Tutoring Club: Setting Students A Class Above Through Mastery of Concepts

It may sound shocking but 80% of students who graduate from public High Schools are unqualified for college. You would think that those in private schools fare much better and receive more quality education but, surprisingly, they too have difficulties in school and some also graduate without enough academic competency to fare well in college. It’s no wonder that some students think that the only thing that they can do is buy an analytical essay or whatever piece of work they need to help them pass school and be qualified for college.

Fear of math, aversion to reading, complaints of too much homework, and failing marks are all too familiar in any school setting. Most parents criticize the school curriculum or blame their children for not working hard enough. What they need to understand though is that most students are unable to cope with their lessons mainly because they lack a proper foundation for basic mathematical concepts and reading comprehension skills. This is what Tutoring Club addresses – to fill in the learning gaps which will ensure that a student will be able to cope with his current, more complex lessons.

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Mastery of Concepts

At Tutoring Club, a student must master one skill before moving on to the next skill. This ensures that he has a solid foundation of mathematical concepts and reading skills that will enable him to tackle more complex lessons with ease. A mastery-based Learning Plan is developed to address a child’s identified skill gaps and to eventually develop new skills until he is at par with his current grade level. This individualized Learning Plan is based on the results of the child’s Skills Assessment which pinpoints his deficiencies.

Having been a tutor also for several years now, I am very familiar with cases where students reach High School and still stagger with fractions and decimals which they apparently have “forgotten” already. We then end up working doubly hard to re-learn what they have forgotten while coping with their current school lessons. Now, if I had the technology that Tutoring Club employs in generating worksheets, I’d have half my work cut out for me.

Advanced Educational Technology

All learning plans and worksheets are computer-generated and each one tailor-fit to meet the goals of each student. So, unlike in traditional tutoring where a child works with only one tutor who monitors his progress, the Tutoring Club program is not tutor-dependent. When a student comes in, any of their professional tutors available can get his portfolio and check the computer for the student’s learning objective and worksheets for that day. This works in a similar way to online tutoring through things like online courses Australia, where the work is easily accessible online. This computerized system also makes continual assessment of a student’s progress possible, I’m sure Miami tutoring services also use systems like this too!

This is the first time I’ve heard of such a system and am amazed at how advanced it is. I would love to have a computer that assesses a student’s performance and prepares a lesson plan based on the results.

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Merit System

A student’s diligence is recognized and good performance is rewarded with tokens that students can use to purchase items from the Tutoring Club store. This form of merit system encourages students to work harder at reaching their goal and develops self-esteem.

Corporate Social Responsibility

Knowing that there are students in public schools who can benefit greatly from their program, the Tutoring Club has tied up with Dep-Ed’s Adopt-A-School program and has set up a center at the Kamuning Elementary School. The children enrolled in the program are provided with the same materials and given the same high-quality efficient tutoring that other students receive. You can take part in changing a student’s life by being his sponsor. All it takes is just Php500 per month.

Tutoring Club is the only tutoring center that guarantees your child will improve at least one grade level in 32 hours. It is also the only tutoring center that provides computer-generated individualized Learning Plans to ensure that your child’s skill gaps are remedied and new skills are developed. The fees may sound quite steep since they compute it on a per program basis, but if computed on an hourly basis, it is actually the same as what other tutoring centers charge. My little ones are still too young to be enrolled in their program but if they do someday need help with their academics, I would consider enrolling them in the Tutoring Club.

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For more information about The Tutoring Club, visit their website at http://www.tutoringclub.ph/, or call the branch nearest you:
807-8282 : Alabang
856-2517 : Bonifacio High Street
856-6099 : Pasong Tamo Extension
706-4579 : Fun Ranch
721-8867 : Greenhills
896-2211 : Rockwell
743-9093 : Sta. Mesa Heights
(32)238-3655 : Banilad Town Center Cebu

Superkids 2012: Help Your Kids Be Super

Want to know how to raise exemplary children?  Learn from the experts at Superkids 2012 at the SMX Convention Center tomorrow and on Friday.  Check out the 33rd Manila International Book Fair as well while you’re there. 😀

Helping Kids Be Super at Superkids 2012

In educating and raising little children, the effort it takes is anything but little. You have to prepare these young minds for the needs of an ever changing world. After all, the ages of 0-11 are a child’s formative years; the skills they’d learn during this crucial period would be the foundation of their knowledge base for life.

