student

Blog – March 24, 2014

A high school student was asking us today if he would be better off coming in several times right before tests and exams instead of regularly each week. His logic was that he would probably come in the same number of hours over the course of the semester, but would concentrate most of his hours closer to exam time.

We understood his logic, but explained why it was better for him to come in regularly throughout the semester. It comes down to long-term memory vs. short-term memory. Simply put, when people learn new material at a steady pace (one unit at a time), they master the material – it becomes a part of their knowledge base. When people cram, they are memorizing, and chances are, that they will not be able to retain the information for long, or won’t be able to “apply” the facts.

So what does this all mean to the student? Well, when the time comes for exams, he would have to re-learn each topic all over again, almost like it is brand new to him, instead of just using his time with us to review the material. Perhaps he’d be able to retain the information long enough to successfully write the test/exam, but success isn’t about memorizing – it’s about learning and understanding the material. Knowledge base is essential for future academic success – one can’t build the second storey of a building, if the first storey doesn’t have the proper foundations in place.

He understood and agreed with this analogy. He will understand and agree even more in June, as he strides confidently into his exams (on a good night’s sleep), and walks out with the same, self-assured smile feeling so good about applying his knowledge…

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Filed Under: Slider Tagged With: Brainiacs, high school, student, technology, tutor

Brainiacs Blog

October 30, 2021

The education that our students are receiving today is unlike any other time before this, therefore, today’s students are part of a great experiment.

Over the last 20 months, kids have been learning online, in hybrid classrooms, wearing masks, avoiding classmates, and experiencing many other new ways to make learning more difficult.

One of the things that we ensure our tutors look out for is whether students seem to have the proper background knowledge for what they are learning. We need to remember that since the beginning of Covid, students may not have properly learned everything that they would have under normal circumstances. Whether because they went back to sleep while it was being taught, or the teacher never got around to teaching every unit, or some other reason, almost all students have missed out on some of their required learning.

Remember that next time you observe your child not grasping a concept that you think they should. It might not be that they cannot learn it, it might be that they never learned everything that they should know leading up to that concept.

Testimonials

How do our clients like Brainiacs? Here is what some of them have to say…

“A warm and caring environment with amazing one on one programs catered just for your child.”

Jodi H.

“People at Brainiacs have been amazing in so many ways and have gone above and beyond to help out with anything regarding school. They’ve taken their time in mapping out how they can best help my child and they are knowledgable about how they do that. They have helped my son improve his skills and grades but most important to me is they have helped foster a love of learning and now he actually likes coming to his tutors! I’m grateful to Mike, Gail and the Brainiacs tutors who do such a great job!”

Sandi H.

“Upon my first interaction with Brainiacs in October, I was deeply impressed, and to this day have never been disappointed. Being a parent and a teacher myself, I couldn’t stress how AMAZING this program is to anyone who will listen. Even my daughters teacher says how impressed she is with her progress since being enrolled in the program. The staff there are so professional and so amazing at working with the specific needs and demands of each student they interact with. My daughter can’t wait until she goes each and every week and she is always so excited to share strategies that she learns at Brainiacs with her homeroom class. My daughter keeps asking if she can keep going to Brainiacs next year!! Gail, Mike and the whole Team make each and every student who walks into their center feel special. Half the time, my daughter is learning she doesn’t even realize it because she has such a great time, she always complains that she wasn’t there long enough!!! Thank you to the whole Brainiacs Team for boosting my daughters grades and self confidence. You guys are amazing.”

Lauren S.

“I feel like I’m visiting good friends when I drop my kid off at Brainiacs. My kid LOVES going; always working hard and having fun, and we have seen changes in attitude towards homework, reading, and school in general! Thank you, Brainiacs!”

Stacie G.

“So happy with the professionalism and care from the staff at Brainiacs! It is much easier having their “family” help my son than my family! Their lesson plans are catered to E’s needs; he has built up more confidence and skills; and, they are always encouraging and reassuring. They really understand the school system and the kids. Thanks Brainiacs for all of your support and big thanks to Gail for always calming me down lol.”

Elyse S.

“We are truly grateful to you…

…for providing a loving, kind, & supportive environment for learning

…for making (my child) feel special & unique

…for allowing her to grow as an individual at her own pace and style

…for giving her the opportunity to LOVE learning and feeling proud of her achievements!

…for giving her the confidence to TRY!

Thank you so very much!”

Michelle T.

“I want to thank you for the bottom of my heart! My son has made such amazing progress in his reading since he has been going to Brainiacs. You all are so caring and welcome everyone that walks in the door like they are family. I would recommend you a thousand times over to anyone who is looking for tutoring. I give you a 5 out of 5!”

Nadine H.

