Desire to lift kids gives tutoring market an 'A'

Getting ahead
Tutoring services are not just for students struggling with classwork, but programs are now equally mixed with students who just want to get ahead. The Kumon method, which has students master a skill at their own pace before moving on to the next assignment, draws appreciation from parents who are looking to build a strong foundation that their kids can apply in the future.

"Through daily practice, children (perhaps unknowingly) become comfortable with a test-like format and learn good time management skills and goals," Kumon parent Susan Stearns told MSNBC.com. "Because the assigned daily homework occupies only a small amount of time, typically 10-15 minutes, it doesn't cut into school homework, extracurricular activities, or just-being-a-kid time."

Stearns’ son Chase, who enters fourth grade next month, has been in Kumon since the middle of first grade.

Parents are enrolling their children at younger ages because the expectations of what kids should know before coming to school is much higher, said Kumon owner Ianelli. Some teachers focus their entire curriculum on preparing students to pass tests required under No Child Left Behind, leaving little or no time for teaching basic skills like multiplication and forcing parents to educate their children outside of the classroom. For parents who have the income, tutoring can help.

"We wanted to make sure that Chase had a solid foundation in math, especially when it came to basic math facts and operations," Stearns said. "We were interested in finding a program that would enhance that learning without resorting to mind-numbing drills and flashcards, and — let's face it — you only can play so many rounds of 'Subtraction Bingo!'"

When asked what he likes about Kumon, Chase said, "I like it because I can do my math much more quickly now and it gets me active if I'm feeling sleepy!'," Stearn wrote in her e-mail.

Carissa Dale Horner / MSNBC.com Justin Kuo does his Kumon assignment at the Kumon of Capital Hill at Eastlake in Seattle.

Janice Ngai enrolled her son Justin Kuo in the Junior Kumon program after noticing he was struggling in preschool. Ngai, who travels frequently for work, says the program, geared specifically toward preschoolers and kindergarteners, has greatly improved her son’s academic ability and confidence. When she’s away on business, she doesn’t worry about him falling behind and the family can even take the Kumon homework on vacation.

Ngai says she plans on enrolling her daughter Jasmine, 3, next year.

Critics say that may be too young for these types of programs, but tutoring businesses see a high demand from parents with pre-school kids.

New services cater to families
"As an instructor of 10 years, I'm finding that's what parents are really interested in," said Ianelli. "The need isn't for the high, high level math. The need for parents here is for a firm foundation and not be at a disadvantage when they enter kindergarten."

Since launching her Junior Kumon curriculum last September, Ianelli has seen enrollment go from five to 57. Many of the parents who enrolled their children had older kids participating in the regular program.

Sylvan joined Kumon in the pre-K market by launching its Beginning Reading program in January and followed that up by acquiring Hooked on Phonics earlier this year, the well-known at-home supplemental reading program.

The company also launched Sylvan Online to target families who want the flexibility of learning at home, in its centers, or both. It plans to have the service available in all of its North American centers by the end of the year.

“We want to be conveniently located and available when and where you want us," said Sylvan's Foster. "The key thing about our service is that we try to personalize to the individual needs of the student and family."

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