ACADEMIC SUCCESS AT ALL LEVELS

Private Tutoring

Private tutoring is available for most major subjects as well as for executive functioning (organizational) support.

The benefits of individual tutoring are well documented. Not only is time on task increased, but students’ specific learning styles will be met, gaps in learning will be identified, strategies for success will be integrated into each session and appropriate at-home practice will be given to further enhance what has been covered. A schedule will be tailored to meet your child’s specific needs. Tutoring is available at PALS beginning at 4:30pm. If earlier sessions are needed they may be scheduled in home or at a local library.

At PALS Learning Center, each tutor is interviewed and hand picked to ensure the best instructional delivery as well as student connection. Our tutors are considered academic specialists. Most will have experience within a traditional school setting, while some may be experts in their academic topic but work outside the field of education. Students are the number-one priority when considering new staff. I trust that you will find all of our tutors personable, professional, punctual, organized, knowledgeable and most of all-accessible. Many of them have developed their own content area-specific strategies to help struggling students. Tutors are also familiar with the needs of students with specific learning difficulties.

Your child may be a good candidate for tutoring if you see one or more of the following...

Slipping Grades
If you believe that your child can do better than she/he did on his latest report card, or if you've noticed a gradual or sudden decline in his/her test scores.
Not Managing Time Well
If your child puts off projects and postpones homework, she/he may not be able to keep up as workloads increase. Although an occasional delay can be expected, consistent procrastination can be a sign of a larger issue, especially if a child ignores repeated reminders. In many cases they are procrastinating because they are unsure of where or how to begin. This may mean that there is a deeper confusion in regards to that topic.
Being Consistently Confused
Sometimes a child is underperforming because she/he simply doesn't understand the homework. If they are repeatedly puzzled by certain concepts, they may be having trouble keeping up with grade-level expectations. It can be difficult to discern if your child is confused because the curriculum concepts aren't clear or if she/he simply wants to avoid work. But if your child repeatedly expresses anxiety about a test and is defensive when you try to help, a tutor can help them comprehend each subject at the current level to ensure learning advancement.
Lacking Confidence
It is natural to be uncertain when learning a new concept, but it is not constructive when a child feels they aren’t smart enough to do well in school. If you notice your child getting stuck on certain skills time and time again they may need an expert to re-teach a past concept. When tutoring is successful, a child will become self-assured and have newfound confidence, which may lead to increased participation in the classroom.
Increased Family Tension at Homework Time
General rule of thumb is students should be spending 10 minutes per grade level a night on homework. This means 40 min. for a 4th grade student and 60 min. for a 6th grade student. If you have had trouble creating a consistent HW routine in the past, or the routine is no longer working, causing homework time to seem to drag on forever, then you child may need increased support from a non-parent adult. Some students reach an age where they become less interested in accepting help from their parent. At this time if help is still needed it would be beneficial to find another adult. Homework is not likely to go away any time soon, but with our help the stress it causes can! Review the HW Club tab found at the top of the page to learn more about after-school support.

General Tutoring Rates

Primary Grades & Reading Comprehension - $45/hr
Middle School Grades & Reading Comprehension - $50/hr
High School - Regents courses beginning at $60/hr with upper level and AP courses TBD
Test Prep - Determined by the instructor

NOTE: Individual rates may vary based on duration/frequency of appointments, difficulty level of topic, location, and tutor.

Small Group Instruction

Students who are successful within the content area may still be looking for a little extra support to reach that next level. For students exhibiting positive school habits, they can learn well from each other in a facilitated group-learning environment. This option is not meant to identify learning gaps and re-teach past topics but to reinforce mastered content through practice and collaboration. Working in small groups provides more exchanges among students and students receive more personal feedback about their ideas and responses. This exchange allows for most misconceptions to be revealed as well as actively involves students in their learning, in turn increasing memory.

NOTE: Group minimum of 3 students. Scheduling and rates available upon request.

Meet Our Academic Specialists

ERIN JOHANSEN - OWNER

B.S. in Human Services from Endicott College
M.A.T. in Biology from Manhattanville College
10+ years classroom teaching experience
Science curriculum writer

I would call my career a true, dynamic work-in-progress. Having spent the last decade teaching honors level, Regents, full inclusion and ELL in different districts, I now can identify my true talent, supporting students as they reach educational success. This year I opened PALS Learning Center, and after-school center for adolescent success located in Lagrangeville, N.Y. I am ready to apply all that I have learned to assist parents and students through the current educational changes. With my teaching background, student weaknesses and learning styles will be identified and catered to in order for all students to achieve their goals. I specialize in making the Living Environment/Biology curriculum student friendly, engaging and accommodating to all. Content is infused with good study habits, organizational skills and strategies. Access to my classroom website for on-line quizzes, videos and review materials is provided.

