May
Just when it feels like things have finally settled down after the new school year started, midterm exam season is already here.
Around this time, among parents in Nishinomiya,
“My child didn’t score as well as I expected.”
“They’re going to cram school, so why aren’t their grades improving?”
“Is it really okay to keep going to the same cram school?”
Apparently, conversations like these start to quietly increase.
So this time, we spoke with Mr. Tani, representative of “Juku Sherpa”, which offers free consultation on choosing cram schools in Nishinomiya, about “common concerns after midterm exams.”
Mr. Tani has more than 25 years of experience in the education industry. He handles over 300 academic-path consultations a year and is a true pro who knows Nishinomiya’s cram school scene inside and out.
目次
- 1 Apparently, cram school consultations increase after midterms
- 2 It may be too soon to decide “We need to switch cram schools!” based only on scores
- 3 Is the current cram school a good fit? Points to check
- 4 Nishinomiya has almost too many cram schools
- 5 Free online seminars coming in May
- 6 They’re also running a campaign to give away six months of cram school fees
Apparently, cram school consultations increase after midterms
“They’re going to cram school, but their scores aren’t as good as we expected.”
“They attend classes, but it isn’t translating into studying at home.”
“We’re wondering whether we should continue with the current cram school.”
This is the time of year when consultations like these increase.
It may be too soon to decide “We need to switch cram schools!” based only on scores
But the first thing to look at isn’t just the score itself. For example:
・Which subject are they struggling with?
・Do they understand what is being taught at school?
・Are the cram school lessons a good fit for the student?
・Did the student know what to do before the test?
・Have they learned how to study at home?
These are the kinds of things that need to be sorted out.
What’s important is to first identify the cause before suddenly deciding whether to quit or continue.
Is the current cram school a good fit? Points to check
More specifically:
・They attend cram school classes, but don’t know what to do at home
・They’re just getting homework done, and it isn’t leading to real understanding
・They move on without being able to ask questions about what they don’t understand
・The cram school content doesn’t match the school’s regular test preparation
・They can’t keep up with the pace of a group cram school
・Even though it’s individual instruction, the learning management isn’t sufficient
If this kind of situation continues, it may be a sign to reconsider whether the cram school is a good match.
Even if they say “I’m fine,” in reality they may not know what to do before a test, or they may simply be finishing their workbooks without really learning the material.
Nishinomiya has almost too many cram schools
Major exam-prep cram schools are concentrated around Nishinomiya-Kitaguchi, and there are also individual instruction schools and locally rooted cram schools in areas such as Shukugawa, Hanshin Nishinomiya, JR Nishinomiya, Koshien, Naruo, Imazu, Mondo-Yakujin, and Kotoen.
Group classes, individual instruction, small-group classes, video-based lessons…
Schools strong in regular test preparation, schools strong in entrance exam guidance, schools focused on building study habits.
There really are a lot of options.
“They all look good.”
“You can’t decide based on reviews alone.”
“I don’t know which cram school would suit my child.”
“Even if we go for a trial lesson, I don’t know what to look for.”
Concerns like these come up too. That’s why the option of having a third party help organize your thoughts can be useful.
Free online seminars coming in May
What should you be doing now for junior high school and high school entrance exams?
When looking ahead to junior high school or high school entrance exams, when should you start preparing, and what should you do? We’ll talk about what to keep in mind for your child’s current grade and key points to watch for when choosing a cram school.
② May 31 (Sun) 10:30〜
Why aren’t grades improving even though your child attends cram school? Common signs of a poor fit in the Nishinomiya area
We’ll talk about whether the current cram school is a good fit, whether you should consider switching, reasons why grades may be stagnating, and how to reassess compatibility with a cram school.
Limited to the first 50 participants each session / Participation with audio and camera off is OK
They’re also running a campaign to give away six months of cram school fees
