Today we’d like to introduce you to Leonora Cox-Skinner.
Hi Leonora, we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, maybe you can briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today?
Basically, I was experiencing teacher burnout. I was overwhelmed and frustrated with teaching because it was becoming increasingly more difficult and worse each year, especially concerning student behavior, mainly the disrespectful behavior of the students. During this time, I had been an art teacher for 15 years. In the summer of 2024, I made it my mission to get in my own quiet space at home, away from all the chaos at school, and determine what it was that I truly wanted to do with the remainder of my career. I thought about all of the times that I was truly happy during my teaching career. I discovered that I was happiest when I tutored students after school and when I worked with students in small groups doing reading interventions. I got the idea to open a tutoring center. To my knowledge, Conway had not had a tutoring center since The Sylvan Learning Center shut down many years ago. I decided to name the tutoring center The Village Tutoring & Educational Center, LLC. Our slogan is “It takes a village to raise a child,” which comes from an African proverb. The idea is that parents sometimes need assistance with raising their child to become strong, independent learners – so we are here to provide that much-needed academic support for parents if they need it.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
No, it has not been a smooth road at all. I had a very difficult time locating a space for the tutoring center. I kept being denied by The City of Conway Planning & Zoning Department. They initially approved the space that I have now (downtown Conway). I paid the rent for the first month along with a deposit. However, several days later, after asking me a few questions, they told me that my approval was denied because it sounded like my business was more like a daycare, and that the city of Conway was not zoned for daycare. I was livid!
I let my new landlord know what happened. She was out of town and would return the following week and return the funds in the form of a check. I wrote an email to The Planning & Zoning Department, assuring them that this was not a daycare, that it was a tutoring center and that I was very passionate as an educator to assist students academically. I told them that we needed a tutoring center in Conway to assist the children in our area because a lot of learning loss has occurred, especially since the onset of the Corona Virus (COVID-19). Several days later, I received an email back saying that I had received approval to put the tutoring center in the space I had chosen.
I was so elated, but my happiness was short-lived. I called my landlord and let her know. However, she informed me that she had already cut the check and that someone else was looking to get the rental space. She said she would let me know something by the end of the day. I did not hear anything back that day. The next day, on my birthday, February 3rd, my landlord called me back saying that we would keep everything as it was. That was the best news I received on my birthday.
We’ve been impressed with The Village Tutoring & Educational Center, LLC, but for folks who might not be as familiar, what can you share with them about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
The mission of The Village Tutoring & Educational Center is to deliver efficient and high quality tutoring services to students in a positive and nurturing environment that instills confidence and will result in lifelong learning outcomes.
The vision of The Village Tutoring & Educational Center is to strive to be the premier leader of academic tutoring and educational services, promoting and strengthening partnerships amongst communities, schools, and learners.
The Village Tutoring & Educational Center encourages and promotes early literacy skills because we believe that reading is the foundation for all other subjects. We provide tutoring in reading, ELA, & writing, from the earliest to the more advanced learners in grades K-12. We also provide tutoring in math from the most basic concepts to more complex math concepts in grades K-12.
What sets he Village Tutoring & Educational Center apart is that we have certified educators as tutors who are currently practicing in the field of education on a daily basis.
The Village Tutoring & Educational Center is truly what the name says. Our tutoring center is a village that is ready and willing to assist parents by providing academic support to their children. We want to help children be successful in the educational environment.
Can you talk to us about how you think about risk?
I feel that you have to take risks in life. As the saying goes, “No risk, no reward.”” I have taken a few risks in life. I took the risk to pursue my doctorate degree in education. I accomplished that goal on May 14, 2022. I have recently taken the risk to open a tutoring center where a lot of odds were against me. If you have dreams, you need to pursue them. A man without a dream shall perish (Proverbs 29:18). God puts dreams in our hearts. It is up to us to follow our dreams. If He put the dream in you, He will help it come to pass.
Pricing:
- Standard (small group) rates range from $30.90-$92.70: • $30.90 per 30-minute session. • $46.35 per 45-minute session. • $61.80 per 1-hour session. • $92.70 per 1& ½ -hour session
- Premium (private 1-1) rates range from $41.20-$103.00: • $41.20 per 30-minute session. • $56.65 per 45-minute session. • $72.10 per 1-hour session. • $103.00 per 1& ½ -hour session.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://thevillagetutoringedu.com
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/61574836771056/about/?_rdr
- Yelp: https://biz.yelp.com/biz_info/0T3StXo9x0VepfZZQsz5rA
