MY TURN
What is “Shadow Education”
and Does My Child Need It?
BY LANA YEGANOVA
packed schedules.

Our experience shows that children
respond positively when learning envi-
ronments foster this critical, exploratory
thinking that aims to help them understand
the “why” before the “how.” By incorpo-
rating fun brain teasers, images that help
children understand the problem and
highly personalized lessons that require and
encourage their participation, we see stu-
dents come to class excited to learn. This
can sometimes be the difference between
strong students and those who may be fall-
ing behind their peers.

The importance of starting early
A common subject that many students seek
tutoring in, and struggle with, is math. This
is often due to the way it is introduced.

As educators, we believe that introducing
mathematics enrichment education in early
elementary school (K-2) generally leads
30 Washington FAMILY SEPTEMBER 2022
to accelerated improvement in stu-
dents’ knowledge, core proficiencies
and logic and critical thinking skills,
as well as an increased interest in
mathematics. Interestingly, we have observed
that students who seek tutoring with
the goal of remediating poor academic
performance generally enroll later in
life, from seventh grade and up. In
these cases, while tutoring provides
immediate help, it does not generally
lead to the same progress that may be
achieved when starting enrichment
programs at an early age. By the end
of middle school, students who have
not connected with math in early
years may develop an adverse attitude
towards the subject and are over-
whelmed with problems that are not
necessarily complicated but require a
systemic approach.

Introducing tutoring at a young
age helps children build foundational
skills needed for more complex prob-
lem solving, resulting in more time and
space for creative thinking and discov-
ery to take place, which are often much more
interesting to a young learner.

Final Thoughts
Starting early and building the foundational
blocks students need to succeed contributes
to keeping students engaged and positive
about not only math, but other STEM sub-
jects as well. If we as educators and parents
can work towards providing a supportive,
stimulating environment where children
are empowered to learn, students can do
more than keep from falling behind; they
can excel. n
Lana Yeganova, Ph.D., is one of five women
who co-founded Avatar Learning Center, an
online tutoring center which includes fami-
lies and instructors based in Washington, D.C.

She teaches math at Avatar and lives in the
Potomac area.

PROVIDED PHOTO
Y ou may have come
across the term “shadow
education” while
researching tutoring options
for your child or while flipping
through an education magazine, but
what does it mean exactly? Shadow
education is frequently used to
describe private, supplementary
tutoring aimed at improving student
academic performance in various
subjects. The term was coined in
the early 1990s, and within the last
two decades, shadow education has
expanded to reach almost all corners
of the globe, becoming a part of
daily life in an increasing number
of households.

Researchers noticed a large
increase in enrollment in shadow
education programs in Germany
during this expansion. In another
cross-national study, it was found
that approximately one third of all
15-year-old students from 64 differ-
ent countries/economies participate
in shadow education.

At Avatar Learning Center, we see shadow
education as an increasingly necessary tool
for student success and academic achieve-
ment, especially among younger children,
whether they are a rock star student or
need a little extra help grasping concepts.

Especially for young minds interested in
science, technology, engineering and math
(STEM), we believe supplementary tutoring
is becoming more and more essential.

Shadow education offers students a
space to develop critical thinking skills and
establish themselves as proficient problem
solvers, key factors for academic success
at any age. And, with access to technology
and online resources becoming increas-
ingly widespread, engaging in virtual forms
of shadow education is rising in popu-
larity. Online tutoring may also be more
cost- and time-effective and even more
convenient for busy parents and kids with