eSylvan's Top 10 Tips To Help Your Child Succeed In School.

eSylvan's at-home, live online tutoring is guaranteed to improve your child's grades in math and reading, even now mid-way through the school year. Using the same proven methods as Sylvan Learning Centers - an approach that has helped over one million students nationwide - we have valuable insights and solutions to pass on to you. eSylvan's personalized instruction, combined with your commitment to fixing your child's learning gaps and work habits, will help your child bring home stronger grades and greater self-confidence. And it can still happen this school year!

1. Start the day with a good night's sleep. One of the most valuable, yet most overlooked parts of the school day are bedtime and mealtime. Organize your family's morning and evening routines so your child gets at least 8 hours' sleep. And keep sugary snacks and junk food to a minimum. A well-balanced diet - starting with a good breakfast -- helps give kids the energy and attention-span they need to concentrate and learn.

2. Be involved at your child's school. Let your child see you volunteering at school, helping with classroom activities, and communicating regularly with teachers and administrators. Your presence sends a clear message: school is important, my child is important, and I'm committed to both.

3. Take report cards seriously. Know when report cards are scheduled, and make sure you see them. Be sure to praise good work. Ask your child about poor grades, following up with the teacher to understand where the trouble spots are. Detecting your child's academic weaknesses and intervening early on is crucial to your child's future success. eSylvan's online skills assessment acts as an academic x-ray, pinpointing specific skill gaps that need to be tackled, head on.

4. Pay attention to your child's work. Report cards should never hold any surprises, good or bad. Review your child's work - and grades - daily, even weekly. If you see a troubling pattern, discuss it with your child as well as the teacher. Together, decide on a plan of action, and follow up by checking on the results.

5. Don't wait to get help. Students who fail to master basic math concepts will struggle later on as the work grows more complex. Reading problems, too, will get in the way of other subjects that rely on reading (science and social studies, for example). And these problems will not simply go away on their own. If your child is having trouble in math or reading, online tutoring from eSylvan can offer a simple solution by providing live, personalized instruction in math and reading from state-certified teachers, all from the safety and convenience of home.

6. Better grades start with better organization. Basic organization and time-management techniques can go a long way toward improving a child's schoolwork. Invest in a homework pad at the beginning of the school year, and teach your child to use this valuable organizational tool on a daily basis. Each evening help your child evaluate current assignments, and decide on a comfortable timetable in which to complete them. Together, review completed homework and make sure your child's backpack is ready for the next day.

7. Meet with teachers BETWEEN scheduled parent-teacher conferences. Check in with your child's teachers regularly to evaluate and discuss your child's progress. You are your child's best advocate; together, you and your child's teachers can be a valuable source of ideas and support.

8. Take some of the work out of homework. Set aside a time and place for doing homework, in a part of the home with few distractions; declare the phone, computer games, email and television off-limits during this critical time. Make sure your child has the right lighting, a comfortable seat and a sturdy work surface, as well as any necessary supplies.

9. Choose a private tutoring program wisely. The result of private tutoring should be better grades and improved confidence. But results vary greatly depending on the alternative you choose. The wrong choice could exhaust both you and your already struggling student, wasting valuable time and energy this school year. For optimum results, make sure the program you select offers the following:

• A personalized program based on diagnostic testing.
• The program addresses skill gaps from prior years as well as those in the current year
• Guaranteed results

10. Incentives work! Don't resort to downright bribery, but a fitting reward for a job well done is always well-received. We know, because we've witnessed the success of eSylvan's own motivational program with the thousands of children who have benefited from eSylvan's personalized instruction. You can follow-up at home when goals are met by offering rewards such as special time with a parent, an outing of your child's choice, or a favorite home-cooked meal. Earning incentives puts a smile on the whole family's face - after all, a victory for your struggling student is a victory for you, too.