2008 Summer School

Last day of class was July 11.

Please check back next summer.

Cursive Handwriting offers students a chance to improve their penmanship. Cursive writing is an important skill in today's society, and students in the middle school grades rarely have the opportunity to improve their skill. (1 section; 1st period; $225)

Learning to Write provides individualized, multisensory instruction beginning with basic sentence patterns and culminating in the composition of a personal narrative. Students may use the computer as a tool to assist the writing process. Class size is limited to eight to assure individual attention. (2 sections; 1st period or 2nd period; $225)

Math: You Can Do It focuses on remediating basic math skills. Students will experience math through multisensory activities that enable them to understand the concepts as well as to learn math facts. Students will use math manipulatives to learn whole number concepts and problem-solving. Class size is limited to eight to allow for individualized instruction. (2 sections; 2nd period or 3rd period; $225)

Reading On Your Own engages students in a multisensory, Orton-Gillingham approach to learning how to read and spell. Class size is limited to four so students can receive individual instruction in the most basic syllable patterns and sound-symbol relationships. (2 sections; 2nd period or 3rd period—placed according to diagnostic testing; $250)

Keyboarding: A Life Skill teaches the fundamentals of touch typing through an innovative, multisensory, language-based method. Class size is limited to six. (1 section; 3rd period; $225)

Planning for Success focuses on discovering individual learning styles and ways to organize and study more effectively. Class size is limited to ten. (1 section; 4th period; $225)

Physical Education/Sports Activities introduces students to playground games and the fundamentals of individual and team sports in a minimally competitive environment. Students will practice positive interpersonal skills in the contect of the games they play. (1 section; 4th period; $225)

To request a 2009 brochure, e-mail summerprograms@tncs.org or call 804-266-2494.

2008 Professional Institute

Registration is complete for this summer.

Please check back again next summer.

The Learning Abled Student

June 17-20, Tuesday-Friday, 10am - Noon

The Learning Abled Student is a four-day, hands-on workshop designed to help elementary and secondary teachers turn their learning "disabled" students into learning abled ones. The class will explore the learning process, learning styles, multi-sensory instruction, language barriers, long-term projects, and the use of technology. Participants will develop projects and approaches that will be helpful in their specific teaching situations. (Tuition $120)

Dyslexia and College: Making It Work

June 24-26, Tuesday-Thursday, 10am - Noon

Bright, dyslexic students can be successful in college. This workshop will help parents and teachers understand how college differs from high school in terms of levels of support, responsibility, and learning disabilities laws. The types of support and accommodations that are available at the college level are explored as well as accommodations for the learning disabled student when taking the SAT. Topics also include the resources that are available to help with the college selection process. (Tuition $90)

Starting from a Common Stroke: Teaching the Skills of Cursive Handwriting

July 8-9, Tuesday and Wednesday, 1pm - 3pm

Research suggests that cursive handwriting is important for dyslexic children. For one reason or another, some children do not learn cursive at the point in the curriculum when it is taught. This course is designed to help teachers and tutors learn an innovative approach to teaching cursive handwriting. The class will explore the reasons why cursive is important and the theoretical basis for teaching from a common stroke. Participants will actively practice the techniques. (Tuition $60)

The Middle School Student: Understanding the Developing Brain

July14, Monday, 10am - Noon

Middle school students are beginning to look like adults, they want to act like adults, and they want to be treated like adults - but are they adults? Judgment, understanding consequences, planning and problem solving are all still developing in their brains. What can we legitimately expect from students this age? How can we take advantage of their emerging capabilities? Understanding this may change how we approach teaching and parenting the middle school age child. (Tuition $30)

Managing the Adolescent Agenda: The Role of the Parent and Teacher

July14, Monday, 1pm - 3pm

Parents and teachers have thoughtfully designed and well-intended agendas for their students, a set of expectations for learning and behavior. Yet adolescence has its own agenda, a set of undeniable developmental passages. Often these two very different agendas are in conflict in the classroom and at home. In this workshop we examine the basic adolescent developmental tasks (as defined in psychologist Michael Thompson's essay "Adolescence is Hard Work") and explore ways to merge the adolescent agenda with the expectations we place on teenage students. (Tuition $30)

Teen Safety Net: The Roles of Parents and School in Creating a Safety Net for Students

July 17, Thursday, 9am - 3pm

Participants will learn about some of the challenging issues that confront teenagers; and how the adults who care about them can cooperate to make a safer school environment. Topics that may be discussed include drugs, sexuality, eating disorders, suicide, bullying, and clothing. (Tuition $120)

Dyslexia: Introduction and Inquiry

July 21-24, Monday - Thursday, 10am - Noon

Interested parents and teachers who are curious about bright students who struggle in school will investigate dyslexia, its diagnosis and its social/emotional effects. Topics will include investigation of teaching strategies and school accommodations that are helpful to the dyslexic student, as well as implications for emotional development, self discipline, and college and career planning. (Tuition $120)

Supporting New Teachers: A Win-Win Situation

August 14, Thursday, 9am - Noon

Effective teaching is the root of a school's success. New teachers are often placed in their classrooms using a "sink or swim" approach. Only about 50% survive past their first five years. Research suggests that those with a support system in place have a greater chance for success. They become better teachers and their students learn more. The New Community School has an extensive new teacher induction program and will share what they have learned about this most important facet of professional development. This workshop will explore two facets of new teacher support: key elements to consider when setting up a new teacher induction program and what effective mentors need to know when working with a peer. (Tuition $50)

To request a 2009 brochure, e-mail summerprograms@tncs.org or call 804-266-2494