What makes for a successful education services business?
I think everyone would agree that high quality, likable instructors with strong communication skills and subject matter expertise is a must. If the company is providing test preparation or other prescriptive programs, then effective research based curriculum is also very important. But how can a center owner or director really leverage LearnSpeed’s power?
As an education center owner, I believe we are paid to solve problems related to the students educational challenges. It’s one thing to meet with a student and parent and then prescribe a plan of action to meet the stated goals. It’s also wonderful when everything goes as planned. But what really sets my education company’s services apart is how we address deviations from expected progress.
How do we identify students who continue to struggle despite the instructor’s best efforts?
How do we provide timely intervention to address problems before it’s too late?
The answer lies in one simple check box found when instructors create a LearnSpeed session log: Requires Attention.
This single switch focuses the lead administrators’ attention towards their highest value activity: helping instructors, students, and parents continue to solve problems. This continual adaptation is the measure of the highest quality education service providers. This check box reflects the reality that students are unique and that no program can be expected to perfectly address all students’ unique challenges. It respects the instructor’s insight into the student’s current issues, signals the desire for collaboration, and breaks through instructor isolation.
How do we get the most out of this Requires Attention check box?
Instructors are on the front line, and to get the most out of the LearnSpeed system they must be properly trained. Writing effective sessions logs and using the Requires Attention check box properly is a skill that must be developed. Make sure that instructors understand that logging a session without Requires Attention checked communicates a message that the student is on track to meet their stated goals. If checked, this signals that there is some issue which should be brought to a lead administrators‘ attention. The details about the issue should be included in the Admin Note, which is not shared in the parent’s or student’s emailed session log.
Student issues might include:
- Not adequately prepared for an upcoming test
- Consistently arriving late to sessions
- Consistently tired during sessions
- Repeatedly making the same mistakes over many sessions
- Seems disengaged
Ultimately, the instructor should flag any session log with Requires Attention if there is any issue they believe will impact the student’s progress or chances of success. Providing this information to lead administrators focuses their attention and gives them opportunities to leverage their experience to address these problems. It also gives the lead administrators opportunities to reach out to parents to demonstrate the company’s high degree of professionalism.
This level of service develops long term partnerships with the family and usually turns potentially unsatisfied parents into the company’s greatest supporters.