At Eye Level, we take an individualized approach to education. We must understand and instruct from each student's eye level. "When an instructor understands the learning needs of a student, the lessons are most effective." 

To achieve this, we must determine the most appropriate starting point for each student. This is done through a Diagnostic Test, which illuminates the needs and strengths of the student for the center director or instructor. 

The starting point is a critical step in the program. It lays the foundation for the student to advance with confidence, becoming a student that is ready for 

new challenges. 

Think of it in this way: When constructing a building, it is crucial for engineers to study the properties of the soil thoroughly to ensure that it can carry the

loads imposed by the building. The foundations of the building cannot be overlooked. The construction would not be solid, and the quality of the building

would be compromised. 

Education is no different. To effectively understand and work through complex concepts, a student must have a solid foundation. If any areas of prior knowledge are weak, then the student will struggle when moving on to advanced topics. 

At Eye Level, our students master each concept before moving onto the next. For example, if a student cannot complete addition problems without the use of fingers, counting, or within the given time limit, moving on to multiplication would be doing the child a disservice-he will be worse off in the long run. Multiplication is directly related to addition-the concept of multiplication being repeated addition. The use of carryovers also requires a mastery of addition. It is better to spend a few weeks or months now to prepare the child than to disregard the learning gap and move ahead. When the child reaches more complex problems that include various operations, fractions, multiple steps, etc., he will not have the foundation and skills to remain confident. His learning pace, content retention, and self-esteem will suffer as he struggles. 

Eye Level sets the starting point so that students can begin with their last mastered concept and move forward with independence. Due to the curriculum's small-step approach, if a student begins at a point where he is comfortable and confident, the student is able to move forward to more challenging material while remaining self-assured.