Monday, July 19, 2004

Summertime learning;
Educational centers help kids catch up, get ahead
by PATTI GHEZZI

In between swim team practice and scout camp, thousands of metro Atlanta kids are working on math and reading at for-profit education centers.

June, July and August are hot months for companies like Score Educational Centers, Kumon and Sylvan Learning Center.

Nissa Abdullah, a Gwinnett County mother, enrolled daughter Zoya, 9, and son Ali, 5, in Score, which uses computers and enthusiastic coaches to help build math, reading and writing skills. Though Zoya attends Gwinnett's highly regarded Craig Elementary School, her mother wanted her "to learn a little more."

Twice a week, the family visits the center for hourlong sessions on a computer, where a software program marches through exercises tailored for each child. The cost: $154 for nine sessions.

Even though Zoya reads well, her mother worried that she skimmed over the details in reading passages on standardized tests. "There were always some questions she would miss," Abdullah said. "We wanted her to be able to pass the test with flying colors."

Zoya doesn't mind spending summer afternoons at Score. "I feel really proud of myself and happy and lucky," she said. "I'm the only one in my class, maybe my whole school, getting all this attention."

Melissa Washburn, 11, is schooled at home, and she credits Score with helping her improve in math. "I'm in a higher level than I should be," she said proudly.

Score welcomes strong students, like Zoya and Melissa, as well as those who are behind.

"I believe every kid needs a portion of what we offer," said Kyle Reis, regional manager. "Across the board, the biggest thing kids need is confidence building."

Every Score center has a basketball goal, where kids can shoot a few hoops after answering several questions correctly. They earn points they can cash in for prizes like Disney World tickets.

Parents can even book their child's birthday party at Score, which is owned by test-prep giant Kaplan.

Metro Atlanta --- teeming with school-age kids and parents worried about their kids' education --- is a growth market for companies like Score, which has centers in Brookhaven, east Cobb County and Alpharetta. The company is serving 700 metro children this summer.

Anne Kostensky enrolled son Ryan, 9, because he was struggling in math, and a tutor didn't work out. Ryan used to get 50 percent to 60 percent correct on timed math tests at Our Lady of the Assumption School. After a couple of months at Score, he got 100 percent consistently, she said.

Her other sons Bradley, 8, and Gregory, 5, have benefitted from Score's reading program. "They think it's fun," she said. "With boys, it's hard to sit down with them and read," she said.

Different approaches

Several other companies promise academic improvement and emphasize building confidence. Each is a bit different.

Club Z In-Home Tutoring Services sends an instructor to the student's house. Most summer clients want to get ahead rather than catch up, said Scott Morchower, who owns two franchises serving north Fulton, Forsyth, Hall and Cobb counties.

The summer is an ideal time to "prep for the upcoming semester," because students are less stressed, Morchower said.

Sylvan Learning Center hires certified teachers who tutor no more than three kids at a time. Many need remedial work, but others are trying to zoom ahead. "We're busiest during the summer," said Charles Scott, whose Newton County franchise serves about 85 kids this summer. "You're seeing a trend with parents who are concerned with what happens with their kids' education."

Parents may go overboard in seeking out education enrichment programs, said Dr. Alvin Rosenfeld, a Connecticut-based psychiatrist and co-author of "The Overscheduled Child: Avoiding the Hyper-Parenting Trap."

"They're catering to this idea of giving kids a leg up, but most seem to be already ahead," Rosenfeld said, adding that such programs can take away from family time. "If my neighbor buys it and I don't, I think my kid is at a competitive disadvantage."

Still time for fun

Parents say their kids still have time for a traditional summer.

Nima Narendra, a DeKalb County mother, enrolled her children in Kumon, a program known for math instruction that also offers reading help. But instead of going to their neighborhood Kumon center during the summer, the kids do the work at home.

Varsha, 7, is tackling irregular fractions using Kumon math worksheets. Her brother, Rohan, 5, already is grasping math concepts, his mother said. It takes a "Herculean effort" to get the kids to do the worksheets each morning, Narendra said. But afterward they have the rest of the day to swim and ride bikes. The family's main goal for Varsha this summer: Teach her to ride a bicycle without training wheels.

"I don't want a medal of excellence; I want my kids to be happy," Narendra said, adding that she sees nothing wrong with spending part of the summer on academic enrichment. "People don't have a problem with extensive football programs, but the mind needs a daily workout, too."