Our Philosophy

At Brainiacs TLC, we give students the tools to become critical thinkers, problem-solvers and self-directed lifelong learners.

The key to building the foundation of a lifelong learner is by instilling confidence and passion.The TLC Method takes the student’s needs and breaks them into small achievable steps, in order for progress to be seen and felt immediately.

Our Approach

Tutoring works. We know that. But at Brainiacs, we go beyond tutoring with a personalized approach to fit you and your family’s needs.

1. Tutoring redefined. We started with a passion from within: to help struggling students and stressed-out parents. We pioneered, targeted, customized programs, unique to each learner.

2. Customized learning. Every student is different, so our approach to learning is too. We’re educators. We’re parents. We’re with you all the way: IEPs, growth plans, anxiety, stress, hectic schedules and everything in between. At Brainiacs, we’re in this together.

3. The 1:1 Advantage. Simply put, there is nothing like it. Your child receives an hour of undivided attention. They are the star, our primary focus. Period.

4. Educators with a passion. We hire compassionate people who take pride in educating and inspiring students to reach their full potential. Our tutors receive ongoing training and support and work as a team to ensure the success of each student.

5. Proven TLC method…..association of implemented teaching strategies result in increased school grades, increased self-confidence, and garner a positive outlook on learning.

Centre-based learning makes sense.

These are just some of the reasons why Brainiacs is the best place to learn and grow:

a) Your home is a sanctuary, a place to gather, play and unwind. Brainiacs is a place to be inspired and strive to reach your educational goals.

b) Kids need to see that they are not alone, that there are other kids in the same boat. Our unique learning space is designed to be private enough for kid to focus, yet open enough so they feel like part of a community. It’s especially awesome when they see friends from school!

c) Your home is not a learning centre. Between pets, video games, computers, parents talking, siblings eating cookies and watching TV…well, you get the idea. How’s a kid supposed to absorb any information with all that racket? At Brainiacs, students can focus on their tasks without all the distractions from home.

d) In-home tutoring may seem convenient, but you’re depending on someone else’s schedule. What happens if the tutor cancels? What if your child gets anxious about missing an important lesson before a test? At Brainiacs, we have staff on-hand so your child doesn’t miss a thing!

e) Our resource room is a learning paradise. Thousands of hands-on activities, math manipulatives, metre sticks, graph paper, leveled readers, markers, anchor charts, mini-lessons, technology and even booster seats are available. We’ve got it all!

Filed Under: Our Philosophy Tagged With: Brainiacs, student, tutoring, TV

Why Brainiacs?

At Brainiacs, we get to know our students as people and as learners, and they feel the connection right away! We know that each student has their own base of knowledge, and their own speed and style of learning. That’s why we offer individualized programs and work on building their foundations, at the same time as working on their current schoolwork.

Whether its our Brainiacs OSSD credit courses or 1:1 tutoring, our students feel confident, gain knowledge and problem solving skills in a supportive environment with minimal distractions.

We offer:

OSSD high school credit courses
Remedial support
Enrichment oportunities
ESL / French
Math – Core Math up to grade 10, Functions, Advanced Functions, Calculus and Vectors, Data Management
Science – General Science up to grade 10, Chemistry, Biology, Physics
Reading – Learn to read and/or reading comprehension strategies
Writing – Foundational writing skills, essay writing
Grammar / Phonics / Spelling
Exam / Test Prep
Learning Strategies – Organizational skills, instruction following, study skills, logical reasoning, problem solving
Computer skills – Assistive technology, Microsoft programs
On-going progress reporting
Optimal learning environment
Accessible management

Filed Under: Why Brainiacs? Tagged With: Advanced Functions, ESL, Exam Test Prep, Math Core Math, OSSD, Physics Reading Learn, Science General Science, student, support, Writing Foundational

One-on-One Tutoring Online

It’s funny, it seems that almost overnight everybody jumped into the tutoring business. How do you decide who to choose for your kids? Stay with the people who have years of experience helping students, and have adapted their systems to fit the new online model. Since 2013, Brainiacs has been helping kids of all ages and at all levels succeed. We have now brought our standards of excellence online, ready to share across Ontario.

Ages

We tutor students mainly from pre-kindergarten to grade12.

Tutoring Subjects

We provide Elementary and High School tutoring for all subject areas including:

Reading – Decoding; Comprehension
Writing – from idea brainstorming right through to final draft, Essay Writing
Oral presentation skills
Mathematics – all strands including Functions, Advanced Functions, Calculus & Vectors, Data Management
Science – General Science, Biology, Chemistry, Physics
Learning Strategies- Organizational Skills, Following Instructions
French and ESL
Technology – Assistive Technology, Microsoft Programs
Grammar / Phonics / Spelling
Test and exam preparation.