Each experience is unique

What was your experience like in public school?

I didn’t like it because they put me in the mini program, which I don?t think in the end was helpful for me. I was stuck with a lot of troublesome kids, and I didn’t really fit in with them. All the classes were super chaotic, we never got anything done, a lot of people were getting in trouble: it was really frustrating to go to school. So, in Grade 10 I started coming to BrainBoost.

If you can think back to your first day at BB, what was your first impression of the Hub, and the people here?
There was always a really good vibe that was happening. It seemed very fun. That was my first opinion.

I know that you started here in the summer. After your experience there, what helped you make the decision to come to BrainBoost full-time?
I was talking to Markie about it. I used to come here for tutoring sessions with Rachel, and I would come here an hour early and I would sit in the lounge and all the after school kids would be there, and it was really fun to just listen to the stuff that they said. And I was talking to Markie about how it would be really cool to come here, but it’s just not affordable. And then he said ‘Let’s make this happen!’

How would you describe the culture or the atmosphere at BB?
I would describe it as mind-opening. There’s a lot of different people, and you learn how other people do things. This place really taught me how to be cautious of other people, and be more non-judgemental. Before BrainBoost, I didn’t know about ADHD or Asperger’s, or people who had any of that kind of that stuff. Or dyslexia, and I kind of felt alone in a way, and then when I came here, it was very welcoming, and I just felt like I belonged at BrainBoost.

Can you describe what the teachers are like at BB?
There are some interesting folk. They’re youthful. I feel like when you have younger teachers, you can connect with them and talk to them easier than if you had a teacher who was 60 years old, and you can’t really have a personal connection with a teacher like that. But here, the teachers allow you to have personal connections, and be a friend in a way, even though we’re not allowed to be friends.

What makes BB different?
A lot of things. I don’t know, you’d never find a dog running around. I wish that dog loved people, though. It’s too late to earn her love, she’s too old. Lauren was lucky, she met Brinley when she was a puppy.

How do you think BB has supported your learning disabilities?
I’m not sure. The teachers here know how to teach. They’ve learned from so many different learning aspects that they know how to go ‘if you don’t get this angle, let’s try this angle.’ And they really work to make you understand what’s happening. There’s a teacher for each person’s learning style. Mark Van for example is really good for people like Oscar or Lev, who’s really logical, or can get stuff easily. There’s people like Markie who can teach my learning style. It’s hard to explain. But every teacher has a special teaching way which works for a lot of students.

I know you started doing D&D last year. Why do you think D&D is good for kids?
I think D&D really learns teamwork skills, good communication, and really boosts your imagination, which is really important. It’s just generally fun. But I really do think the two main things are communication and teamwork: D&D really helps you with that.

Where is your journey taking you next? What are you doing after BB?
I’m going to go to Langara, and just take some basic courses, and just experience the world. And then probably after that, I will apply to the RMT program. That’s my plan.

The last one: Describe BrainBoost in three words.
Inclusive, whack, and magical.

When did you start coming here?
I did English, Socials for grade 10, and then I did full grade 11 here, and now I’m doing grade 12 here. So I did mostly tutoring, and then that kind of transitioned into full time.

What was that transition like?
When I was younger, I had super bad anxiety, so that was the main thing. So I was pretty anxious. But I feel like after the first week of full time, I was pretty anxious, but it was a pretty smooth transition, especially since I’d been doing the tutoring. I didn’t go in cold turkey.

Did you ever try public school?
I was in public school all of elementary, and then grade 8 and 9. High school wasn’t really working for me. I was in the alternate programs for a while, and I thought this really isn’t where I should be, it wasn’t really a place I belong. I ended up here, and it’s been pretty great ever since.

You brought up that you had pretty bad anxiety. How would you describe what anxiety is, or how it affects you?
For all the years I’ve had it, I don’t think I’ve ever thought about explaining it. It’s something that just takes you over, and if it’s bad enough, you can’t control it on the spot. For me, it was always internal. I’m a pretty quiet person, you can’t always read emotions off my face, and it’s like ‘How is he anxious right now?’ I don’t always show a lot of outer stuff when I’m anxious. It strips you of all your confidence, basically. And it puts you in panic fight or flight mode. And all of that time, it meant flight, and not wanting to be in that situation whatsoever.

How do you think we’ve helped you, or supported your anxiety?
I think BB is just a very open place. I see kids come in, especially when it’s the first walk in, and you see their face. Instantly, you can see they’re a bit frightened, and they’re not sure. But you can see the change almost instantly as soon as you start meeting some people. Some of them will start laughing, or they’ll get a little bit of a smile. It’s them meeting people and being reassured it’s a super open and safe space. It?s kind of cool to see.

What advice would you give to someone who’s living with anxiety?
It’s the cliche: it’s going to get better. I guess that no matter how lonely you feel, there’s always people there, there’s always one person that definitely cares. And there ares people willing, even if they don’t know you that well, to be that one person if you need it. The fear will always be there slightly, it’s not something you can ever get rid of, but over time, you slowly learn different techniques, and as you mature and grow as a person, you pass it by a bit, and you grow around it. It’s a bit of a road block, and you learn to grow around it.

