New Educational Franchise About Self-Directed Learning

It is based on the concept of self-directed learning and changing a child’s future—and those basic principles convinced two men to open a franchise of Eye Level education in Bridgewater.

“What I like most about my job is how profound the impact is on each child’s life in an utmost positive way,” said Luke Lee, who, with Kunal Mehta, owns a franchise of the educational program on North Bridge Street in Bridgewater that they opened in 2011.

Lee said they have recently signed up to open three additional Eye Level learning centers.

Eye Level is a supplemental education program that originally began in Korea, and provides tutoring services for children ages 3 through 16 by creating a program tailored to an individual child’s strengths and weaknesses. The program is now based in New Jersey, and has 150 franchise locations across the country.

Lee said he began to look into the program after he watched his sons at Kumon, a different learning center that he himself had been part of when he was a child.

“We were both frustrated by the learning through dry repetitive drills,” he said. “Surprisingly, so many parents in the waiting area thought the same way.”

Lee decided to take matters into his own hands and did some research to find the best curriculum he could.

“I added what I have learned through more than 50 unhappy parents, and sprinkled my taste of fun and love for kids, which is now Eye Level Bridgewater,” he said. “We try to adapt to each child and meet the needs of a variety of learners with different levels of skills, so the highly capable students as well as the struggling students are equally excited and engaged.”

The decision to bring the franchise to Bridgewater, Lee said, was based on just an understanding of the different kinds of people living there and in the nearby towns.

“Bridgewater is a dynamic town, serving as the hub for adjacent towns,” he said. “Bridgewater is a town of growth and opportunity with industry-leading businesses thriving.”

In addition, Lee said, Bridgewater is very diverse in itself.

“[There are] multiple nationalities and cultures,” he said. “Most importantly, this is where I live and what I love.”

Lee said the program starts with self-directed learning to help the students think critically and solve problems.

“Every day, we change the future of the children who come to our center by teaching them to think critically to solve problems, to express their deepest feelings effectively and to become independent learners with strong foundations to explore the world in front of them,” she said. “One ‘a-ha’ moment with a child will make my day, every day.”

Lee said the center sponsors and participates in many local community and school events, providing hands-on activities to challenge critical and creative thinking.

“The critical thinking problems used various activity-based learning tools,” he said. “We give out lots of prizes as well as donations to local schools and charities as a way to have fun and to give back.”

And from there, Lee said, they have received positive feedback from local families who are interested in the program.

“It is a lot of fun for the kids who challenge themselves with the puzzles, and the parents love the emphasis on problem solving and critical thinking,” said Lee, who has an MBA in Dartmouth but said he does not have a background in education. “Most of our customers got to know us through our involvement with these community events.”

For more information on the program, visit the website.