Back to School

2013

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ByJenniferMcFee FortheFreePress W hen students learn good study habits, everything else falls into place. That's the philosophy at several Winnipeg learning centres that take tutoring to the next level. Sylvan Learning Centres of Winnipeg executive director Suzanne Parker says her instructors provide supplemental education and tutoring services for all ages. "It doesn't matter if it's preschool, school, university or college," Parker says. "We do an assessment up front. We figure out where the student is at and where there might be any gaps with their learning. Then we build an individual program just for them." Programs focus on math, writing, study skills and reading. Flexible schedules and financing options are available at three Winnipeg locations on Kenaston Boulevard, Henderson Highway and Meadowood Drive. "The reading that we do doesn't just encompass English language arts. It's building skills to read — how to draw conclusions from something you read, how to read between the lines, how to find main ideas," Parker says. "You can then apply that to any of those subjects where you're doing reading — even math problem solving." This boost in basic skills leads to increased motivation and self-esteem, which parents often notice. "By building a strong foundation and filling in those gaps, it automatically builds more confidence too, because they start to think, 'This isn't as hard as I thought it was. I'm smarter than I thought I was,' " she says. "They like to go to school then. It's not such a chore because they start to feel like they can do it." Sylvan instructors also work with schools to create a collaborative approach. "With the no-fail policy and larger classrooms, there are more demands on teachers. They've had to add things into the curriculum that they never had to teach in the class. When students come here, we'll also be in contact with the classroom teacher, so we're all working together as a group for the child. We get so many responses from teachers who say it's so wonderful that the student is getting extra help," Parker says. "If your child needs more help with skating skills, you won't hesitate twice to put them in a skating camp. Why not exercise your brain too?" Another option for brain workouts is Oxford Learning Centre on Ness Avenue. "We try to develop the students' habit of leading their own learning," says Oxford executive director Alexis Yildir. "First of all, we want to make students aware of how learning happens. Secondly, we want to help them learn to manage that on their own," he says. "It takes a little while because it's a habit. I don't think that there are good students and bad students. I think there are students who are fortunate enough to have a collection of good habits. They sense that if they keep working at it, they will succeed through perseverance and good habits." The Oxford process also begins with an assessment to determine the student's needs. After that, an instructor works with up to three students at a time, using materials specially developed for Oxford Learning Centres. For those in Grade 8 and under, Yildir recommends two hour-long sessions each week. High school students may benefit from two 90-minute sessions each week. "My position is that everybody can be successful at every subject in school," Yildir says. "It's just about hard work. That's all. I love to see how hard students are willing to work when they finally absorb that message." GymnasticsClasses Offers: • Classes for girl ages 3 & up • Recreational and Competitive programs Location: R.F. Morrison School 25 Morrison St. For more information contact Laura at 204-582-0736 or silhouettesgymclub@gmail.com Silhouettes Gymnastics Club Trombones 783-8899 By Kathryne Cardwell For the Free Press W innipegger Jenn Greenaway loved her childhood gymnastic lessons. "It was the first sport I took that was really demanding," she says. "It taught me that exercise was important, and to face my fears when I had to attempt something difficult. It also brought out my social skills because I was thrust into a group and ended up making friends." Greenaway, 29, also developed strength, agility and coordination while gaining self-confidence. Boys and girls of all ages can reap similar benefits at several Winnipeg facilities. Springers Gymnastics Club is one of the largest. Founded as a non-profit club in 1979, it boasts a 13,000-square-foot facility with all the latest equipment. Springers board president David Kent says budding gymnasts develop body awareness, physical strength and athletic ability. And the discipline of gymnastics has a positive impact on other areas of their lives. Kent, whose 13-year-old daughter Paige has been taking lessons for almost 10 years, says it even helps kids perform well academically. "It establishes a good work ethic and time-management skills. They learn to balance their gym and social activities, and to get things done." Enrolment tends to spike when the Olympic Games roll around, and Kent says kids who are inspired by high-profile Olympic athletes tend to stick