Do you feel like you’re more in control of it?
Yes, it’s way more control. There are so many doctors that I would go see, and you don’t always click with everyone. But the guy that I stopped seeing, because I was doing so much better and I didn’t really need to see anybody anymore, he was pretty great. But I think what really came down to it and how I got better, was just maturing. Basically over a summer, that grade 10/11 summer, I almost super-matured, and learned my way around. Breathing really helps too: when I was younger, that would really help me. Deep breathing, and picturing yourself away from the situation.

How would you describe the culture atmosphere at BB?
It’s hard! Sarcastic? I don?t know. Funny and fun on the outside, loving on the inside. That’s a really hard thing to describe. You can’t explain the atmosphere.

How about this – what are the teachers like?
The teachers. Oh, terrible! No, the teachers are pretty great. The teachers are passionate about what they’re doing, and they’re passionate about teaching it to you. There’s a lot of teachers who are a few years older than you, 6, 8 years older than you, and it’s like you’re not allowed to be friends with that person, they’re your teacher. People look up to you guys, and ‘this is you in 10 years,’ and people aspire to be that. Teachers are pretty great.

You were in the grad transitions class, which is a program that we’re starting and trying to develop. Do you think it was helpful? What was it like working with Ivey?
Ivey’s great. The best part about grad trans is the five musketeers, I guess six including Ivey. The best days are the ones where we can sit there and just talk for two hours about life after, and this community. It’s a safe space.

What are you doing after BB?
I’m going to Kwantlan next year for Health Science, and then I’m thinking about transferring somewhere else. I was thinking about somewhere like UNBC. I think I do my best work surrounded by the outdoors.

What do you think you’re going to miss most about BB?
The people. You sit there and think about it, and you say ‘I guess I’m leaving.’ I don?t always get all the emotions out, but it’s going to be sad. I think I’m just going to sit out on a bench and pat it, and get up and walk down the stairs, and that’s the ending of the movie. It feels a bit like losing a best friend. But you guys are always here, and we can stop by anytime. It’s part of the journey.

Why do places like BrainBoost exist?
I think every kid should go to a BrainBoost because you?re never alone. There’s some kids that thrive in High school, and there’s a lot of kids that don’t thrive in high school, and there should be places for kids that don’t thrive in high school. They should feel as accepted as the other kids. That’s why there should be more BrainBoosts.

Last question: describe BB in three words.
With love, BrainBoost.

Bronwen McEvoy-Morie, 16, came to BrainBoost so she could pursue her passion in dance. She had been accepted into Arts Umbrella and needed a place she could organize her academic schedule and keep up with the demands of the program. Recently she was awarded a generous scholarship from Quest University to work towards her Bachelor in Liberal Arts and Science. BrainBoost caught up with her to see how she measures her success and what advice she’d give to fellow students.

Have you always known what you wanted to do?
I’ve wanted to be a dancer for a very long time. People would always tell me, ‘Oh yeah, you don’t really make much money being a dancer.’ But dancing is my passion. I don’t care if I don’t make a lot of money. I want to do what I love.

So how much should what your friends and family think influence your attitude to education?
Unless it’s positive, don’t listen. I think it’s really important to follow your dreams and what you want to do. Other people’s opinions shouldn’t be a part of that. Unless of course, you are making some ridiculously stupid decision and they’re trying to talk you out of it. [laughs]

Apart from following your dream, what’s your secret to success?
I work really hard. I struggle a lot with academic work and keeping my focus because I’d rather be off making art. What gets me through is, I realize, that to get to where you want to be, you’ve got to push through. In order to go to Quest and have a good time there, I have to finish math. There’s no way around it. I’ve got to. The way I look at it is, the sooner I get it over with, the sooner I’m done and I can move on to bigger and better things.

So would you say that pushing through academics is the toughest part of being a high school student?
Honestly, I don’t think it’s the academics; I think it’s the social thing. A lot of people get really worked up about the way they act, how they look, who their friends are, what they’re up to. In normal schools it’s a lot about fitting in with your clique and peer pressure.

Compared with a ‘normal school’ what was the first thing you noticed was different about BrainBoost?
The space itself. Definitely. Having the kitchen there to take breaks whenever you want and the lounge too. A few months ago. I was sitting in the lounge. I don’t know how this came up, but I think I was talking to Lilly about The Little Mermaid. And Matt came in and started singing almost the entire Little Mermaid, word-for-word. I mean, that was pretty great.

If you could give other students any advice before entering high-school, what would it be?
Don’t worry about what other people think. Stick to what you know is true. Don’t let other people get you down. Love yourself. And don’t make too many bad decisions. [laughs]

I remember the first time I came to BrainBoost and I’d never really been to school before. I was kinda worried about what people would think about me. But when I started going here I started to see that it doesn’t matter. I can be who I want to be, and if someone else has a problem with that, that’s their problem, not mine.

Why did you start coming to BrainBoost?
Because elementary school didn’t work out that well for me, the traditional method of it. My mum really wanted to try something different. She heard that they did the alternative school program, and that was only the second year of it. Matt remembered her, and they had a nice conversation, and it evolved. It worked out well.

