Why These Educators Love Teaching with Sylvan Learning

Increasing workload, overcrowded classrooms, inability to meet the specific needs of every single child and personal health concerns amid the pandemic have prompted nearly a third of teachers across the U.S. to consider quitting or retiring. Our country’s educators need a flexible alternative to improve their quality of life and make teaching enjoyable again. 

That’s where Sylvan Learning comes in for thousands of qualified, talented educators. The leading provider of supplemental and enrichment education for students in grades K-12 now has more than 750 points of presence worldwide, primarily in the U.S. As teachers increasingly leave traditional classrooms behind in order to partner with the innovative personal education brand, that momentum is expected to continue through 2021 and into 2022, said Sylvan Learning CEO John McAuliffe.

“We’re honored that so many teachers are choosing Sylvan as their next career path,” McAuliffe said. “Sylvan’s personalized teaching model allows them to continue their mission to change the lives of students in their communities as they bring them the gift of education.”

Flexibility Is Key for Sylvan Learning Educators

One of the most crucial benefits of teaching with Sylvan Learning is the flexibility it provides. With many educators working for Sylvan Learning part-time, the ability to operate on a schedule that works for each individual teacher becomes paramount to their work/life balance. 

Kim Hulick works part-time at Sylvan Learning in Stafford, Virginia, teaching reading and math. After a car crash left her on disability and she discovered traditional teaching had become difficult with her injuries, she sought out an alternative and landed on Sylvan. 

“I was just trying to figure out what to do, and I saw Sylvan near my house, so I went in and talked to the director,” Hulick said. “It just made me feel so good being able to get back into a classroom setting. It’s a wonderful opportunity to do what I love.”

The same goes for Zannah Esteb, who teaches part-time at Hudson Sylvan Learning in Wisconsin while student-teaching and studying special and general education at college in Eau Claire.

“It’s so helpful to have a job that's flexible for me as a student teacher and a student, myself,” Esteb said. “I have busy days — with school, working with Sylvan and student-teaching at a middle school — but Sylvan has really made it seamless and easy for me.”

Sylvan Learning’s flexibility doesn’t end at its scheduling. Teachers have the opportunity to help K-12 students of all ages and abilities.

“I love working with the range of students of all ages with Sylvan,” Esteb said. “One hour, I’ll be working with a kindergartener and then the next hour I might be helping a student in high school. It has helped me so much with my confidence in teaching and teaching different grade levels.”

Sylvan Learning’s Curriculum and Method Takes Burden Off Teachers

The results of Sylvan’s proprietary Sylvan Method™ — developed through academic research, years of teaching experience and technology — speak for themselves. Based on independent research, Sylvan Learning students see up to three times more academic growth than other students. Sylvan’s Personalized Tutoring programs guarantee progress. The brand’s proprietary software, SylvanSync™, allows Sylvan Learning teachers to engage and motivate with adaptive lessons and a personal learning plan for each child. 

“I’m a planner, so I need to know what I’ll be teaching and what is expected of me as a teacher,” Esteb said. “When I first interviewed for the job, my boss said, ‘You don't need to worry about doing anything outside of work. Just show up and everything will be set up for you, and it’ll be really easy to just jump in.’ And that's so true. With eight different age groups, it would be really stressful to plan for each student, but Sylvan eliminates that stress with a pre-made curriculum.”

With students across the country falling an estimated four to 12 months behind due to COVID-related learning loss, Sylvan’s individualized learning method is playing a key role in filling that void.

“Sylvan’s individualized learning is huge and has been a great experience for me,” Esteb said. “When you’re teaching 25 students a year, the content goes so fast, it’s hard to pinpoint specific skills that students are grasping. I typically teach one to three students at a time, and having that smaller teacher-to-student ratio allows me to really identify what skills need more work.”

For Hulick, the ability to continue to develop skills a student has worked on with another Sylvan Learning educator provides an added benefit with extra support as a teacher. 

“I can pull up students’ activities before I actually get them to my table,” Hulick said. “We get a list of students who were specifically assigned to us, and you can read through what other tutors have gone through with that student and see if they’re stuck on something. I might know a cool way to reiterate it, or I'll reread the introduction to them and then insert a little piece of extra advice that I feel helps.”

How Sylvan Learning’s Impact Drives Educators’ Passion

When it comes down to it, teachers have pursued a career in education simply because they love what they do. With Sylvan, even an educator who might not otherwise have a chance to touch the lives of individual students can be met with opportunities they never imagined. 

“I love watching a child transform when they realize they can do something they honestly thought they couldn’t do before learning through Sylvan,” said Kathleen Byrne, an economist with the federal government, who says her background gives the children at Sylvan a different perspective. “There's a transformative power in educating and nurturing a child, and Sylvan has managed to deliver exactly that. They have everything figured out — from the motivation stations to birthday celebrations and a constant message that, as a student, you can accomplish anything.”

With approximately 10,000 Sylvan teachers across the U.S. ready to help students, Sylvan Learning ensures students are on track to achieve their goals year after year. As of the end of August  2021, Sylvan Learning has partnered with more than 170,000 students and continues to serve more as the new school year continues. 

“Sylvan has really reminded me that I love working with all kids, no matter the age,” Esteb said. “I used to think I would only be happy teaching third or fourth grade. But working with Sylvan has shown me I’ll be happy wherever I’m needed.”