By CRAIG GILBERT
No one is going to tell Satish Verma there isn’t a need for a customized learning provider in Greater Sudbury.
The CEO of Canadian Learning System (CLS), which has grown to employ 20 in Northern Ontario in its first year of existence, is prepping to open two other offices in the city, bringing his staff level to between 40 and 50.
On a “slow day,” an interview with Northern Ontario Business is interrupted three times by a phone call from a parent ready to bring their child in for a free assessment.
“This is a very busy place right from 10 in the morning,” a smiling Verma says, standing between the reception area and classroom space underneath the Greater Sudbury Public Library’s South End branch on Regent Street.
This month, he will be opening a location in Val Caron and another in New Sudbury to better service clients living in those neighbourhoods. He has a second location in Espanola employing another two people, and one office each in Bangalore and Chandigarh, India.
Verma plans to expand into southern Ontario next, then to other areas of Canada within a year.
He will “soon” be expanding to all major cities in India, but he is growing the company cautiously.
“We want to iron out the wrinkles now before we expand.”
His instructors must have as a minimum a university degree in the subject they teach.
“The reason for our success is we don’t compromise on the success of the student, ever.
Nothing takes precedent over that. Seeing a light go on in a student, and hearing the parents thank us, that’s what we live for.”
Elizabeth Shayer was thanking Verma after her daughter had spent just five sessions at CLS.
“It doesn’t take long here because we focus on what the student needs help with, not what they already know. It is very systematic, and we don’t take any shortcuts.”
Shayer brought her daughter in because she was worried about her math marks. The free assessment every student that walks through the door receives showed that it was her comprehension skills that were lacking, so she was started on an English program instead.
Verma says that’s almost exclusively how it goes. Math skills are rooted in comprehension skills, which are best developed with English exercises. Once her learning gaps were identified, a program was customized for her.
After five hours of one-on-one attention, Shayer’s nine-year-old daughter is more excited to go to school. Her ability to do math has improved without any direct instruction from CLS in that subject.
“She actually asked to go to the library for the first time ever. She read five books last weekend. She’s doing geometry and using a protractor in math and she understands it all,” says Shayer.
Verma says the girl was practically in tears when she arrived. After the first session, there was a big change. Her teacher has actually praised her for participating more in class.
“(The price) is a bit high, but it is well worth it,” Shayer says. “She has these results after five sessions. I would recommend it.”
Students “learn how to learn,” and are better able to function in the classroom as a result, Verma says.
The student’s progress is documented after each one-hour session. Parents can see their child’s file at any time.
“Unless we fill the learning gaps, it becomes difficult for a student to function in the classroom at their grade level.”
Verma pointed to a student’s file to illustrate. He is in Grade 5, but he is reading at a Grade 2.6 level, comprehending at a Grade 1.4 level and performing in math at about a 2.1 level.
His program started back at each of those levels, progressing a level at a time, from 1.4 for example, to 1.5, 1.6 and so on.
Today, after 28 hours, all three of his scores are at Grade 4.0 level or above.
According to staff teacher Derry McTaggart, the school has seen a student advance from a Grade 4 level to Grade 8 and 9 scores.
“It builds confidence, and that allows them to succeed in other areas as well. We have never had a student that hasn’t advanced at least one grade level after 36 hours.”
Each student is re-evaluated after 36 of the one-hour sessions.
The school accepts children from kindergarten to Grade 12 and also offers homework support and adult upgrading, according to the retired Cambrian College instructor.
“It works,” she says plainly. “There is a need. Parents want to do the best thing for their child, but when both are working, they are often too busy.”
E-mail: canlearn@bellnet.ca