How would you describe the culture at BB?
It’s hard to describe a general culture. In general, it’s a very different atmosphere. Not how you’d traditionally expect. Traditionally, students and teachers are more separated. It’s less so here. There’s a first-name basis. It’s a lot more casual in a good way. You don’t have to be super intense with your teachers. Even the fact that they’re called tutors is part of that, just less of an air of superiority. It’s hard to summarize what BrainBoost is. It’s a very calm, casual but still effective working environment. It’s very inclusive too.

Are there any teachers you feel particularly connected with? What did you like about their teaching style?
Mark Van, I’ve had something with for the past four years.I think he’s pushed me toward the Math and Science stuff, which I really like, which has definitely been helpful. He likes to go on long tangents on interesting stuff related to the topic, which I really like. My favourite example, is that he tried to explain how soap worked, like the chemical ways that soap worked. He went on an hour-long tangent of explaining that through the Cold War. There?s two different types of molecules that connect to the soap, but he went into Capitalist and Communist powers? It was pretty great. It was a massive tangent about the Cold War. It was really fun. It was a great day.

What do you think is the biggest challenge you had to overcome in high school, personally for you? How did we help you through it?
I guess the hardest general thing that’s been for me going through school would be learning how to work well in social situations. That has been a big issue. I’ve gotten much better at that in later years. BrainBoost helps with that kind of stuff. I talked a lot with Ivey, who was for the most part my Case Manager for that time. Just being able to talk to her or Jessy or other people. That really helped a lot.

What do you think you’re going to miss most?
That’s a hard one. I definitely think I’m going to miss BB as an institution. The whole BB environment, vibe, and BB as a thing. It’s hard to nail down a single thing that I will particularly miss. It’s not like it’s all that different, but it’s not all that similar. It’s both it’s own thing that’s different and the same. Going on to university, there will be major differences. It will be a whole new thing. I think I’m looking forward to the new environment, but also I’ll look back and miss the old environment. I’ll definitely be back to visit.

What’s next on your plate for you, where is your journey going?
I’m going to be doing Computer Science at SFU.

How do you think we’ve helped prepare you for that?

I’ve done a lot of programming classes, so having that available here has been really helpful for me, and being able to do that has helped my interest in that field. Daniel, specifically, was really helpful for that, because he’d done Computer Science for his degree, so I was able to talk to him about that, which was really interesting. I think that having the ability to do that kind of stuff here, with someone who that was what they did,I found that very helpful.

Why do you think places like BB should exist?
The reason I gave is because our standard school system didn’t really work that well for me, and that’s the kind of thing that happens to a lot of people. It’s supposed to fit for everybody; that means it obviously won’t work for everybody, it will work for most people. I think that there are cases where it works well, but there are people who need more help, or just a different environment. I think that’s where BB and other places like it fill the gap.

What was your experience with school before BrainBoost?
I had a few different experiences. I went to a public school for Grade 1 and it just didn’t fit – like they couldn’t teach me properly. So, I left school and I was homeschooled for a few years. I came back to school for Grade 4 up until Grade 6. Then, I was home schooled again. Then I lost interest in that and I went and did my own thing for a couple of years. Then, I guess, then I started here in 2011. I jumped into grade 10 when I started here. I’ve been here ever since!

Why did you come to BrainBoost?
The school system just didn’t work for me. I’m a visual learner. I have learning disabilities so I have problems processing different stuff. So, it was better to have a more personal connection with the people because then I’m more interested in hearing what they have to say, rather than school, where I feel like stuff is more enforced upon you.

There’s so many things we offer here at BrainBoost – Pods, tutoring, Study space – do you feel like you use all of these different aspects?
Yeah! I use pods and tutoring all the time! I don’t use study space that often, but I do when I have the chance because it’s nice! It’s good to have Markie there and stuff and helps makes sure you’re on the right track.

What have been some of your favorite pods?
I really like the ones with Emily C! I’ve done English 10, a couple different Science ones – every single pod I’ve been in has been really great. I don’t think I’ve ever been in a bad pod. They work because even though you’re still with a group of people, they’re a smaller group of people. So, you still have that personal connection. A lot of kids in the class are nicer and are more willing to open up and be themselves – and I prefer that. Same with teachers! They get with you on that personal level.

How would you describe BrainBoost to someone who knows nothing about us?
Uhm, that’s kind of hard! I guess it’s an alternative school and it’s a space where you get more personal uses and you can really be yourself and people are fine with that and they like it. It’s easier to learn here. It?s a really comfortable place, and I don’t feel stressed here. The tutors really help you here, and they really push you to elevate you to your full potential.

What is the relationship between tutor and student like at BrainBoost?
I guess the best example, for me, is when I worked with a tutor that used to work here, Alex. When I was in sessions with him, it didn’t feel like I was with a tutor. It straight up felt like I was hanging out with a friend. It was really friendly. It’s nice because it gives you more respect for that person and it makes you want to listen and hear what they have to say more.

Why do you think places like BrainBoost are important?
It gives you a chance to be yourself and discover who you are.

How do you use Study Space today? How do you describe it to others?
Yeah! Totally! It’s a place where you can go and you can get help and support with homework, questions. You can get help and support for online courses and to help you organize your time management. It really helps with any kind of school-related support. The tutors also help me with things like organizing a timeline for an online course that is extremely helpful. It seems like something straightforward, but it is really helpful to get that extra kick of support.

