1) My child is struggling in school and the teacher says that we should wait and see if my child needs tutoring. What do you think?
Don’t wait. Continued struggle in school can cause lowered self-esteem and a fear of failure. Furthermore, it is better to address problems early so they can be corrected.

2) How much does tutoring cost? Is it affordable?
Tutoring rates vary from company to company. Some of the factors that influence cost are content, time-seen, expertise-level, and session type (group/individual). At ECI, we work with families to determine what the best programs and approaches are that will fit within a family’s budget.

3) Do you have certified teachers?
All of our employees hold degrees in their fields of specialty, many of whom are either teacher certified or hold advanced graduate degrees. In addition, our tutors undergo ongoing training by our Director and other outside consultants.

4) I work full-time and/or my child is involved in multiple extra-curricular activities, do you offer evening and weekend tutoring?
A student should be able to stay involved in extracurricular activities and still receive private tutoring. Our goal is to match the student’s needs with the appropriate faculty at the most convenient times for the student and family.

5) How do I know if my child has a learning disability?
We provide comprehensive testing and evaluation when it comes to diagnosing and treating students with learning disabilities such as ADD, ADHD, and other forms of LD that affect attention, learning, and academic achievement.
Note:You may want to seek outside consultation if your child has undergone LD testing within the school. Often, school test results do not show that a child is functioning far enough behind in achievement, or have the necessary discrepancy between IQ and achievement, that is required by the schools to be eligible for services This doesn’t mean there is no learning disability. The student might be in need of supplemental tutoring to meet with successful performance in the classroom.

6) What services do you provide for high school and college students?
We have a number of staff members who specialize in working with high school and college students. Usually we offer course assistance tutoring, but we also help students in more generalized subjects such as writing and math. We also provide coaching, advocacy, and time-management training.

7) I don’t want my child to take medication for ADD, what alternatives are available?
Environmental modifications are important for a student with ADD whether or not they are taking medication. These can include preferential classroom seating, extended test-taking time, taking tests in quiet areas, etc. In addition, the development of compensatory strategies is critical to their being able to complete assignments efficiently and reducing the number of attention-related errors (“careless errors”). Mastery of basic skills and subject-area content will help the student achieve successful performance despite their ADD.

8) My child can do the work, but he/she is not organized and fails to write down and turn in assignments. I’ve tried grounding and taking away privileges, but this doesn’t work. What else should I try?
A positive behavior management plan needs to be developed. Different strategies and plans work for different students, so you should experiment in order to see what the most effective system is. Structured study halls, like the ones we offer at ECI, are also very important in order for the child to develop necessary work and study habits.

9) My child was an A/B student until middle school, but since their grades have dropped. We think he/she just needs to work harder. What are your recommendations?
Comprehensive evaluation may be needed. Often, a student might have the basic academic skills to make it through elementary school. However, middle school requires higher-level cognitive and organizational skills. Evaluation results may show gaps or weaknesses in basic skills that need supplemental tutoring for the student to be able to perform at their highest potential.

10) My child has dysgraphia. Completing in-class and homework assignments is a major challenge. What do you recommend?
Dysgraphia can be corrected, so evaluation and treatment is recommended. Assignment and test modifications may also be necessary. It is also important for there to be close communication between parent and teacher. Furthermore, training for the development of keyboarding and word-processing skills needs to be started as early as possible.

11) My child does poorly on standardized testing, but generally maintains good grades. I’m worried about the SAT, what do you recommend?
Just because a student is a poor test taker doesn’t mean he/she cannot learn strong test-taking skills. Often large SAT prep classes and similar programs do not yield significant improvement in scores. Instead, individualized tutoring that addresses the student’s weaknesses and personal style is often more beneficial and results in higher scores.

12) I don’t think my child is challenged in school, what do you offer?
We offer academic enrichment tutoring that will take the student beyond their current level of knowledge in whatever areas that are desired. We also consult with parents and schools so that modifications within the classroom can be provided to appropriately challenge an advanced learner.