By: Jerry Burke
The Achievers of New York Math Center opened its West Hempstead office to the public last week, and with the current focus of schools on standardized math testing, it's not a moment too soon. "It's our goal to break down each student's strengths and weaknesses," says director Lori Jones-Dessalines, whose experience in education includes many years of working directly with students of all ages, from the East Harlem Children's Center to the Katharine Gibbs School. "We then need to use those strengths and develop a learning style unique to each child."
Jones-Dessalines believes that Achievers can help children complement what they learn in school with the individual attention they don't always get in classes. "When you have a class with many children, the teacher's time is split into many directions," she said. "With the math curriculum focused on preparing children for the standardized test, it's often more a case of memorizing answers and then forgetting them later on."
Jones-Dessalines says that her experiences with older students struggling with the basic concepts of math spurred her on her new path. "It's all about retention -- the more a child retains early on in their education, the more successful they will be each step of the way."
While not intending to replace the formal classroom environment, Jones-Dessalines believes in setting up a support system that will empower third through eighth grade students not only to understand the concepts of math, but also to form superior study skills in all subjects.
Unlike many tutoring programs, Achievers wishes to remain flexible when it comes to both time and payment. "We want to target lower-income students so that they have an opportunity to learn with a different style," said vice president Antoine Dessalines Jr. "We want to make math fun for them instead of something they should be afraid of."
The Center has set up three different terms: a two-, four- and six-month program, each with a minimum commitment of eight hours a week. The schedule offers two different tutoring sessions, either from 3:30 to 5:30 p.m. or 5:45 to 7:45 p.m., Monday through Thursday. Each two-hour session will include 30 minutes of computer software use, 30 minutes of hands-on methodical skill strengthening and an hour of homework assistance and test-taking strategies.
Jones-Dessalines says the homework assistance will not be limited to math alone. "We want to help them to find their own answers," she says. "We need them to leave each session feeling like they are achievers and that kind of focus will carry over with them in other aspects of their lives."
The Achievers of New York Math Center, in Suite 100 of the 300 Plaza, 300 Hempstead Turnpike, West Hempstead, is open Monday through Thursday from noon to 8 p.m., Friday from noon to 4 p.m. and Saturday by appointment. Call them at 292-2260, fax them at 292-2261 or visit www.achieversofnewyork.com for more information. Students from all local school districts are welcome to attend.