What are you doing at BrainBoost now?
I have two spares at school right now, so I come here straight after school at around 11:30 and then I use this time to do my Biology 11 online. I use it mostly for asking questions. I mean like, they’re so good at helping me organize my time management too. Like, if I have a list of things I need to finish over the weekend, they help me prioritize. If I need extra practice, they find really awesome resources. If I need someone to help quiz me or if I need just a number a of things. Whatever I need, they’re really willing to help me out with what I need that day.

Sessions, for me, are just single subject orientated. So, this year, I’m focussing on Chemistry and Math with Nolan. He helps me with the little kinks I have or go over concepts that I missed in class. He helps me answer question that I find really challenging and I need more one on one support. I save independent work for Homework Help and I use sessions to go over things I’m not grasping on from my teacher.

They really want to help you with whatever it is that you need help with. I think they’re trying to think of your perspective and what you need to understand the question and succeed at a problem. They try to look at it from a different perspective for you. I think the tutors here are really exceptional. They each have a background that they’re really passionate about and I think that really translates into how they want to help you understand. I find the tutors here really go the extra mile to help you understand.

It’s your grade 12 year, and you’ve decided to tackle your first online class. What made you decide to take an online course this year? How has it been going?
I’m hoping to apply to nursing at UBC Okanagan because they have a four year program there. You need Biology 11 to apply, and this is a new requirement that started this year. Since I didn’t know about it when I selected my grade 11 courses, I decided it was worthwhile to take the course and have the prerequisite to be able to go into the program that I want. It wasn’t reasonable for me to take it in school, with all my other classes, so I decided to take it online.

Not bad! I have to be done by the beginning of February to use it to apply to Universities. It’s a bit of a short timeline, but I have a schedule going and I’ve been staying on top of it. It’s been going pretty good. BrainBoost helps me with my organization. Also, the class is kind of self- taught and you have to interpret the material, so BrainBoost kind of acts like my teacher to go over concepts. It’s nice because it’s still on my own time though!

Is it hard to ask for help in Study Space?
I’m really comfortable with the tutors since I know them and I am fairly comfortable with asserting myself that way. I’m an older students so I guess I feel comfortable. But, even if you’re the shyest person in the whole world, I’m pretty sure that they’re going to come around and check that you don’t need anything from there. They’ll come to you at first so that you can get familiar with them.

How has BB affected you as a learner?
It’s given me a good way to be more responsible for my work. Using Study Space as an example, like you’re responsible for your own work, but it’s nice to have that support if you want to learn more. I never have to be stuck on a problem because I know there’s someone who will be there and help guide me through it.

Why do places like BrainBoost and Study Space need to exist?
Teachers don’t always have that much time to help you outside of class, so for the people who have more individualized learning, it’s nice to have somewhere to go, outside of school, for help. It’s nice to know to know you can come somewhere and have that support!

Why did you start coming to BrainBoost?
Math at school just wasn’t going well. I knew I was good at math, but the class and the teacher weren’t the right fit. My teacher didn’t really care about my questions. I’d like more communication for tests and quizzes. I wasn’t really successful in that class and I knew I could do better. I started doing online math, but I needed extra help just to clarify some topics because I wasn’t fully getting it. So, I had friends who came to BrainBoost. They said, ‘It is a great tutoring place, you can talk with your tutor, and you get your own room and it’s one on one,’ and I started doing that. Now I’ve been here a year!

What are the challenging aspects of online math?
I find that if you’re not a super motivated person you could end up pushing it to the side. You could go through a whole chapter, and say ‘I don’t really feel like doing a test right now’ and then two months later you’re like ‘Oh yeah! I need to do that test on? that lesson from ages ago!’ That’s kind of hard. At certain times you might want more clarification on questions and explanations. You can always message your online teacher, but you can’t just sit down with them and ask ‘Why did this happen?’

Last year you completed math 10 online with Deanne. How did she help you?
Deanne would help me fill in the gaps. She would show me a way to an answer, and I’d say ‘I’m still not getting it’ and she’d bring out a whiteboard, or blocks, until I finally understood it and it clicked! Once you get it you can apply it to another questions, but it has to click first. Sometimes that’s not how they teach it in school. They’ll just teach it one way and tell you ‘Have fun with that, I hope you get it!’ She really helped me by showing me different ways and to take time to really focus on areas that I just didn’t understand.

She really knows all the concepts and is fresh in her mind. People here are trained to tutor one on one, and be really friendly, and don’t just expect students to learn a certain way. They are able to help people in many different types of learning, especially for math.

Now, I’m doing Pre-Calculus 11 online with Deanne. It really helps me and I did pretty well in math last year, and I just want to continue that trend.

What are the benefits of doing math online?
It gives you a lot more room to learn and learn what’s best for you. You just may need an extra day for a concept to click and sometimes you don’t have that time in school.

Since math builds on previous knowledge, gaps in your knowledge make future learning hard. That happened to me a lot before. I just didn’t understand a concept, we’d move on, I’d do badly on a test, and I’d never get to go back and learn it! Grade 11 was harder and the holes in my knowledge just kept getting worse. Online and with a tutor you can work on any holes and understand it all.

