Question:
Do you think they are effective and worth the cost?
Are there good alternatives?
My son is a junior in high school and is having a bit of difficulty in
some of his subjects. He is very good in Math, and is taking Advanced
Placement Calculus and AP Physics. But he has a lot of difficult with
English (American Lit.) and History. Many times, his grades slip in
even his better subjects.
Part of the problem seems to be study skills and time management. He
often procrastinates and fails to turn in homework. I've tried to
help motivate him (more time with his girl-friend if his grades
improve), but that has not helped much. It seems that my wife and I
have to constantly ask him what work is due, and tell him to get
working on it, something that he should be managing himself. He also
finds writing, in particular, difficult and may find it frustrating to
work on such tasks. His reaction is often to try to avoid it, which
of course just makes it worse.
He's recently found a "Sylvan Learning Center" and is very interested
getting some tutoring there. It sounds like an excellent program and
the study skills class might be just what he needs.
It is pretty expensive though. At $35/hour (for a class with 2 other
students and one teacher), the study skills class plus the evaluation
tests before-hand will run about $1200. If nothing more
cost-effective is available I'd be willing to pay that, especially if
it will really help him, now and in college.
There is tutoring available from other other students at the school.
This would be less than $10/hour and would be one-on-one. But my son
isn't interested in that, as he thinks he needs the general
study-skills class.
Answer:
Take the $1200 and put it into a savings account. Tell him he can have it
at the end of the school year if he keeps his grades up. Instant motivation.
Get one if his buddies from each of the classes he's having trouble in
to study with him, pay them the $10 an hour if necessary. Buy him a book
on time management and an organizer/planner (Covey's are excellent, Daytimers
work too) or send him to one of the Covey classes for students. Better yet,
talk his school into sponsoring a series of lectures on time management.
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