Frequently asked questions about the business When I take the training to open my own business, what do I receive for my investment of money and time? You will receive 30 or more hours of personal training, and will be awarded a certificate of Reading Instruction Specialist; plus personalized hands-on instruction in operating your business; materials for your first 30 students; two teacher’s manuals; and much more. You will be given a license that allows you to operate two locations (Yes, you can open two centers for the cost of one if they are within 30 miles of each other). You'll be given permission to copy all student materials and your own personal promotional materials. Where do I take the training and when is it offered? Your training will be at one of our home-based learning centers in Kansas City, Missouri, or La Quinta in Southern California. We will endeavor to schedule the training to accommodate your individual needs. Why Kansas City? Kansas City is centrally located in the U.S. For those driving three interstate highways connect with KC. (I 35; I 29; I 70) For those who fly, in there are many daily non-stop flights into Kansas City (MCI) from the west coast, east coast, the north & south. Why Southern California? Our international headquarters is located in Southern California. Where do we stay during the four to five days? You can choose to stay in a local hotel or in one of the guest rooms in our homes. We do not charge for the use of our guest rooms, and we supply all your food at no charge. We can pick you up and deliver you to the airport at no charge to you. Pickups and hotel shuttles are also free. We will try to accommodate any special dietary needs you may have. Just what is your certification of Reading Instruction Specialist? After you complete the requirements for teaching the Academic Associates Reading Course, you will be awarded a certificate as a Reading Instruction Specialist. You will have the skills to teach anyone to read. You will not find this class of certification at any university or teacher’s college. A Reading Instruction Specialist differs from that of a standard Reading Specialist, which requires the study of reading, and does not require actual success with real students, as a Reading Instruction Specialist does. How do I go about getting students? Prior to coming for training you will share your plans with others. You will be surprised to discover parents who are looking for something that really works. You may even have your first few students ready to enroll before you come for training. We will show you free and low-cost methods of advertising that really work. You will take personalized literature and a quantity of fliers, brochures, etc., with you, as well as the teacher's materials. How thorough is the training? You will be taken through the program as though you were a student. Questions are encouraged and answered. We cover every aspect of the business. Since the training takes place at our centers, you will see the business firsthand. When you leave, ongoing consultation is available at no charge via our 800 numbers in the U.S., or via email and some other modalities outside the U.S. After I pay for the program, do I still owe annual and material fees? No. There is just the $6,000 charge. It is your own business, not a franchise. You will receive 30 student kits and permission to copy all future student materials and other consumables. You will never need to buy materials from us. You will keep the money you earn. What qualifications are necessary to take the training and get the materials? Here are a few qualifications you need in order to succeed:  • Have a passionate desire to help students succeed.  • Have a good command of the English language.  • Be a good organizer with a take-charge personality.  • Be positive, patient, persistent and pleasant.  • Be able to communicate effectively with children and adults.  • Maintain the highest personal and professional ethics.  • Be willing to learn methods that contradict conventional thought. We will provide you with all the other tools you will need. What is my next step? Call us with any further questions. If you decide you want to do this and have a date in mind, we ask for a $500 deposit (part of the $6,000) so we can have your materials ready when you arrive. Why do you charge so much for the business opportunity? We have been told by financial advisors that our price of $6,000 is far too low for such a great business opportunity, but we want to keep it low so more people can take advantage of it and therefore help more people. The advisors have suggested between $20,000 and $30,000. We keep the cost low so more people can take advantage of the opportunity to open their own center and help more students. What if I get there and find out this is not for me? After you start your training, you’ll have two days to decide if this business is for you. If you decide it isn’t we’ll refund your entire payment, so you have nothing to risk except your travel expenses. A new business associate had this to say! “I graduated my first student this week.  He’s 11 and in fourth grade.  The main concern was comprehension, but inconsistent decoding was an issue, too.  Anyway, his pre-course reading level was beginning fourth grade (4.0) His ending score was 8.5.  He went from hating reading to loving reading. His teacher saw a marked improvement, and his comprehension greatly improved.  I thought his face was going to break from smiling when I presented him with his certificate!!! “We have eight active students now, and three more enrolled this week. I have two kids coming for assessments and we have the library seminar this Tuesday evening. I am very excited! I also have a severely dyslexic girl starting soon. She has been to (another learning center) and has done a host of other things, so I have a real challenge here. Her mom said she will probably be the hardest kid I ever teach. “Tonight one student’s mom told me that his teacher has already seen an improvement in his reading after only six hours in the course! I am asking all mothers to write down positive comments. “One home schooling mom after learning the C Rule stated that she was going to throw all her other phonics books in the garbage. “As you can see, I am using many exclamation marks in this e-mail, but I can’t help it.  I am pumped up.”   One of our Associates responds to an email inquiry from a teacher Our Associate, Maureen Marquez, operates two full-time learning centers near Los Angeles. Her phone number and e-mail address are available to interested parties. I will answer your questions according to how you sent them:   1.  How long have you had your learning center?  I have had one center for seven years and started a second center two years ago.   2.  How successful have your students been? I have never had a student whose reading level did not improve AT LEAST two grade levels within the first two months of the program.  Of course a lot of it depends on how eager the child is to learn to read (I’ve never met a child who did not want to improve his/her reading) and how consistent the parents were with getting the child to tutoring on time and showing an interest in his/her progress.  The average student who completes the entire reading program has improved from four grade levels to ten grade levels.   3.  Does the instructional program offer what it promises (fast results in a short amount of time)? I’m not sure what you consider short, but I used the reading program for my nephew when he was in kindergarten and by the time he was in first grade, he was reading at a fifth grade level.  He’s now finishing second grade and reading at ninth grade seventh month.  I have also had elementary and high school students who have improved more than five grade levels within four months.  It’s an amazing thing to see how that changes not only their outlook on school, but their prospects for the future.   4.  How supportive is the parent company? Academic Associates is awesome!  Every day that I use the program, I think “Thank goodness for Cliff and Betty Ponder!”  They are extremely supportive.  They offer counsel in all areas of the program—from training and implementation through marketing and following through with the successes of your students.  They are always just a phone call or email away.   5.  Is there any other information you feel may be helpful? Yes.  Follow the program to the letter.  Cliff has done this program for so long that there are no kinks in it that have to be worked out.  I have used the program on at least 100 children and adults and have never felt a need to change or alter one thing.  Each child has found reading success with it.  My lowest-achieving child was a third-grader who only improved two grade levels in two months because his parents were not consistent with taking him to tutoring.  One other first grader was pulled out of the program after only two weeks because the parents felt it was too much money and time to spend on reading.  Six months later—after being retained in second grade—he re-enrolled in the program and is now reading in the seventh grade level.  I suggest that you be sure to keep a contract between you and the parents in order to show that consistency helps the child improve.  If they are late for appointments or just cancel, the program will not work as well or as quickly.   If you have any other questions, feel free to email again.   Maureen Marquez     More... To learn more about Academic Associates, call us at 800.550.9194 (California) or 800.861.9196 (Missouri), or click on the link below.  Academic1@verizon.net

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