How do you think BB has affected you as a learner?
I’ve learned that if I’m struggling with a tough question, I should just keep going and come back to it with a fresh mind. If I keep trying to figure it out, I just get frustrated. Sometimes you need to move on and come back and tackle it again and let it breathe!

Annalisa Turner has been coming to BrainBoost for tutoring since she was in Grade 7. She recently celebrated her graduation from the IB program at St. John’s and acceptance to the CAP: Law and Society Arts program in UBC.

Now that you are graduating from high school and BrainBoost, can you recall any favourite memories?
I’m very mischievous and annoying. So obnoxious. I have a white board obsession. I remember leaving love notes all over the whiteboards at BB. But I shouldn’t just give one memory to BB. I’ve been here for 8 years. I’ve had so many different tutors. I know almost all the students here. My one memory from BB is honestly just having people so open and accepting of who you are – no matter what your background is or who you are. It’s a living memory because it’s still happening right now. I can’t say one memory because everything that’s happened to me here has affected me in a positive way.

How would you say BrainBoost supported you through your studies?
At BrainBoost you have such a close relationship with your tutors and the staff, so people actually know you and care about you. I’m very musical. I love singing, dancing and I’m very theatrical. When I came here the tutors would say ‘Well, you know how have to push yourself to be a better dancer by working through a hard step?’ They made connections to my personal life. They made each task super relevant to me.

I can be all over the place with my thinking. Like, I know some students who can focus for 6 hours straight on. I can’t. I always do 45 minutes with a 15 minute break. All my tutors set up a daily plan and checklist for me.

What have been some of your academic challenges?
English was the most challenging for me. I just had my last session with Jana a couple of weeks ago and she gave me something I wrote in grade 10 when I first met her. But she said, ‘it’s somebody else’s work.’ And I started reading it and I was thinking, ‘Whoa? this is something that I would’ve written, like, 5 years ago?’ and I was so embarrassed. [laughs] But it was also amazing to look back and see how much I’ve enhanced my abilities.

What is high school really about?
High school is learning how to balance your life. Knowing who is going to be by your side always. High school is getting a bad grade on a test you studied really hard for and learning to accept that. It’s probably the worst place to build your confidence–I’m not going to lie. There are people who are going to tear you down and there are people who are going to bring you back up. You’re not going to have everyone on your side. It’s a precursor to the rest of your life but intensified.

What advice would you give to high school students and students coming to BrainBoost?
Your case managers are your best friends and you should really respect what they do. You want to be on the same page as your parents and you don’t want them to be mad at you. You need them to understand what you are doing. I think my case manager Matt has really strengthened my relationship with my parents as friends and mentors.

Create a great group of people that you can study with and feel comfortable around. I find when you study and are learning a new concept having the ability to have a judge free zone, bounce ideas of each other is so important.

Be freaking organized. I mean I was very unorganized. Make dividers for yourself like in homework and out homework to stay on top of work. I know people don’t use their agendas. I get it I didn’t use mine but make checklists, scheduled. Time management is half the battle.One trick I have is I always write my test date in [my agenda] two days ahead so that even when I procrastinate I have two extra days to study. I’ve freaked out my friends with that before! [laughs]

Sleep. I know people say pull all-nighters and it’s a cool thing to do. It’s not. You get tired and cranky. You’re not going to be prepared for the test the next day. Give yourself breaks and set up a cut off time.

Do things that you love to do no matter what your friends and parents think. If you enjoy something you will excel in it. You’re going to increase your confidence in other subjects too.

So how important is confidence?
Confidence is a huge issue. When I’m on stage, I just feel like I know what I’m doing but in terms of school, especially Math and English I had no confidence at all. My cousins (who were also enrolled in IB at St Johns) really excelled in academics and there was a lot of family pressure.

Can you speak more about the pressure to achieve?
I come from a very intensely educated family. The pressure of that is intense. My parents have passed along the great work ethic that comes along with that. They have pushed me too hard sometimes and Matt’s mediation was so important. Sometimes Matt would say, ‘Annalisa you have to listen,’ or he would ask my parents to back off and give me a little space, so it was always a push and pull. I know a lot of parents who think my kid has to get an A? but some kids are not good at everything, their brains don’t work that way.

Being at BB I remember having multiple discussions with Matt that I wouldn’t be good at everything so I had to be confident with the things that I felt ok in and improve myself, knowing that sometimes, even when you try your best you won’t get an A+.

Are students who get straight A’s better prepared for university?
I would like to say that people who get straight A’s in high school are not prepared for university. They haven’t had time to have a social life. You have to fail in order to succeed. High school is getting a bad grade on a test you studied really hard for and learning to accept that.

You mentioned that high school is learning how to find a balance. What is next year going to be like?
Busy! I want to get a job next year. I’ll be in the CAP program at UBC. But there are small class sizes and standardized timetables which I’ve learned really works for me. I’ll also be playing in UBC rec and joining clubs.

Finally, what would you say is your definition of success?
Personal success is when you are happy and knowing that you are doing the best that you can do. I don’t think success is how school grades it as a 99%. It’s not something you can count.

Imogen (14) has been coming to BrainBoost since she was in grade 6. Now, a grade 9 student at Prince of Wales, she discusses her success in math.

