Pinecone Learning

I had the Los Gatos Kumon Center for 15 years and had about 240 students at my peak. Many of them stayed with me for 8-10 years (from 4 through high school). I thought the calculation skills in the math program were excellent and my students all scored at the highest in this area. However, I felt we were not addressing other very important needs, so I worked with other educators (including Kumon instructors who had moved on) to develop the current progam I have.

In Pinecone Math, we spend as much time on word problems and reasoning skills as we do on straight calculations. This is a critical piece missing from Kumon and one the kids are not learning very well in school. It will become increasingly important as our global economy emerges.

Pinecone Reading includes reading comprehension, vocabulary development, Test Taking skills and -- my favorite -- English Grammar! Every aspect of English grammar is included in the program and this helps the kids put sentences together accurately to form the basis of good writing.

The programs consist of over 700 booklets that are sequential, step-by-step so each student can be at just the right level and move at his or her own speed. I monitor each student carefully and work one-on-one when necessary, although we try to develop independence too.

Contact:
Vivian Hobbs, Director
Pinecone Active Learning
www.pineconelearning.com
vivian@pineconelearning.com
408 270-4548

Get involved in your child’s education

The most important tool you can give your child is education. If you want your child to succeed in school, effective studying methodologies and skills should be adapted by teacher, parent, and student. The parent and teacher play a huge role in developing good skills and study habits. In the midst of all this, homework comes into the picture – and it can often seem overwhelming. Plan out a schedule with your child so that you have ample time to help him/her with the writing work and foster other responsibilities. You, as the parent need to strengthen the core competencies of your child’s education, so that the basics are strong and study skills progress with every grade. If you feel that your child finds it difficult to cope, you could enroll him/her for extra school tutoring.

Help for school work

Pinecone Active Learning provides tutoring service in the California Bay Area. This Center for Active Learning gives children an opportunity to learn in a friendly environment where classes are conducted for math tutoring, reading fluency, homework help and grammar concepts on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 3-7 pm. Students also do daily Pinecone homework. If a specific subject seems to be a problem, you can talk with the tutors and get firsthand information on which program will be useful in the long term development of your child’s education. Apart from home studying, getting a little bit of extra help will increase your child’s confidence and improve concentration and performance in school.

To contact Pinecone Active Learning, call (408) 270-4548 or pay a visit directly to 5988 Silver Creek Valley Rd. #60 San Jose, CA 95138 to observe an ongoing classroom. You can meet with one of the tutors to discuss your child’s requirements.