Meet Stephanie Talley, the owner and manager of Academics Plus (A+). Through her years of teaching in schools in different states, Stephanie realized that many students who seemed bright enough simply were not making the grades they were capable of. What she came to realize was that many students today have not been taught one essential element of a learning process—thinking skills.
This wonderful teacher came to McKinney from Utah and northern California. She joined A+ in 2013 and eventually bought the school/business in 2015. She had previously taught K-6 music classes as well as third and sixth grade. A+ takes great pride in the fact that its students average one to two years of growth in just 48 hours of instructional hours.
When asked what Stephanie enjoys most about what they do at A+, she smiled and talked about how the kids all become part of a family, and you can certainly see the kind of wholesome atmosphere A+ provides. What does she like least about the opportunity to enhance these young brains? An answer came easily—dealing with the aspects of running a business.
The most important goal for A+ was the easiest of her answers, which was to assure that every student benefits from their sessions and achieves more than ever before. However, she then emphasized that the students and parents both realize it is not a “quick fix” and that they need to keep focused on the long-term perspective.
Having 100 students normally, and up to 160 in the summer months, Stephanie says her greatest challenge is time management. But her love for the tasks shows again as she describes how she loves working with the local schools to determine which students they feel may benefit from A+’s programs.
So, if you have a student who wants to get/stay ahead, one who is struggling or has struggled or one with learning disabilities, you certainly should consider placing them in a program at Academics Plus—where they actually teach students how to think!
Many students today have not been taught one essential element of a learning process—thinking skills.