Why did you start coming to BrainBoost?
I am not the best person with math, and I was getting behind and not understanding it all, so coming to BrainBoost has helped me grasp it better. It’s also helped me do it a little bit faster, because that’s also something that I have trouble with.

What has challenged you in math in a normal school setting? How has tutoring helped you?
I find a lot of teachers go really quickly because a lot of students just understand it quickly, so it’s okay to move on. BrainBoost is good because I can have another session where I really just focus on stuff I’m having trouble with.

Math is a lot easier this year with BrainBoost than last year without. My mark was higher and I could really understand things easier and it also has been helping quite a bit.

What does a typical session look like?
Doing whatever concept of math I’m doing at school at the time and then I’ll do some problems. We will work on everything I’m having a bit of trouble with, and then go over some basic stuff if necessary. It’s kind of homework help, but if I need help with the homework, I need help with the concept. So, a session is also just going over different concepts and different ways of doing it to see what works best.

How does your tutor make math come alive?
Since everybody does things differently, he helps me find stuff that works well for me and going over different ways to see it.

One of the main differences at BrainBoost is having that one-on-one help with whatever you need. If you have any questions, you can ask your tutor and you don’t have to worry about disrupting or taking up too much class time.

BrainBoost has also taught me about my learning style. Going over different ways that people learn things and choosing one that works best for me. It made me realize that I’m better with visual learning and doing things. I find that picking apart and see things really helps. Martin draws a lot of diagrams and takes things apart by drawing pictures. Once we wrapped paper around tubes to understand surface area – things like that!

I’ve suggested BrainBoost to other people because – especially in high school when everything is starting to move a lot quicker, and there are more tests, homework, and stress – BrainBoost is a really good place to understand things. It’s a nice environment and it’s really friendly. It’s relaxed here, but not too relaxed. There are less distractions, like my pets or other things. It’s more focussed and I get my homework done.

Why did you start coming to BrainBoost?
I started coming last year in January. I was already doing math once a week at home with a tutor. My friend, Georgia, told me about BrainBoost and how it made a huge difference for her and I was really struggling with math. So, my parents said ‘Let’s try it out and see what happens!’

What was your experience with math like at school?
At school, in grade 7 and stuff it was pretty easy. Then, in grade 8 it was so different from elementary school and I wasn’t really doing well at all. I was at a low mark and stuff. It was the teacher who was really tough. My math teacher would speak for like an hour and give us ten pages for homework and no time in class to do it. I really don’t learn well that way!

What do you do here, at BrainBoost?
Now, I’m doing science because I have my math tutor at home. Math, this year, has gone way better! I went from having a C- last year, and now I have an A! Crazy difference! I think a lot of it had to do with BrainBoost and some of it had to do with my teacher this year because she is amazing! Now, I’m doing half math when I need it and half science.

Last year, with that big change, what were you doing to improve?
It was tutoring and Study Space once in a while, and at the end of the year I did the Math Boost before my finals – which got cancelled because of the strike, but I felt pretty prepared because of the Math Boost.

What is the Math Boost like?
Going into it, I was like ‘Oh man! This is like 3 hours of sitting in a room with a bunch of random people learning about math that I’ve already learned about?’ and I was very not excited about it! But then, I went there and I ended up knowing a lot of people who were doing it and I didn’t know they were which was cool because I was like ‘Okay, I’m not the only one doing this!’ It was really good because they divided it up. They had snacks and let us go outside and take breaks and it was actually really good!

What is Study Space like?
I use it about once a week now. Study Space is when studying at home can get really distracting and you need to come here. It’s not like you have a tutor next to you – asking you how to do things or babying you and making you do certain questions. You have your own spot and no one is annoying you because everyone is doing the exact same thing. It’s like the perfect situation because if you’re swamped you can raise your hand and there’s a tutor right next to you! It works out all the time! It’s also like they’re not giving you the answer so you figure out how to do it by yourself. You do a ton of questions and if you want them to check it, they will, but if you don’t then they don?t need to. I think it’s really good!

What do you like most about Study Space?
Feeling like I’m studying at home and I don’t really procrastinate there. It helps with my productivity a lot! Having a tutor there is really good and works out really well because if I’m stumped on something I can easily get the answer.

What are the people and atmosphere in Study Space like?
They’re really good! The tutors are awesome – they know everything! Caitlin speaks in French so she really helps me with my French. That’s really helpful to have a tutor who knows Math, French, Science, and she can do everything. She can do things with me in French and I don’t have to go through the effort of translating it! Then, Michaela’s really really good. She breaks things down really well and stuff like that. All the students are really good too because everyone is there for the same thing.

The atmosphere is very focussed. Everyone is there to get their own thing done! Everyone else is so focused so I’m like – I have to be focused!

Also, I’ve been there so many times where at tutor says – ‘Okay, you’re freaking out! Go out and do something and get away from your book!’ That’s really cool to hear because usually you wouldn’t hear that from educated people. They want you to just push through, but here they want you to take a break and do your own thing.

