Have you ever considered homeschooling? Do you fear your child won't get the attention they deserve in a large classroom? Join Sakina today as she chats with our valued teacher, Ms. Renee about what homeschooling is really all about as well as how our Best Brains curriculum can supplement it. 

Hi! I'm Renee. I'm excited to be a part of the Best Brains family! I've been teaching/tutoring for 20 years. I tutored while living abroad. I taught English to children and adults in Italy, Poland and Greece. I was also a co-leader for our McHenry county 4H group. Outside of work, I love spending time with my husband and four children. I also love traveling, gardening and cooking.

Today Nipa Joshi, a fellow Best Brains franchisee, joins Sakina to chat about our Public Speaking course and the amazing impact it has on students. Whether it's bringing a child out of their shell or teaching a child how to control their excitement, Sakina and Nipa have both seen Best Brain's Public Speaking course serve their students in ways they never could have imagined. Tune in to hear all about the incredible effects they've seen over the years! 

More about Nipa Joshi: Director at Best Brains Pearland. Just had our 6 year anniversary. Biomedical Engineer by education. Lifelong learner. Enjoy making learning fun for young minds.

Today we welcome Rachel Edens to the Sakina from Best Brains podcast! Sakina and Rachel reminisce on their years at Best Brains and how their positions have evolved over time. From the benefits of curating curriculum to the challenges of trying new things, you won't want to miss this captivating and genuine conversation! 

My name is Rachel Edens, and this year will mark my 8th year of working for Best Brains. I am the head of the Curriculum and Design department. I have a Bachelor's degree in elementary education with a minor in psychology. Some of my interests include reading, watching horror movies, and playing with my two corgis.

Today we listen in on a chat with fellow Best Brains franchisee Sohail Siraj, where Sakina discusses with him what it's like to own several Best Brains locations. The depth and detail that goes into each individual student as well as the work of providing a quality education are things that Sakina and Sohail connect over.

Sohail Siraj is a professional with an IT background, who bought his first franchise of Best Brains in Madison, Wisconsin 7 years ago. He runs three centers in Wisconsin and Milwaukee now with the help of his wife and sons.

Welcome to season 2 of Sakina from Best Brains! We are kicking off this season by discussing the connection of education and confidence with Namita Prasad, mother, author, fellow franchisee, and confidence educator. Namita's book The Power of Why Not came out January 2022 and is already a #1 Amazon Bestseller for parenting! Tune in to learn all about how to incorporate courage, character, and commitment in your parenting. 

In celebration of the upcoming holidays, Sakina has asked two members of the Best Brains of Algonquin family to take over the podcast this week! In this surprise episode, teachers Danielle and Katherine talk all about their fondest memories regarding their time at Best Brains, along with a few of their funniest experiences that contribute to making their jobs so rewarding. P.S. Be sure to tune in to find out who the extra special guest star, Gary, is...

Dr. Alice Ward-Johnson is certainly the CEO of our hearts with her wise insights about education and small business ownership. Alice and Sakina speak today about their experiences curating Best Brains curriculum, choosing to become teachers, and owning their own franchises. We are so grateful to have had such a lovely conversation with such an intelligent and inspiring woman and we hope to see her again on Sakina from Best Brains soon! 

Dr. Alice Ward-Johnson: I am an educator and small business owner passionate about education. Wife and mom of four adult children. I’ve defied the odds against me as a child to live a life I am proud of.

Balancing life is a huge challenge -- but in the midst of a pandemic, the struggle is multiplied. Several times. In today's episode, Sakina speaks with fellow franchisee Caryn Ross about how to maintain balance in all aspects of life. Additionally, they discuss how they have found balance in their lives over the past year and a half. 

Retired teacher of 25 years, avid reader of anything that will help me learn and grow, passionate about education, speaker and part of the Detroit planning team of the National Dropout Prevention Conference, Featured Speaker at the National Youth-at-Risk Conference, author credit for French 1,2, and 3 curriculum through Oakland Schools, owner of Best Brains Learning Center of Bloomfield Hills for 5 years and Best Brains Learning Center of Mason for over 1 year. 

Today's episode is all about the golden rule: teach others the way you want to be treated. Sakina and fellow Best Brains franchisee Nicole Savick discuss understanding other points of view, being kind and respectful despite obstacles, and the urgency to continue education through the pandemic. Together they confer that wisdom comes from experience and learning blooms from mistakes, which is something to be celebrated!

Nicole Savick: I am a small-business owner who has a passion for helping kids reach their full potential. I graduated summa cum laude in 2011 with a Bachelor’s degree in Elementary Education. When I’m not teaching, I love traveling and being outdoors. I have many passions and my current favorites are cooking, learning the piano and reading.

In today's episode, Sakina and Bethany Goossen discuss the blossoming of the Coding program at Best Brains. Together they go over the importance of allowing children to find ways to captivate their own minds, creating space for women in STEM, and the importance of computer literacy in today's climate. Bethany (along with her awesome LEGO earrings) has some serious wisdom up her sleeve!