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What is Basic Skills Clinic?
To public school children these classes are available after school 2 days a week to help them improve or excel in reading, math, or English. This type of training is very expensive in most academies, but Main Street Schoolhouse has been providing this excellent service for over 20 years at a very low cost to benefit the community kids who are struggling in school.
In addition, special methods are used, unique only to this school, and the ultimate goal is to change the life of the student by substituting success for failure.
Parents or school counselors can refer students to Main Street Schoolhouse’s Basic Skills Clinic if the child is struggling in one of those areas.
For admission, call the school office and set an appointment for bringing the child for the initial assessment and registration. This is when the adult will fill in the registration form, discuss the child’s need, and then the Basic Skills teacher will administer the Evaluation/Placement Test. With this information, the teacher will assign the Learning Level and summarize the procedure for instructing the child.
The last thing is to set up a weekly schedule, 2 afternoons a week, for the 1-hour classes. When the child reaches the established goal, and the parents will have a feedback meeting with the teacher.
What Basic Skills Clinic Classes Do We Offer?
- Reading Repair Shop
- Math Tutor for Kids
- ESL Reading Lab
- Spanish Reading Lab
The Reading Repair Shop is a very unique program that does NOT rely on phonics and decoding, which are real stumbling blocks to kids with reading problems. The kids will learn to read “like talking,” and reading comprehension is guaranteed. The teacher doing the initial evaluation will instantly see the reading problems, and the instruction is pinpointed to fix those problems. This method works so quickly that students can raise their reading level by one grade in 8-10 weeks. It is a life-changing experience for the child, who soon exhibits self-confidence and pride.
The Math Tutor for Kids helps the struggling student to repair his or her “math base,” which is usually what is lacking for low math understanding. On the initial evaluation day, the teacher can quickly see what is missing in the math base, and the lessons will be pinpointed to fix this problem. It is non- productive to explain complicated math problems to kids just so they will pass a test. The math base needs to be built up first, and the student will have the correct tools to reach the next levels. Some more advanced math students may be struggling just because their math class is going too fast for them, and they benefit from more practice time in the Math Tutor class.
ESL Reading Lab is a fast way to pick up more conversational English in a fun way. Using the school’s digital tablets, the child or youth can listen and see and imitate the story. The Reading Lab teacher interacts with the student after the practice time, with game cards, and drawing. This ESL learning method has been successful for children age 5 and above. On the initial evaluation, the teacher will listen to the child read some samples and then assign the level of storybooks that would be the instructional level. The student progresses at his or her own pace until the goal set by the parent is reached.
During the summer vacation, Main Street Schoolhouse schedules a Basic Skills Summer Camp, majoring in the above classes, with the addition of something more fun, such as arts and crafts. The Summer Camp is a good way to prep kids for the upcoming school year, and to excel in their basic skills. Watch the school website in the spring quarter to see the Summer Camp news.
Can Adults Enroll in Basic Skills Clinic?
Yes. The Basic Skills Clinic is designed for all ages and adults can arrange for private classes.
How much Does It Cost?
Our Director Miss Karen Cocina is dedicated to providing the best education for the incredibly low price. Please check Our Prices page. Look for Basic Skills Clinic section.