Describe the math preview program at BrainBoost.
This summer I did two weeks of math preview with Rachelle. That, honestly, I think did one of the biggest differences this year. Rachelle was so great about it because I’d be there for two hours in the summer and not really want to be there. But every half an hour we’d go for a walk. That made a huge difference for this year because I knew things coming into the year so I wasn’t as surprised. Like last year I was super surprised because I didn’t know anything. I think it’s really worth it because it made one of the biggest differences in my whole math mark this year!

Why do you think places like BrainBoost are important?
I think it’s good because normally at home – since I’ve had it both ways with a tutor coming to my house – there’s just a lot more distractions. If I’m sitting there and really comfortable and not want to do anything and my math tutor comes over, I’m just like ‘Ugh!’ But here I have a whole different mode because I have to get up and come here and do my Science and I think it’s a lot better than at home because I’m less distracted.

And the tutors here are special. They’re like, different than other tutors. They really understand what you need to do. My friend, actually, I told her about BrainBoost because her tutor at her house would get really frustrated with her and if she wasn’t doing it a certain way he’d want to do it another way. Then, she came here and she was like, ‘Oh my gosh! these tutors are really different! They don’t get frustrated with me and they give me three different ways to do something and I get to pick!’ I just think that the tutors are really cool here and really good at what they do!

Three words to describe BrainBoost
Fun.
Important.
Helpful.
Effective.
Oh man. That’s more than three!

“It turned me around in a way. I’m more efficient and better at school work. It set me on a new track.”
Dylan (17) shares his experience at BrainBoost and how Study Space, tutoring, and Exam Boosts have helped him re-focus and learn.

Why did you start coming to BrainBoost?
I first came because a friend of mine went to BrainBoost. He introduced me because I was struggling in school, especially in science. I started with Study Space and I thought it was really great. It’s a place to do your work and where you can also ask questions. When you’re at home you can’t quite ask your mom to help you out. Six months into Study Space, I moved onto tutoring. At the end of grade 10 I also did the Exam Boosts.

Tell me a bit about the Exam Boosts!
I wanted to take them because I wanted to be sure that I would go in and do well on the exams. I’m not very good at focussing at home – one of my struggles is that I am a really big procrastinator. The Boosts helped me focus and come in to actually do the work and study. The Boost tutors helped me understand a lot of the stuff, and they summarized everything you need to know. At the end, they gave me a package with questions from previous exams, but they enhanced beyond the stuff you can find online.

What was your experience in the English Boost?
The English one was interesting! We read passages that Chris chose from all over the place, opposed to just the English provincial passages. He spent the time to look for it and find ones that were super intriguing, but also had the components that we were learning. I thought that was really cool. We also did some multiple choice practice on vocabulary and they took us through what the previous exams looks like. I was really happy with it.

What about the Math Boost?
Sam was teaching the whole time with breaks and food – they had quesadillas or grilled cheese sandwiches! One page of the workbook would have a little lesson and Sam would teach and then we would go through the examples. Then, we would flip the page and we’d have questions that were directly correlated to the lesson. It worked really well for me! It’s basically how I learned the whole year in math! Sam taught it really well too. He’s a good speaker and he drilled all the principles into my head.

What makes the teachers at BrainBoost different?
First off, they’re really interested in the students. Not to say that public school teachers aren’t. For example, John and I – we’re called Team Panda in our sessions and we just go with that and we have fun messing with Nolan. I don’t know, it’s a lot more like he’s my friend – like we’re on the same level. It’s a different feel here, for sure.

Why do you think it’s important for a place like BrainBoost to exist?
At school I’m not good at doing my work on my own. Even paying attention in class is a struggle. Coming here fills in all the gaps for me that I miss and reinforces everything really well in a way that I couldn’t possibly do just sitting at a desk alone. I know people who don’t go to a place like this, but I feel like people should experience this way of learning. The one-on-one, the study space type of learning – it’s a lot different than public school. It’s great, for sure!

Describe BrainBoost in three words.
One would be enthusiastic – just because of all the people here.

Two would be – Re-aligning. It turned me around in a way. I’m more efficient and better at school work. It set me on a new track.

And – Focussed. I’ll go in to see Michaela and tell her all the stuff I have to do. She’ll write me a calendar and plan it out. It’s perfect! This weekend I was just swamped with work and I woke up on Saturday thinking ‘I have no idea what I have to do!’ I looked at my list and I knew exactly what I had to do. She helps me focus and plan out what I need to do.

How I learned to stop worrying and love the math!
Raidah (17) is currently doing Calculus Math 12 and English 12 at BrainBoost. Over the summer she did Pre-Calc 12 with Michaela. In the interview below, Raidah tells us about her experience.

What first made you come to BrainBoost?
I have an attention span problem. I?start daydreaming. So, my counselor sat me down and was like ” You’re smart! This is not what you want to do!” I kind of changed my whole mind at the last minute and I decided to go into commerce, so I needed pre-calc over the summer to do calc 12 during the school year.

Was the summer Pre-Calculus Math the first thing you did at BrainBoost?
Yes – it was a test run for me?because I have a major anxiety problem with tests. The summer program was to see if it was okay for me to shift some of my schoolwork to BrainBoost.

What was the first thing that you noticed that is different about BrainBoost?
It is more welcoming than your school is – no matter how long you’ve been there! The minute I walked in doing Pre-Calc that morning, Michaela was like sunshine – she just hit! She always made everyday a little funnier – because she would start off with a funny video!