Helping equip educators and parents for this tough job is Superkids 2012, a two-day interactive conference on early childhood education set on September 14-15, Friday and Saturday, at Function Room 3, 3rd level of the SMX Convention Center as part of the 33rd Manila International Book Fair. Superkids has been a part of the country’s largest book fair and has been successful in gathering parents, teachers, school administrators, and people who work with young children to give them the latest information on educating young minds.

This year’s conference features noted author and educational consultant Dr. Thomas Armstrong from California as the main speaker. He will focus on topics such as “Exemplars of Best Schools (from Early Childhood to High School)” for his September 14 session and “The Power of Neurodiversity and Multiple Intelligences in the Classroom” for his September 15 session.  He will also conduct a book signing in his Saturday session.

Aside from Dr. Armstrong, other high caliber speakers from all over the country will share their perspectives, tips, opinions, and expertise on early childhood education and provide discussions in between sessions. Dr. Didi Manahan, Directress of Explorations Pre-School and Keys Grade School , Ms. Anna Franchesca Lacanilao, Directress of The Learning Tree Pre-School, and Ms. Ani Rosa Almario, Directress of Raya School will speak on “Alternative Forms of Learning Environments and Institutions” on September 14.

Meanwhile, for the September 15 session, clinical psychologist Dr. Teresa Gustilo-Villasor will share her expertise on “Issues and Trends in Learning Styles in the 21st Century”. Developmental and behavioral pediatrician Dr. Francis Xavier Dimalanta, on the other hand, will enlighten conference goers on “Developmental Pediatrics: Evaluation and Assessment of Different Types of Learners”. Lastly, Ms. Ma. Carolina Gustilo-de Ocampo, an early childhood education expert, speaks on “Creative Innovators: How to Develop Young Children Who Will Change the World.”

Don’t miss two whole days of fun and learning at Superkids 2012. For more information, contact organizer Primetrade Asia Inc. at 896-0661 or 896-0682, or e-mail [email protected].

Interactive Learning Fun with The Entire Family at THE ROBOT ZOO

Did you know that a chameleon can move its eyes in different directions at the same time? Do you know how a fly is able to stick to walls(and how Spiderman is able to do the same thing :D)? Have you ever wondered how bats catch their prey in the dark of the night?

These are among the many questions we were able to answer during our visit to The Robot Zoo in the Science Discovery Center at the SM Mall of Asia last Saturday, July 7.  The entire brood were all excited to see the larger-than-life animated animal robots simulate their real-life counterparts and show us their many spectacular feats. See the picture below,  we couldn’t get a decent shot of the kids lining up for the tour because our little boy was so excited to see the robot animals he couldn’t even stand still.

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Raring to go inside The Robot Zoo

A giraffe (Jakei insisted it was an orange Zebra though) greeted us at the entrance and seemed to motion to us with its 9-ft long neck to go and start our adventure inside the zoo.  A rhino, a platypus, a grasshopper(It’s Hopper!), a giant squid, a bat, and a chameleon were among the animals featured in the zoo.

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Each robot animal exhibit came with an extensive description of the parts and behaviour of each animal.  My preschoolers though are not the type who’d listen to long explanations of the marvels of nature and would rather be off and running or touching one thing or another.  Good thing there were interactive multi-sensory activity stations that let them experience the scientific marvels first hand.

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Jakei became a turtle for a few minutes.  With a gray shell on his back, he tried to walk like a cute little turtle on all fours.  He found the shell uncomfortable though and took it off before the turtle race began.  I think he had more fun throwing the suction balls at the picture of the giant squid.:D

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Our little boy also tried Hang Time where his strong arms kept him hanging for a full 18 seconds! How’s that for a three-year-old?!  He didn’t hang upside down like a bat though. I’d have too much of a fright to see him hanging head down.

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Our little princess also had a marvelous time.  I think she tried each and every single interactive exhibit there.  She went back to the fly wall the most though.  Hmmm…probably because she wants to climb walls like a fly, too.  She also enjoyed playing the games on the computers and making the chameleon’s tongue stick out. 😀

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Tickets to The Robot Zoo costs only Php 200 per person which is a fairly good price for the learning experience to be had inside the walk-in gallery.  An orientation of all the animals in the zoo can be finished in just 15 minutes or so but I suggest you stay longer and let the little ones fully enjoy the interactive exhibits.

