Experience with KnowledgePoints? - Democratic Underground

silverweb

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Wed Jun-23-04 11:55 AM
Original message

Experience with KnowledgePoints?

Someone I care about is considering getting involved with a tutoring company named KnowledgePoints. It was started by W. Berry Fowler, the Spokane entrepreneur who founded the Sylvan Learning Centers. However, this version is designed to team up with nonprofits like the YMCA to provide more affordable tutoring assistance for children.

Here's their website: http://www.knowledgepoints.com

Everything I can find about the company is very positive, but I'm sure you understand my sense of caution: Is this a helping adjunct to public education for kids who need extra help -- or is it a sly way of advancing the privatization of public education?

My chief question remaining at this point is that of personal experience. Has anyone here had any personal interaction with KnowledgePoints, either as a teacher, investor, or parent of a student receiving tutoring from them?

Thanks in advance for any input. DUers always come through!

:)

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notadmblnd

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Wed Jun-23-04 12:11 PM
Response to Original message

1. Personally I would be hesitant to take up with them

I have never used them, but I did contact Sylvan Learning Center regarding my son.

1. Very expensive

2. they only work with gifted or normal children
by normal I mean there are no learning disabilities like dyslexia.

So if you have a normal child who just needs a little extra help, I would suggest a friend or school chum that has a good understanding of the subject and get the tutoring for next to nothing.

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silverweb

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Wed Jun-23-04 12:18 PM
Response to Reply #1

2. Thanks.

I appreciate your response.

My take was that the partnering with nonprofits and the desire to make the tutoring more affordable than Sylvan spoke well of the company. A lot of kids go to the Y, for example, for after-school care and a more affordable professional tutoring service available could be a huge help to many.

I'll have to check out the business of not taking learning-disabled children. I can understand how they might have parameters of "normalcy" in order to use their resources most efficiently, but it would be very nice if they had tutoring available for learning-disabled students, as well.

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notadmblnd

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Wed Jun-23-04 03:38 PM
Response to Reply #2

3. and there is also public summer school

a couple boys in my neighborhood attend. They tell me they don't do bad in school, it's just that their parents want to get rid of them.

Seriously though, we live in an area where the school district is split, if you live on the right side of town you get to attend the rich school district and if you don't, then it's one of the worst districts in the state. Guess where we live?

We had my son in private schools until the third grade and he still was not reading. We had him tested and certified LD (learning disabled i.e dyslexia). I was paying for private education and a private tutor (a group of educators that went into business with each other and offers assistance to gifted, normal, LD and also help to students taking college entry exams)I don't know if they exist outside our area but it was called The Keller Clinic.

Our tutor was wonderful and my son made excellent progress, but my husband got sick and we could not afford to continue. His tutor suggested we get him into a district that participates in School of Choice and luckily we got him in one of the richest districts in the state. The West Bloomfield District and they've been wonderful.

He gets help with his reading, writing and math. When he takes tests, they are read to him by his aide and he has the option of giving oral answers. He has the same curriculum as the "normal" kids but it's pared down for him. He participates in the extra-curricular activities, safety squad, basketball and strings. His music teacher tells me that he's really talented and I'm proud that he has chosen the Bass.

Do some good research, there are lots of choices out there.

Good luck in your quest.

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silverweb

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Wed Jun-23-04 06:08 PM
Response to Reply #3

4. Thank you, but it's not for me.

I appreciate your thoughtful input, but both of my kids did well in public school and are in college.

Someone I know and care about is thinking of purchasing a KnowledgePoints franchise in his area and asked my opinion. I was hoping that of our thousands of readers, some in DU might have had some personal experience with the company and could give me some first-hand input as to their experiences and impressions.

I'm sure KnowledgePoints fills a niche. The company's mission statement is impressive, as is the fact that it partners with nonprofits. I was just hoping for some more personal, hands-on impressions.

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