About Tokyo Learning Lab and our services
What services do you offer?
Our primary service is one-on-one tutoring for elementary and middle school students. We tutor in-person in Tokyo and online. Additionally, we offer small-group, week-long, academic programs in Tokyo during school holidays and summer. Finally, we offer educational consulting and admissions assistance for international schools in Tokyo or abroad and American boarding schools.
Who will my child’s tutor be?
Your child’s tutor will be Matt Kish, an educator with over 20 years of experience teaching children in leading international schools. Please check the About section of our website for more information about Matt.
What will my child learn in tutoring?
Our tutoring is designed to meet your child’s specific needs, and thus each student’s learning plan will be different.Our process starts by speaking with parents to learn more about what you would like to get out of tutoring. When first meeting with students, we work to build a strong relationship, while also completing some informal assessments to understand your child’s strengths and areas of growth. We then identify clear learning goals and a plan of action for our sessions. Finally, we use a variety of materials, activities, and tasks to meet your child’s goals, depending on the subject area and level.As we learn, we will continually check your child’s understanding and progress to see if they have met the learning goals or if we need to modify our approach.
What age range of students do you work with?
For tutoring, we generally work with students in elementary and middle school. For admissions consulting, we work with students applying to elementary, middle, or high school.
Is tutoring done one-on-one or in small groups?
Most tutoring is completed in a one-on-one setting in order to meet the specific student’s learning needs. Small group tutoring may be completed if a client has already organized a group of students with a similar age and need. Please contact us to discuss this option. Alternatively, we have small-group programs that run during summer holidays and summer break.
What are your hours?
Our hours are generally weekdays 4pm to 7pm and weekends from 8am to 5pm (Japanese Standard Time). Additional times may be available for online tutoring. Times may vary based on availability and holidays. Please contact us for more information.
Where will the tutoring take place?
As a small and growing company, we are currently in the process of establishing our office. In the meantime, we utilize a variety of spaces around Tokyo to complete our tutoring.
Do you offer online tutoring? How is online tutoring completed?
Online tutoring is done with Google Meet, a free service from Google. For online tutoring please be aware of the following requirements:
Your child will need a tablet or laptop computer. Due to their small screen size, smart phones are not allowed for online tutoring.
Your child will need to be able to access Google Meet and will need to have paper and pencil ready.
Do students have homework after their tutoring sessions?
We find that many students benefit from having a homework task so that they can independently practice what they learned during the tutoring session, however there are also some situations when this is not beneficial. During your sign-up process we will discuss with you if you would like your child to have a homework assignment or not.
How will I be kept up to date on my child’s progress?
Our goal is to clearly communicate your child’s progress to you. When you sign your tutoring contract, we will ask you to select how often you want to receive a tutoring report - weekly, bi-weekly, or monthly. You will then receive your individualized learning report based on your selection. You may change your selection at any time, and we are always available to speak with you more about your child’s progress.Tutoring reports are written in English and can be machine-translated to Japanese upon request.
Will you coordinate with my child’s teacher at their school?
Our goal is to do whatever we can to help your child succeed, and aligning our teaching with what your child is learning at school is an important part of that process. Our first point of contact is you, the parent, and as much information that you can share with us regarding what your child is doing at school is appreciated.We are happy to coordinate with your child’s teacher, however schools have different policies in terms of whether teachers will communicate with outside tutors, or if so, how often they will do so. If you feel that it would be beneficial for us to communicate with your child’s teacher, we always ask that you inquire with the teacher first. We also ask that you make the introduction and be a part of the conversation.
Do you have a child protection policy?
We take child protection seriously at Tokyo Learning Lab. Our policies include:
All employees have undergone criminal background checks.
All tutoring sessions take place in spaces that are visible to others besides the teacher and student.
For online tutoring sessions, it is required that an adult is within hearing distance of the child and their device.
About fees and payment
How much does tutoring cost?
Tutoring sessions start at one-hour long. The prices are:
One-hour session - 12,000円
Two-hour session - 21,000円
Three-hour session - 30,000円
Discounts are available. See the discounts section below.For small-group holiday and summer sessions, the prices will be posted on our website.
Are there any other costs for tutoring beyond the hourly rate?
In general there are no other costs involved. We do not have a registration or membership fee. If your child requires specialized materials that we do not have, we may change those to you or ask that you purchase the materials for your child.
How can I pay for tutoring? What are your payment policies?
We accept the following payments:
Credit card (credit card payments will incur a processing fee of up to 3.6%)
Bank transfer
Our payment policies are:
Invoices will be sent on a monthly basis for the tutoring completed that month.