We definitely had loads of fun at The Robot Zoo learning about the magic of nature together as a family.  Much thanks to The Robot Zoo, the NIDO Fortified Science Discovery Center, Nickelodeon, Big Chill, Buy-The-Bucket, Yellow Cab and Krispy Kreme for a truly fun family bonding activity last Saturday.

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The Robot Zoo is located at the 2nd floor of the Science Discovery Center Exhibit Hall.  For more information, you may visit The Science Discovery website and the NFSDC Facebook Page, or you may call +632-556-0331 or +632-556-2193.

The Robot Zoo Opens Its Doors for some Interactive Science Fun

There’s a new zoo at the NIDO FORTIFIED Science Discovery Center at the SM Mall of Asia. And it’s not just any ordinary zoo – it’s The Robot Zoo!

 

A giant squid with 18-foot tentacles, a housefly with a 10-foot wingspread, a giraffe whose head and neck alone stretch 9 feet tall, a platypus, a grasshopper, and a chameleon are just among the hordes of critters and beasts featured at The Robot Zoo.

Developed by Evergreen Exhibits and based on the book “The Robot Zoo,” conceived, edited and designed by Marshall Editions of London, England, the exhibit reveals the fascinating biomechanics of animals through larger-than-life robotic constructs that feature cutaways which expose the animals’ insides. On these cutaways, visitors can easily marvel at recognizable machine parts and gadgets like shock absorbers and pumps that demonstrate how these animals can do wonders.

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What greets the guests upon entering is the Robot Zoo Giraffe, one of the main attractions of the newly opened Robot Zoo.

 

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A Chameleon, a Platypus, and a Giant Squid are just some of the many marvelous exhibits at The Robot Zoo.

 

Aside from being able to discover how these animals are able to do such astonishing feats, the Robot Zoo also features interactive activities that will certainly give visitors hands-on fun and excitement.

The Robot Zoo serves as a preview to the more exciting things we have in store for our re-launch—something we’re all so thrilled about. Every year, our group tours and walk in guests are growing in number. We brought The Robot Zoo to the Philippines not only to provide new fun learning experiences but also to be able to accommodate more kids, students, and curious/active minds into our facilities” says Arturo Carballo, Senior Operations Manager of NIDO FORTIFIED Science Discovery Center. “In keeping with our mission to celebrate the love for learning, we will be revamping our exhibits with fresh new material for everyone to enjoy. The Robot Zoo is first among the new walk-through galleries we’re about to present to the Filipino audience.”

 

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So, treat your kids – and the entire family at that – to a day of fun interactive learning at the NIDO FORTIFIED Science Discovery Center located on the Nido Fortified Science Discovery Center Exhibit Hall 2nd Level South Side Entertainment Mall SM Mall of Asia.  Have a blast with them at The Robot Zoo as you watch how robots imitate the real life behaviors of some of the world’s most amazing animals. Bond with the entire family at The Robot Zoo where the magic of nature comes to life!

 

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Here’s your chance to score FREE TICKETS to The Robot Zoo! 

  1. NIDO FORTIFIED Science Discovery Center is giving away two “2” complimentary passes to our readers who will give us the best answer. Just complete the phrase, “I want to visit the Robot Zoo in SM Mall of Asia because…”. Leave a comment below with your answer, your full name, and email address.
  2. The winners will be announced on Friday, July 6, 2012 at 5PM.
  3. The zoo visits may be scheduled beginning July 9, 2012.

For more information, you may visit NIDO FORTIFIED Science Discovery Center’s YouTube channel or their Facebook page.

UPDATE:

Congratulations to Ms. Ane Mae Codizal!  Your comment has been judged the best and you’ll be receiving two complimentary tickets to The Robot Zoo.  Kindly check your email for instructions on how to claim your prize. Have fun at The Robot Zoo!




PLAYhouse preSCHOOL: Back To The Old Grind

We’ve had a month-long vacation from our usual morning schedule for PLAYhouse preSCHOOL due to a series of unfortunate events which I shall not elaborate.  Suffice it to say that the storm has passed and though there are still intermittent showers, a rainbow sparkles overhead and gives us much hope.

For our post-vacation lesson, we started with the Letter G Pack from Tots School.  The letter G is among the letters Jade was unable to sound out phonetically and to write legibly in her recent assessment at the Learning Library.




The “Goat” is the main character in the G Pack.  The printable activities include letter tracing, tracing horizontal lines, identifying shapes and numbers, identifying and reading color names, and naming objects that begin with the letter G.

Here are my Good Girl and my Good Guy doing a Good job with the Letter G Pack:

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