1. Strive to Learn
653 Newport Blvd., A109, Costa Mesa; 949-873-6807; strivetolearn.com
Strive to Learn founder Josefine Borrmann understands students because she spent a long time being one. It was while she was tutoring in college, working her way toward a master’s degree in anthropology, that the idea for the company came to her.
She created a tutoring service that is able to help any student because the tutors are trained how to understand different types of learners. That is the key to success for the student and the company — and perhaps why Strive to Learn has topped the reader’s poll for the third year in a row.
“I think that our ability to really empathize with students and understand who they are is at the core of what makes us different as a company,” says Borrmann on her website.
And if the tutors understand the highs and lows, and how a student might be struggling with a particular subject, they can be very encouraging and keep them pointed forward.
All tutoring is performed one-on-one, mostly via Zoom, for grades K-12 as well as college academic tutoring and test prep for SAT, ACT and others. Borrmann herself is one of the staff who provide college counseling to high school students navigating college admissions to their dream schools. Assistance includes career interests and instruction in essay writing.
— Shawn Price
2. Kumon Math and Reading Center
Multiple locations; kumon.com
In 1954, Toru Kumon’s young son Takeshi was beginning to struggle with math. Fortunately, Toru was a math teacher, and with some trial and error, he figured out a way to give his son math worksheets so that Takeshi could develop his skills.
Toru believed good educators should inspire “a mindset of self-learning” and let students build overall academic abilities by developing skills on their own. Takeshi soon became a math whiz, and his father began inviting local children to their home for tutoring.
Today, Kumon Math and Reading Centers use basically the same method for kids age 3 through high school in centers around the world. Students study for 30 minutes per subject per day in Kumon classrooms one or two times a week.
Though each center has physical classrooms, virtual classes — via smartphone, PC or tablet — are available at certain locations, allowing students more flexibility with their schedules.
3. Mathnasium
Multiple locations; www.mathnasium.com
Anyone who has struggled with math probably wondered if there is a better way to figure things out. The founders of Mathnasium came to that realization, too — then they did something about it.
Educators Peter Markovitz and David Ullendorff created the math-only learning center in the 1990s under the principle that in order “to be truly successful in school and life, students need a solid understanding of mathematics,” states their website. And because they found a gap between students’ learning skills and most schools’ math curriculum, they focused on the objective to “teach children how to think, with the skills to succeed in math and the confidence to achieve their academic potential.
With curriculum consultant Larry Martinek, they built the Mathnasium Method. “Children don’t hate math. What they hate is being confused, intimidated and embarrassed by math. With understanding comes passion, and with passion comes growth,” Martinek says.
Programs are available for early childhood to high school students.
