Our coaches don’t just help kids get through homework — they produce measurable transformations. Students typically gain an average of 1-2 academic growth in as little as 40 hours. This isn’t a coincidence of good teaching. It’s the predictable outcome of a method built on measurement. Every session generates data. Every skill is tracked to fluency. Every instructional decision is driven by what the data shows — not by intuition, habit, or what worked for the last student. We track progress with precision, so you’ll see concrete evidence of your child’s growth. For more information about Fit’s unparalleled learning outcomes, check out our Results page.

Skilled at Building Confidence, Not Just Academic Skills

Academic progress matters, but so does how your child feels about learning. Our coaches are specially trained to celebrate personal bests, encourage persistence, and help struggling students rediscover that they can succeed. What’s more, Fit’s fluency-based approach naturally strengthens executive function skills — such as planning, problem-solving, and working memory — that help students succeed not just in academics, but in life. When academic skills become automatic, confidence follows naturally — and that confidence extends well beyond the classroom.

Grounded in Science, Not Guesswork

Many of our learning coaches bring backgrounds in behavioral science and psychology. We regularly host interns from Washington University’s highly regarded Department of Psychological & Brain Sciences. Your child benefits from the latest research in learning science, applied by coaches who offer praise and feedback to keep kids motivated and confident as their skills improve.

An important facet of Fit’s method is precision teaching, which is an instructional method built on one core principle: fluency. Rather than moving a student forward when they can answer correctly, we move them forward when they can answer correctly and automatically — quickly enough that the skill becomes effortless. That fluency is what makes knowledge stick and transfer to new situations.

Built on 50+ Years of Research

Fit Learning didn’t just appear overnight. Our 1:1 method is built on decades of scientific research. For example, Fit’s reading instruction is rooted in a neuroscientific understanding of the elements of reading.

As you can see here, Fit’s approach isn’t experimental — it’s proven. Provided here is an overview of the published research that has helped shape Fit into the program it is today.

Our Expert Team Brings Rigorous Training and Proven Expertise

Lab Director Janice Smith

As lab director and owner of Fit Learning St. Louis, Janice Smith brings over 20 years of experience in behavioral science and education. After working as an administrator for the Special School District of St. Louis County and providing services across mid-Missouri, she discovered precision teaching — and everything changed.

In Her Words: “My favorite part has always been the teaching part. When I learned about precision teaching and the transformative outcomes possible with Fit Learning, I immediately knew: this is what I’m meant to do. Nine months later, Missouri’s first Fit Learning lab opened in St. Louis.”

Credentials:

• Master’s degree in Behavioral Science, University of Nevada-Reno
• 20+ years in behavior analysis and education
• Former administrator, Special School District of St. Louis County
• Certified in Fit Learning’s precision teaching methodology
• Supervises interns from Washington University’s Department of Psychological & Brain Sciences, Saint Louis University, and University of Missouri-St. Louis

Read Janice’s full story here.

Our Learning Coaches

Fit Learning coaches aren’t tutors in the traditional sense. They’re trained specialists, certified in the specific curriculum area they teach — reading, math, critical thinking, kindergarten readiness, and more. The certification process is rigorous by design. Before coaching independently, every Fit Learning coach must pass five separate performance audits in each curriculum area they teach. These audits assess not just knowledge of the content, but mastery of the instructional technique — the precision teaching methodology that drives Fit’s outcomes. Passing once isn’t enough: coaches undergo quarterly audits throughout their tenure to ensure standards are maintained.

Coaches are also trained in structured literacy, research-based instruction, and the Science of Reading — the evidence base that informs how Fit Reading is taught.

Because learning doesn’t follow a script, our coaches are trained to read each child’s needs in real time. Having a tough session? The coach adjusts. Suddenly ready to accelerate? The coach moves faster. This responsiveness isn’t improvisation — it’s the result of deep training applied with genuine investment in each child’s progress.

Beyond credentials, Fit Learning coaches are chosen for something harder to train: the ability to make a struggling child feel genuinely capable. They celebrate personal bests, keep sessions engaging, and ensure your child leaves each session with more confidence than they arrived with.

The Fit Learning Difference

Our mission is simple: transform the learning abilities of every child who walks through our doors. We pursue this through nurturing environments, genuine partnership with families, full responsibility for outcomes, joyful learning experiences, and unwavering integrity. When you walk into our Creve Coeur learning lab, you’ll experience these values in action from day one.

You Don’t Have to Take Our Word for It; See What Other Parents Have Said

These results aren’t outliers. Here’s what St. Louis families have said about their children’s experience at Fit Learning.