Also, at BrainBoost, if you feel like you’re done, and don’t want to do it anymore, Michaela will be like “Okay! Go distract yourself for 15 minutes. Go read a book, go listen to music, do whatever you want. And then come back, and we regroup.”

BrainBoost is good for people who are fed up with having 30 kids, 1 teacher in a class. Here, you don’t really feel like there’s a teacher – you feel like there is a friend who’s helping you out – a smarter friend than you. Haha!

Tell me about summer Pre-Calculus Math at BrainBoost and how it works!
We had 6 hours, 5 days a week, with?lessons in the morning, and assignment work in the afternoon. Every Friday or Thursday, we had a test on that week’s chapter. It was a lot of work, but it was fun too, because Michaela and Yeasir are great teachers.

What did BrainBoost do to help you with your test anxiety?
I had lots of extra time to write the test, which was a great help. I got my own room, and I could darken the lights a little bit, cause I don’t like too much light. And I got to do it on a computer.

What was your favourite part?about summer Pre-Calculus Math?
Oh my gosh, there were so many favourite parts! Friday afternoon snacks were AWESOME!! BrainBoost trivia too, because it was something to bond over and we became kind of like a small family. Markie in Study Space is the BEST. If he saw that you were getting anxious – he would teach you, yet also take time out to just talk, venture out and regroup.

Would you consider your experience in summer Pre-Calculus Math a success?
Yes, definitely! I came into BrainBoost thinking, “I’ll pass this by 52%”. I got my first test done, and I was like WHOA! “Anything above 73%, and I’m good” and I ended up getting a class average of 84%, which I could’ve never imagined! No homework, meant no stress. If I could do it, I would re-do it again. Not Pre-Calc again, probably – HAHA!

In three words, describe BrainBoost.
Unique.
Family.
Friendship.

How did you hear about BrainBoost?
Through EBUS! When I started there, they suggested it to my family. I come here for the learning opportunities that are offered. The different courses and the IDS courses that are offered. I’m taking Psychology 12, Criminology 12, Philosophy, Psychology, and Literature at BrainBoost.

How did you hear about BrainBoost?
Through EBUS! When I started there, they suggested it to my family. I come here for the learning opportunities that are offered. The different courses and the IDS courses that are offered. I’m taking Psychology 12, Criminology 12, Philosophy, Psychology, and Literature at BrainBoost.

What are the classes like at BrainBoost?
Small groups of people that come together to discuss or learn a particular subject. I enjoy the close knittedness of it, the few students that are there. They’re mostly discourse based – I enjoy that aspect!

How did you interest in psychology start?
It came largely from that I have high functioning autism, so people don’t really make sense, in general, to me. From there, I was interested in the criminal behaviour and criminal aspect of things so criminology is a good route to take with that.

In all the courses I’m taking, we explore the different aspects of all them that I didn’t necessarily know existed. Through psychology I’ve also even started looking into sentence structure and linguistics in relation to developmental psychology. There’s been a compare and contrast among different areas of psychology.

Tell me about Psychology 12!
We’ve watched a few movies and done character studies. We’ve gone over different theories relating to dream analysis and we’ve looked at conditioning and developmental psychology. We did character profile of Patrick Bateman from Arrested Development! It was amazing! I suggested he had brief psychotic disorder.

What about Criminology?
We look at different theories about law and a merge about psychology. We’ve done a bit of criminal law aid and a few mock trials, which has been my favourite part of that course! During the mock trial, each time there is a prosecution, defence, jury, and a judge. It’s set up as a normal court proceeding.

What are sessions like here?
You show up and meet your teacher. I typically pick something that I’m interested in and we look at it the rest of the time! It’s interest based! The tutors give me resources and we discuss it.

What can you say about teachers at BrainBoost?
They’re all pretty unique! Each one of them! I enjoy working one on one because it makes it so that you can do what you want to. They can facilitate that in whatever way that you want – whether it be research based, dialogue based, project based, inquiry based, what ever works for you!

What makes BrainBoost different?
How long do you have? It’s a bit of a list to answer that!
The classes aren’t structured in the same way. Mental health is a big consideration. If you need to leave, you’re not questioned, you can just leave the class. If you need help, there are people willing to help you, despite your need or desire in that moment. If you’re having a problem, people make rooms available to you so that you can calm down. It’s very adaptive and accommodating to people. There’s also different places to work – the courtyard, student lounge, study space! There’s lots of options! And the cooking class brings out pizza bites and stuff, which isn’t bad!

Why do you think we need places like BrainBoost to exist?
For all the kids that are beyond the barriers or even just approaching them that the normal school system doesn’t work! It could be because of learning style or issues, it could also be that you’re ahead of your age group and are bored. I fit into a lot of those categories. In the regular system, I couldn’t do extra work because I was worried about the anxiety of taking on because of the social dynamic.

The dynamic of everything! If I want to talk to someone, there’s always someone to talk to but if I don’t want to talk to anyone, I put my headphones on and everyone ignores you! It’s great! I don’t think you can define the community here because of the sheer diversity.

Describe BrainBoost in three words
Completely individualistic approach.