Tutoring or One-on-One Brain Training; Determining What Your Smart Kid Needs This Summer

You probably already know this, but it might help to hear it from experts: Just because your kid didn’t perform as well this past school year doesn’t mean they’re not smart. There were extenuating circumstances that made this a rough year for almost all kids! From hybrid learning and online schooling to teacher turnover and the added burden on working parents, this past school year is one for the record books. Learning losses—and learning challenges—happened to the best of us. You are not alone.

With that said, you may be pondering how to maximize your student’s learning potential this summer to prepare them best when school opens in the fall. We get it! And because so many parents are grappling with the same concerns, we thought it might be helpful to provide some guidance on how best to determine what your smart kid needs this summer to jumpstart their transition to a new academic year. Here are three tips to help you discern the best direction:

1. They might need a tutor if … your student had trouble in only one course (e.g., history). A lower grade in one class may indicate that the academic material for that topic may need to be retaught. In that case, tutoring may be your best bet.

2. They might need one-on-one brain training if … your student had to work harder in multiple courses. The culprit may be one or more cognitive skills in need of strengthening. Cognitive skills are the underlying tools that enable kids to focus successfully, think, prioritize, plan, understand, visualize, remember and solve problems. Those skills include auditory processing, visual processing, short and long-term memory, comprehension, logic and reasoning, and attention skills. If one of these skills is weak, it can affect the brain’s ability to perform efficiently. Just think of a brilliant student whose processing speed makes timed tests frustrating. The student may get 100% on the exam, but their processing speed requires them to get more time than their peers. LearningRx uses intensive, game-like exercises designed to target and strengthen the weakest cognitive skills. When ALL the cognitive skills are strong, it’s much easier to learn, understand, plan, and recall information, among other skills necessary to excel in school.

3. Still not sure what your student needs? LearningRx center directors and personal brain trainers can help you navigate your student’s learning by assessing their core learning skills. Using a one-hour Brain Skills Assessment, they’ll determine if cognitive skills need strengthening to making learning faster and easier. Visit www.LearningRx.com to find your nearest LearningRx Brain Training Center to schedule an assessment.