Please review the invoice within three days to let us know if there are any discrepancies.
The due date for payment will be included on the invoice and is generally 10 days from the date of the invoice. Please pay by the due date.
Families who have not paid by the due date will not be able to complete additional tutoring until the previous invoice has been paid.
How does the Referral Discount work?
We offer a Referral Discount for clients who refer a friend to our services:
You (the referrer) will receive one free hour of tutoring.
Your friend (the person being referred) will receive one free hour of tutoring.
In order to receive the Referral Discount, we must be informed about the referral before signing the tutoring contract.
Free sessions will be credited to your account once the new client (the person being referred) completes at least four paid tutoring sessions.
*The Referral Discount is available for a limited time and may not be available in the future.
How does the Friends and Family Discount work?
The Friends and Family Discount allows for a 1,000円 discount off the tutoring rate, when two or more sessions of tutoring take place at the same location back-to-back. For example:
Older sister completes one hour of tutoring from 9am to 10am.
Younger brother completes one hour of tutoring from 10am to 11am.
Tutoring takes place in the same location.
There is a 1,000円 discount on the rate for both sessions.
It is not required for the students to be family members to receive the discount, as long as tutoring takes place in the same location.
*The Friends and Family Discount is available for a limited time and may not be available in the future.
About signing up for tutoring
What is the process for signing my child up for tutoring?
Here is the process for signing your child up for tutoring:
First contact - contact us from our website or by email.
We will reach out to you by email to answer any questions and give you the choice of a video-consultation or a text-based information form to fill out.
The parent will complete the information form or take part in the online consultation.
Parents decide on their tutoring duration and frequency.
Parents sign the tutoring contract.
Tutoring begins.
Do you offer trial sessions?
We do not currently offer a free trial, however we do offer a free consultation so that we can get to know you and your child and so that you can ask any questions you have and see if are services are the right fit for your child. Parents should participate in the consultation, and your child may join part of the consultation if you wish.
How much tutoring does my child need?
Each child and situation is different, and we will work with you to design a tutoring program that will benefit your child and help them to meet their goals. Most families start with one or two hours of tutoring a week. However, if your child has greater needs or if there is a need for faster progress (such as an upcoming exam), you may want to pursue additional tutoring.
What is the tutoring contract? Can I cancel my tutoring at any time?
You will sign the tutoring contract before beginning your child's first session.The tutoring contract allows you to agree to our tutoring policies. You may cancel your tutoring at any time as long as you have paid for the sessions that have already been completed. To cancel your tutoring, please contact us.
What if my child is sick? What is your cancellation policy?
For sessions before 12pm, please cancel by 6pm the day before the session.For sessions 12pm and later, please cancel by 8am the day of the session.Sessions cancelled after the deadline will be charged at the full rate.Please cancel your session by emailing [email protected]. Be sure to include your child’s name and the date and time of the session in your message.
About educational and admissions consulting
What educational consulting services do you offer?
Our main service is admissions consulting for students interesting in attending international schools in Tokyo or abroad or boarding schools in the United States. We will help you to navigate the admissions process, including:
Research - We identify a list of target schools and provide a report that includes a comparison of schools.
Application support - From contacting schools to supporting filling out lengthy applications, we can help organize and manage the application process across multiple schools.
Essay and interview preparation - We will support and coach in preparation of child and parent interviews and essays.
Which international school should my child attend?
There are many factors that go into deciding a school - from curriculum, to size, to location, to cost, and more. With an in-depth knowledge of international schools in Tokyo and abroad, we can help you to identify the schools that match with your child's interests, learning style, and academic goals. If you are thinking about international school in Tokyo, you can start by viewing our Tokyo Area International School Comparison.
How much does international school cost?
Tuition and fees for schools varies, but attending an international school is a significant financial investment. For schools in Tokyo, the average range for annual tuition and fees is from 2,500,000円 to 3,500,000円. There are additional fees in the first year of attendance, so the total cost for the first year averages from 3,500,000円 to over 5,000,000円. You can see the annual tuition and fees of international schools in Tokyo on our Tokyo Area International School Comparison.
What does the admissions process include?
The process varies by school, but all schools will require you to fill out an application and provide them with information about your child's schooling (such as report cards and test results). Most schools also require some sort of essay component from the student. Some schools may require interviews or admissions exams. Some schools also may include parent interviews or essays.
What are the fees for educational consulting?
The fee for educational consulting is 11,000円 per hour. When engaging with our services, we will create an estimate of the time required to complete the services you are interested in.