Go Online for a mid-term grade booster

What’s different about Brightstorm is not only the quality of the teaching, but the ability of the teachers (and the production staff) to harness the power of digital media. A Brightstorm class is as interesting visually as it is content-wise. Anyone who wishes for that teacher who can make his or her subject come alive can’t do much better (and with multiple teachers in almost every subject, you have the added value of instructor choice).

There are currently 19 college prep courses offered, each lasting 4 to 5 hours and divided into approximately 15 minute episodes. Since you can rewind at any time, it’s easy to take notes and review any material you didn’t get the first time. The flexibility of this format fits in well with the busy lives of today’s high school students, who often can‘t accommodate the rigid scheduling of tutors and supplemental classes. And enrollment lasts one year, meaning you can take your time, and review it all over again when you’re studying for finals.

After I watched many of Erin Hyman’s SAT Critical Reading episodes, I asked my son to check out Joshuah Thurbee’s Algebra II (Probably) Wont’ Kill You. Let me set the scene: it was an hour after vacation officially started, and the intrepid snowboarder was busy editing video of the previous weekend at Smuggs. His enthusiasm for my request was less than remarkable. But he checked out the course, and came back with the verdict: “This is cool. I’d do it.”