UrbanProWeekly • APRIL 25 -MAY 1, 2013
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Augusta Tutoring Center from page 3 students back to previous concepts or grade levels to reinforce or enhance those skills they missed the first time around. All it takes is 2-3 hours a week. For those high achieving students we use a concept called the flipped classroom we teach them their upcoming grade level material during the summer so when school starts in the fall they already know it and rise to the top of the class. It’s always better to start out on top of the hill as oppose to being on the bottom. The challenge sometimes is overwhelming for a student who develops academic fatigue during the school year. It’s a total up- hill battle. Without tutoring an achievement gap (SUMMER LEARNING LOSS) is created between the haves and the have not’s. Research shows that in general low income students lose around 3 months of grade level equivalency and middle income loses around 1 thus creating a shocking achievement gap over time. If I lose 3 and you lose 1 over a 12 year period you would have a 24 month advantage which is the reason we are offering this affordable summer learning program. UrbanProWeekly: What can you and your staff do that the classroom teacher may not be able to do? COLLIER: Provide a controlled fun and relaxing environment that’s conducive to learning based upon the student in a one to one or a small group setting based on our schedule and parents flexibility. We can take all the time we need to spend on an individual concept in other words we can dictate pace and meet the students individual needs versus trying to manage large groups of students and chase administrative requirements.
MORE THAN JUST TUTORING: “We design web based educational software used as an Adaptive Learning Management system called Flexible Learning Solutions for Schools.” — Greg Collier All Photos by Vincent Hobbs COLLIER: VIP and CRITICAL are the words that come to mind. Today’s youth are the most technologically advanced children that have ever graced the wonderful earth. They were born with gadgets, talking animals, and technology in their hands. They prefer to learn from avatars and interactivity. Take a look at all the technology at their disposal it brings education to your audience not forcing your audience to come to you. No need to force a circle into a square.
UrbanProWeekly: In every student population there are those who wind up at the bottom for various reasons. Can your program help those kits to succeed? COLLIER: Yes. Sometimes the difference between the top and the bottom is time, patience, and understanding. All of the usual classroom distractions and bureaucracy is eliminated in a tutoring environment. Our tutors are empowered simply to do what they see that fits a specific child. Unfortunately most teachers don’t have that luxury. UrbanProWeekly: Explain the importance of online resources and interactive lessons in your teaching methods.
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Online resources can offer diagnostic tests as well as deliver a targeted lesson plan to fit each child at their level of understanding. 25 students 25 different lesson plans. Students today have never seen an 8 track tape or an album but they have heard of IPod and ITunes you have a better chance of getting their attention in their world of technology. That 8 track just won’t cut it. Today’s student don’t say take me to the store to purchase my favorite song; they say, download it. So our philosophy is to allow them to download better grades by studying online and learning with interactivity if that’s what fits the student.
in 22 states under the SES format. The program is designed to supplement teachers in the classroom. In our blended learning environment which means online with a physical teacher as well as control over pace and time of learning the role of teacher is adjusted toward being a facilitator of learning as opposed to being the only instructor. From right here in Augusta we are on the cutting edge of educational technology pioneering education reform by creating interactive lessons with interactivity designed to make a difference as we embrace the future of education. We hope to see our programs used in every school in the CSR A. Especially here in our beloved hometown of Richmond County.
UrbanProWeekly: Is tutoring the only service that your center provides?
UrbanProWeekly: What is the cost of your service and are there any special rates for families with more than on child that needs help?
COLLIER: No. We design web based educational software used as an Adaptive Learning Management system called Flexible Learning Solutions for Schools. A version of it was used
COLLIER: We don’t charge artificial fees such as application fees, enrollment fees or diagnostic tests. We want your funds to be used wisely on tutoring sessions because it’s the number of sessions that’s going to make a difference in the student. Our cost is very affordable as low as $40.00 a week. Yes, there are sibling discounts.
During the Summer Months Augusta Tutoriing Center recommends 2-3 hours of tutoring each week.
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Vincent Hobbs email: Ben Hasan bzhasan54@yahoo.com Frederick Benjamin Sr. editor@urbanproweekly.com Vincent Hobbs