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New research: urban tutoring program benefits elderly volunteers as well their students
Mukilteo couple open tutoring business at home
Starwood Studios would offer place for musical recitals, academic tutoring

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Five Filters featured article: Chilcot Inquiry. Available tools: PDF Newspaper, Full Text RSS, Term Extraction.

New research: urban tutoring program benefits elderly volunteers as well their students

Posted: 04 Apr 2010 09:10 PM PDT

"I do like them," she said, sounding almost surprised. "It's amazing. Even the ones who you think you're not getting close to, all of a sudden one day they'll jump up and give you a hug."

It's not always jovial. One of the day's lessons entailed discussion of which is more important — family or money.

"One boy asked me: 'Suppose your family is a mean family?'" Dorsey recounted. "I could tell he was talking about his own family. That was a little sad moment."

Barbara Johnson, who tutors in a kindergarten class, observes children coming to school who — in behavior and appearance — appear to be neglected.

"They need some mentoring, some TLC," said Johnson, 70, who moved to Baltimore after a career with the postal service in upstate New York.

"It's the quality of the time that you give then — the tone of voice," she said. "Children can tell when you really care."

Another Belmont volunteer, Carolyn Scott-Harris, retired in 2008 after 28 years as a corrections officer at the Baltimore city jail. Even in some of the first-graders she tutors, she notices the impact of growing up in a tough environment.

"All the girls are pretty sweet. ... but some of the boys are so out of line, so wild," said Scott-Harris, 64. "Most of them are very smart, all of them are a little street-wise, some are overly street-wise."

Nationally, Experience Corps spends about $23 million on its operations, according to its CEO, Lester Strong. It relies on a mix of funding sources — including federal funds from AmeriCorps, private donations, and payments from the school districts it serves.

In Baltimore, principals who want the tutors are asked to contribute $20,000 from the own school budgets — covering about a quarter of the program cost.

Strong hopes the overall budget will grow so the program can multiply in size while maintaining high standards.

"The program is a triple win — for our tutors, for our children and for the schools," he said. "Everyone benefits."

___

On the Net:

http://www.experiencecorps.org/index.cfm

Five Filters featured article: Chilcot Inquiry. Available tools: PDF Newspaper, Full Text RSS, Term Extraction.

Mukilteo couple open tutoring business at home

Posted: 05 Apr 2010 12:13 AM PDT

Of course, Ellen Forster said, she owns a crock pot.

Many families with busy kids stuff slow cookers some mornings with whatever is handy and has an unexpired pull date. The mix simmers all day, as folks scurry to soccer, Scouts, music lessons and karate before dipping in for a bite to eat between buckling seat belts.

The Forster family knows how to maximize time.

In the summer of 2009, during this ugly economy, Ellen and Brian Forster started a new business.

They chose to control their own destiny, the couple said.

Pi Plus is their tutoring agency run from the Mukilteo home they share with their three children.

Brian Forster lost his high-tech job a year ago. Ellen Forster, an Everett High School grad, has a degree in psychology from Santa Clara University in California where the couple met. She works in her children's schools, and received a Washington State PTA Golden Acorn Award in 2006 and an Outstanding Advocate Award in 2009 from the Columbia Elementary School PTA.

With her school connections, Ellen Forster was able to recruit teachers and those with advanced degrees who wanted to tutor. Her husband has 20 years of experience in sales, marketing and management. He is the product of the private school system and said small group settings and individualized attention was critical to his academic success.

They combined talents, and were up and running in September.

Tutoring is done in the child's home. That way the educator can counsel the family about good study skills and surroundings. It costs between $40 and $60 per hour. It could be once or a few times each week, for a month or longer, whatever the child or teen needs. For more information, go to piplustutors.com.

Besides helping second-grade boys learn to read, their workers also tutor older students with excellent grades but who feel they can't afford to get less than an "A."

Most of their high school clients ask for help with math.

Alison Corrigan, 15, who lives in Mill Creek, got a bit lost in geometry.

Who didn't?

An Archbishop Murphy High School counselor recommended a few tutoring ideas to her mother, Kathleen Corrigan, and they clicked with a tutor from Pi Plus.

A tutor came to the Corrigan home as often as Alison felt she needed help, her mother said. They studied in an open area of the home, never alone. Kathleen Corrigan said that worked out well as she could stay busy at other tasks.

"Alison said she really helped," Corrigan said.

Pi Plus also partners with Academic Link Outreach, at several Snohomish County schools, to provide free tutoring.

In addition to Ellen and Brian Forster, the family includes Gavin, 14, Simon, 12 and Grace, 9. Weekdays at their house start at 6 a.m., and the last child gets on the school bus at 8:30 a.m.

Ellen Forster is secretary of the Mukilteo Lacrosse Club and teaches a fitness class. Gavin wrestles. Grace goes to volleyball practice after dinner. The couple likes to work out every day. The family loves to snow ski.

The Forsters put in up to 60 hours a week running their new home business.

"We're getting in sync," Ellen Forster said. "We've had our moments."

Their home includes a dedicated office and they rent space in Seattle and Bellevue, where they also offer tutoring.

As with most small enterprises, the couple said they found marketing and advertising is expensive. Together, they are working out kinks.

"There are days that are cloudier," Brian Forster said. "It's hard to see in the tunnel, if light is a train coming or the way out."

Kristi O'Harran: 425-339-3451, oharran@heraldnet.com.

Five Filters featured article: Chilcot Inquiry. Available tools: PDF Newspaper, Full Text RSS, Term Extraction.

Starwood Studios would offer place for musical recitals, academic tutoring

Posted: 04 Apr 2010 10:47 PM PDT

Bill Conrad, bconrad@acnpapers.com

Starwood Studios, located at the Offices at Byron Nelson, may soon be open to the public if a zoning change request is approved by planning and zoning and the Southlake City Council.

The offices, located at 630 E. Southlake Blvd, mainly consist of office suites, according to Debra Edmondson, general counsel for the buildings owners, Thomas Steven and Company, who spoke at a SPIN No. 7 meeting March 22.

Starwood Studios was formed when a former tenant, the Southlake Training Center, moved out last summer. The 4,300-square-foot space was converted to Starwood Studios and is currently used by the buildings tenants for parties and recitals. If the zoning change is approved, the studio could be rented to the general public.

Edmondson was clear that the only changes to the building would be in its usage.

No changes will be made to the outside of the building or to the building's parking, said Edmondson. The only changes will be made to what is going on inside.

Starwood Studios would only operate after regular business hours and would have several uses such as after-school tutoring, seminars, office parties and receptions. The room features couches, big screen televisions and a DJ booth.

This would be a unique little space that Southlake really doesn't have, said Edmondson. We have been using this for our tenants, but this will allow us to offer it during the evening and weekend hours to the general public.

Edmondson said she believes the studios would have a capacity of 100-125 people, but that number could be adjusted in order to keep within the parking regulations.

Another tenant already in the building, Hall Music Productions, would also put the studio to good use.

David Hall, a Carroll High School graduate and owner of Hall Music Productions, said the studios would be a great addition to Southlake.

There are so many kids in Southlake that write songs and create music and they don't have any outlet for that whatsoever, said Hall. Having a night each week where the kids can get together and perform for the public would be really great for the community. The only outlet they have now is all the way in Dallas in places such as Deep Ellum. We need to give them a venue for their creativity.

Hall has been teaching music lessons for 10 years in Southlake and said he offers lessons in all musical areas, including guitar, drums, singing and songwriting.

Five Filters featured article: Chilcot Inquiry. Available tools: PDF Newspaper, Full Text RSS, Term Extraction.

Tutoring

Monday, April 5, 2010