with lessons over the long term. Springers has a range of programs from preschool and beginner to intermediate and competitive categories. Parents of two year olds can sign up for a Parent and Me class. Kids ages 3 - 5 can learn basic skills on vault, bars, beam, floor and trampoline. And there's an advanced kindergarten class for kids who excel at the sport. Older kids can try introductory gym classes and learn fundamental skills, including vault, bars, beam, floor and trampoline exercises. Springers also offers trampoline and tumbling classes to teach kids basic progressions on the tumbling strip, mini trampoline, foam pit and trampoline. Children who show promise or express a desire to compete may be invited to join the competitive program, which is tailored to prepare kids for competition on provincial and national stages. Rhythmic gymnastics is another excellent choice for kids who love music and movement and want to develop their athletic skills. Sapphires Rhythmic Gymnastics Club, a non-profit organization, offers introductory classes for ages 4 and up, along with advanced and pre- competitive programs. Rhythmic gymnastics is known for developing strength, flexibility and basic ballet skills, and strikes a balance between gymnastics and dance. Rhythmic gymnasts tumble and perform acrobatic and dance moves while incorporating an apparatus such as a ball, hoop or ribbon into their routine. Children who show potential may be invited to participate in the competitive stream, which includes individual and group competition training. The competition stream runs from September to June each year. Schedules and class locations vary as Sapphires uses school gymnasiums and other community facilities. See www.springersgymclub.ca and www.sapphiresgymclub.ca. BAC K TO S C H O O L / M U S I C & DAN C E ŵ SU PPLE M E NT TO TH E W I N N I PE G F R E E PR E SS ŵ SAT U R DAY, AU G U ST 17, 2013 3 S H AW P E R F O R M I N G A R T S C E N T R E AT T H E F O R K S Classesin: Acting,Improv,Film and Musical Theatre for ages 3 to 19! Sign up for classes at MTYP and enjoy the Mainstage Connection: 50 % off every professional MTYP show! Classes start September 16! Call 947-0394 today to enroll. Visit www.mtyp.ca for more information. Classes in: Acting, Improv, Film and Musical Theatre for ages 3 to 19! SHINE BRIGHT AT MT YP M A N I TO B A T H E AT R E F O R YO U N G P E O P L E 'S THEATRE SCHOOL K E N T S U S S : T H E A T R E S C H O O L D I R E C T O R 783-8899 Pianos By Roger Currie For the Free Press E very two years Canadians get a collective thrill when our best young athletes compete on the world stage at the Olympic Games. Winnipeg will host the Canada Summer Games in 2017, and many young Manitobans got a taste of the action earlier this month at the 2013 Canada Summer Games in Sherbrooke, Que. Not everyone can be an elite athlete, but everyone should have the opportunity to try. As the school year begins, kids will be signing up for a wide range of organized sports programs. The benefits, both tangible and intangible, are widely acknowledged, but the cost of registration and equipment can be a significant barrier for some families. Sport Manitoba, based at the Sport For Life Centre on Pacific Avenue, has a couple of programs — KidSport and We're All Champions — to help more kids play. A national program based in Winnipeg, KidSport raises about $300,000 a year in Manitoba to help as many as 1,500 kids register for hockey, skating, gymnastics and many other sports. Sport Manitoba director of marketing Kim Browning says the program provides grants of up to $300 per child, with an average grant of about $200. The money comes from many different sources. One unique example is the annual Polar Bare Dare fundraiser on the Winnipeg River near Lac du Bonnet. "They cut a big hole in the ice and about 50 brave souls jump in the frigid water. The Eastman chapter of the organization collects pledges beforehand, and they usually raise close to $25,000," Browning says. KidSport benefits from several similar charity events, such as the Mondetta Charity Classic golf tournament. The 21st annual tournament was presented by Manitoba Blue Cross at the Glendale Golf and Country Club July 29. Many Manitobans support the program with individual donations, and for some, the generosity begins at a young age. "We hear of more and more kids celebrating birthdays and bar mitzvahs where the star of the celebration asks for donations to KidSport rather than gifts," Browning says. "As awareness spreads, our needs grow. At Sport Manitoba we can always make use of any money that is raised to help more kids become involved in sports." Canadian Football League teams are major supporters. Individual players have frequently donated $1 for every yard they gain in a game, and the Winnipeg Blue Bombers donate proceeds from sales of KidSport calendars in The Bomber Store. The We're All Champions program, sponsored by the Royal Bank of Canada, is aimed specifically at inner-city kids, in partnership with organizations like The Boys and Continued on page 7 >>

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