Frequently Asked Questions about Genie Academy

What is Genie Academy?

Genie Academy is an after-school enrichment program that teaches children to do mathematics by using the abacus, an ancient calculating tool. The program was developed by Mohit Jain and his wife, Naina, who saw that the abacus was an effective way of getting children to understand math. At Genie Academy, your child builds the skills necessary to improve academic performance.

Why use the abacus?

Little children have difficulty grasping mathematics because it’s not something they can see or touch. By seeing beads on the abacus and moving them around, math becomes something a child can understand. Try it for yourself with our online abacus simulator. 

How does the abacus work?

In our abacus mental math classes, your child is taught to move beads up and down to solve simple addition and subtraction. Soon children can visualize the beads in their minds. Once they get a mental picture of the beads, they develop razor-sharp focus. Now they are ready to solve complex math problems in their minds with the speed of a calculator. Children become hungry to continue because they now have a sense of accomplishment and a challenge they look forward to meeting.

How long are the classes?

Classes run once a week and vary in length, depending on your child’s age. Toddler classes for children ages 3 ½ to 5 are for one hour. Junior and senior classes for students older than 5 are two hours. Class sizes are deliberately kept small so that teachers can give each child the maximum attention needed. No more than five children are in the toddler classes. No more than eight students are in the junior and senior classes.

What if my child needs more attention?

We have tests to evaluate performance every three months so we will know if your child is falling behind. Your child’s teacher will make sure that they get extra attention and extra classes. This will ensure that your child will finish the program to our competitive standards and benefit from it.

Will my child be able to sit for a two-hour class?

All our classes are designed to engage students from start to finish. Children begin classes with a brief yoga exercise that energizes the brain and increases focus. They interact with other children and do individualized lessons with the teacher. The last half hour is spent playing brain games specially designed to enhance memory, focus, and listening skills. Your child is engaged from start to finish!

How soon will I see the results?

Each child learns at a different speed. We encourage you to keep your child in the program for at least three months until they become proficient in visualization.

Will Genie Academy conflict with the way my child is taught at school?

Genie Academy complements schoolwork because children develop a better understanding of math on the abacus than is possible with the traditional math curriculum in schools. Faced with stimulating challenges, children find that schoolwork becomes easier. Genie Academy also teaches how to solve word problems, which are traditionally the bane of every student’s existence.

My child is learning-disabled. Will this program work for him/her?

We’ve found that in many instances, Genie Academy improves the academic performance of children who are learning disabled. Genie Academy has helped children with ADD, ADHD, auditory processing disorder, and PDD because we have a multi-sensory way of teaching. Here at Genie Academy, we take into account why the child is not learning. For example, he or she might be processing information in an entirely different way from the rest of the class. Our teachers are trained to recognize a child’s special mode of learning and to tailor lessons to suit them. Many Genie Academy teachers are special-needs certified by the state of New Jersey. We vigorously train them to work with special-needs children.

My child is already doing excellent in school. Will Genie Academy challenge them?

Our program is stimulating enough to challenge even the most advanced students.

Do you offer tutoring classes near me?

We offer tutoring across central New Jersey at our conveniently located tutoring centers. Find a tutoring center near you by viewing a map of our locations or check out where we host East Brunswick tutoring classes, Hillsborough tutoring classes, Marlboro tutoring classes, South Brunswick tutoring classes, Plainsboro tutoring classes, or South Plainfield tutoring classes.

How do I get started?

Getting started is easy. Call us at 609-372-5998 or come in for a free class. Sign up now. We will give you and your child a free demonstration of the abacus and an abacus to take home.