bell Processes so they have experience and training in “truly teaching using direct instruction with appropriate feedback.”
Emily Hickman, Director of Instruction and Student Support for Engage the Brain, says that in addition to working with students with dyslexia using the Orton-Gillingham program, specialists also focus on Executive Functions coaching, speech and language therapy, and academic support in reading, writing, and math. Specialists have pursued training in these areas to help support students who may have diagnosis such as Dysgraphia, ADHD, Autism Spectrum Disorder, or Speech and Language Disorder.
Engage the Brain Versus National Learning Center
National learning centers are just that: large, nation-wide conglomerates that provide tutors – often teachers from local schools working after school hours – to students in small group settings.
Engage the Brain’s learning specialists work with students one on one, targeting specific skills, using researched-backed techniques. Jennifer Disch said, “Engage the Brain aims to not only close academic gaps, it also strives to help students build confidence and rediscover a love of learning.” She added that sessions are taught “in an explicit and multisensory fashion, that are emotionally sound.”
And a student that attends Engage the Brain is supported by more than just their assigned learning specialist. Emily Hickman shared, “There is a team of people in determining each student’s needs and best match for a specialist.” Further, Engage the Brain’s presence extends beyond the office. Hickman added, “We can serve as liaisons to help support parents in school meetings or help parents explore alternative school settings.”
Questions Parents Should Ask
Learning Specialists and the administrative team that supports them at Engage the Brain have a tremendous bandwidth when it comes to experience with a variety of student backgrounds. And of course these students come to Engage the Brain via their parents. When a parent first contacts Jennifer Disch to inquire about services for their child, she wishes they would ask her a simple question: What is the benefit of coming to Engage the Brain? The answer? “Students start to (re)discover a love of learning.” She adds that personalized, one on one instruction provided by the Learning Specialists not only builds a student’s academic success, but it really aims to build learners.
Final Thoughts
In this current school climate of big data and high-stakes testing, it is no wonder students have lost their love of learning. Emily Hickman adds that the Learning Specialists do not take for granted the power of working one-on-one and seize the opportunity to rebuild confidence in struggling students. To accomplish this specialists “love incorporating creativity, games, and movement into our sessions.”
If your child is struggling in school or has lost their love of learning, don’t Google. Allow Engage the Brain and one of their highly trained Learning Specialists to work with your child. Contact Jennifer Disch and ask her about the benefits of Engage the Brain.