Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 3, Number 2, 1 February 1986 — Teaching Center Gets High Marks [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

Teaching Center Gets High Marks

Two of several elementary Hawaiian students enrolled in the new after-school Sylvan Learning Centers of Hawaii agreed in a recent interview by Ka Wai Ola O OHA that they have remedied some of the reading deficiencies they eneountered in school. Fifth grader Chris McCormack, 10, of Mililani, and Samuel K. Leleiwi, 9, of Kailua, spoke freely during a recent visit to the Sylvan Center at Newtown Square. Chris attends public school and Sam is a third grader in a Honolulu private school. Both agreed the instructors are super and they like the personal attention given them and the teaching methods employed. They admitted they had been a little behind in their reading at their respective schools but have found themselves to be improving since entering the Sylvan program. Sylvan's successful teaching methods ean be used by students to remedy a deficiency in their reading or math or as an educational enrichment like moving out ahead of their class. One of the most significant aspects for students in the program nationwide and loceilly has been a dramatic change of attitude toward learning and education in general.

Mrs. Pat Leleiwi said she is very pleased at the progress of her son and it is hoped he will be able to apply more of it in his level at school. Both boys have a strong outlook on education' that they ean hardly wait for the next class. They and many others of varying ethnic backgrounds attend class twice a

week and the ratio is never more than three students for any one teacher; often its only two to one or even one to one. The two boys, through Robert W. Warren, owner of the Sylvan Centers in Hawaii, agreed to express their feelings about the school and have their pictures taken. Warren reported that several Hawaiian families responded favorabiy to Sylvan's first advertising in last month's issue and have signed up their children. The learning center guarantees that a child's improvement will increase one full level after 36 hours. In addition to Newtown, other Sylvan Centers are in the Pan Am Building at 1600 Kapiolani Blvd., and in the Kahala Professional Building. Sylvan instructors are all professionals with master's degrees who have taught locally and on the mainland. Directors of instruction at the respective centers are Robert Franceschiello, Newtown; Joe Weldon, Kahala and Ken Staton, Honolulu. Math manipulatives, computers and the Bell and Howell phonics system are used in the Sylvan program to give students a concrete understanding of the meaning of numbers and reading. While the basic program is for students from kindergarten through 12th grade, there is also one for pre-school reading readiness and one for adult education.

Instructor Maru ta Grean points out a few things to Samuel Leleiwi during a session at Sylvan's Newtown Square Learning Center.

Robert Franceschiello, director of instruction at Newtown Square, observes Chris McCormack during his reading project.