BRIAN GOODWIN

B.S. Geology 2003 from SUNY New Paltz
M.A.T. 2008 From SUNY Empire State

I am a New York State Certified Regents Earth Science teacher. I have been teaching in the top academic high school in Orange County since 2008 as well as tutoring students privately. I find that creating lessons enhanced with technology, integrating many visuals as well real world connections allows me to best reach the students. The interactive lessons provide students with a deeper understanding of the curriculum. The ever increasing availability of new programs and apps helps me to stay current and therefore relevant in my lessons. When I am not in the classroom you can find me coaching on the football field or frequenting the ice hockey rink. I thoroughly enjoy teaching, coaching, mentoring and tutoring. When given the opportunity to tutor and get to know a student on a more personal level, lessons will be tailored to their individual needs. As students learning needs are identified, learning obstacles will be removed so that understanding can be maximized.

ALI GORDINEER

I am a New York State Certified Mathematics teacher with 20 years experience teaching Middle School and High School math. Although I enjoy the discipline and rigor in upper level math classes, my true passion is working with students who have special needs and who find math to be challenging. Currently I head the AIS math program grades 6-8, this will be my 6th year in this position.

I enjoy spending her my time with my family and friends, volunteering in town soccer and church activities, and playing the drums :)

I am confident that my years of experience, knowledge of curricular shifts, adolescent education background and student friendly lessons will provide your child with the necessary skills for success in Mathematics.

REBECCA GALLO

MPT, MEd

I have been teaching and tutoring middle and high school students in mathematics for over fifteen years (Algebra I, Algebra II/Trig, Geometry, PreCalc, SAT Math and ACT Math). I have two Master's degrees: one in Education (with a concentration in Math Education) and one in Physical Therapy. My Bachelor's degree is in Health Sciences.

My research topic for my MEd was math anxiety and I enjoy helping students (and parents!) overcome their apprehensions about math. I take the time to listen to my students and am able to explain topics in a variety of ways. I am dedicated to helping students achieve their goals by taking an active role in their academic growth, building their self-confidence and motivating them to reach their full potential. (Parents often remark on the change in their child's self-confidence with regards to math after just a few sessions!)

In addition to my work with middle and high school students, I have also taught and tutored Anatomy & Physiology and Biology at the college level. Having taught college freshman, I understand the importance of developing good work habits and study skills prior to entering college and try to bring those into my tutoring sessions as well.

I tutor students mostly on-line from my home in Asheville, NC but meet them in-person whenever I am in the area visiting my parents. I look forward to helping your child on their path to math success.

My other interests include memoir writing, simplicity, and traveling.

ELIZABETH DUNN

I began my career in education as a certified teaching assistant in the social studies content area after completing a BA in economics at St. Lawrence University. My path has wandered many places since then, but has always come back to working with young learners to help them gain a broader understanding of the world in which they live. Working with students in grades 9–12 social studies content area, I specialize in Regents review for Global Studies and have created a curriculum that addresses themes common across cultures and time periods. With over 5,000 years of history to remember, creating overarching connections is key to increasing a learner’s recall of facts and concepts at test time. Since interests are linked to deep learning recall of main ideas and more difficult comprehension, I work to engage students by using examples from popular culture to make history relevant to their everyday lives.

I am currently employed at Vassar College during the academic year, as well as with a summer program for elementary-aged children in the City of Poughkeepsie. As a certified Wilderness First Responder and volunteer with Friends of Camp Little Notch, a not-for-profit organization dedicated to preserving and operating the former Girl Scout camp in Fort Ann, NY, I can be found spending most of my free time fixing waterlines, putting up tents, and enjoying the beauty of the southern Adirondacks.

As a tutor, I have the pleasure of working with students without some of the stresses that come with being a classroom teacher; this has enabled me to continuously offer a more individualized approach. My work with young adolescents, in both educational and recreational settings, has reinforced my passion for creating the foundations that support a love of life-long learning.

www.camplittlenotch.org