EDUCATION DIRECTORS
Our directors form a highly experienced team. Pat Haydon gained her initial
teaching credential and experience in London, England, where she taught every
grade from Kindergarten through 8th grade. She earned her Masters’ degree
in Education in California, and has taught locally in both public and private
schools for 20+ years. She possesses an additional qualification in identifying
and addressing the needs of students who demonstrate ‘learning differences’.
Kimberly McElhern gained her undergraduate education at the University of California, Berkeley. She possesses a California teaching credential. She also has taught in both public and private settings. She is experienced at addressing student needs from 1st grade through college level, with a special emphasis on the Middle School and High School student, and is qualified to teach both English and math to an advanced level.
Both directors attend educational conferences annually, and are conversant with the recent developments and trends in the education field.
Pat and Kimberly, with a supportive team of credentialed teachers, test, diagnose, develop individual teaching plans, and directly tutor students in a very low student / teacher ratio setting.
TUTORS
We invite only credentialed teachers to work with our students. Tutors, possessing
a comprehensive grasp of the curriculum, must have previous experience working
with children in California. They are selected for their successful teaching
skills, ability to motivate students, and genuine care and sensitivity in interacting
with youth. Our tutors are experienced in recognizing why students experience
difficulties, and know how to propose alternative strategies, so that problem
areas are avoided before they become obstacles.
STUDENT / TUTOR RATIO
Students thrive with close teacher contact. We average a 2:1 student / tutor
ratio, with a credentialed teacher. Younger students, or ADD children, may benefit
from an individual learning situation. Our programs offer each student an individualized
program, moving step by step up the academic ladder. All students enjoy 1:1
teacher interaction and personalized learning time. Then they practice applying
new information recently learned, and receive immediate feed-back. Studies have
confirmed that this is a most effective teaching model, and encourages our students
to develop a level of independence which is imperative if they are to transfer
their newly–acquired skills into the classroom.