Tiger Workshops Learning Center

04/16/2017

Please note that Tiger Workshops has a new website and I have published my tentative SUMMER and FALL 2017 schedule of classes. For your convenience, I am copying these class schedules below:

SUMMER 2017* (starting July 1st)

SATURDAYS
10:00-11:30 AM - 4th grade
11:30-1:00 PM - 5th grade
1:00-2:30 PM - 6th grade
2:30-4:00 PM - 7th grade
4:00-5:30 PM - 8th grade
5:30-7:00 PM - High School

Note that for the summer, these are "entering" grades, so if your child will be entering 6th grade, for example, you will enroll her/him in the 6th grade class. What will be taught is not the same as class content for the fall, but will help prepare your child for that grade level.

FALL 2017* (starting Sept. 6th)

WEDNESDAYS
5:00 - 6:30 PM - 3rd grade
6:30 - 8:00 PM - 6th grade
​
THURSDAYS
5:00 - 6:30 PM - 4th grade
6:30 - 8:00 PM - 7th grade
​
FRIDAYS
5:00 - 6:30 PM - 5th grade
6:30 - 8:00 PM - 8th grade
​
SATURDAYS
10:00 - 11:30 AM - 3rd grade
11:30 - 1:00 PM - 4th grade
1:00 - 2:30 PM - 5th grade
2:30 - 4:00 PM - 6th grade
4:00 - 5:30 PM - 7th grade
5:30 - 7:00 PM - 8th grade
​
SUNDAYS
10:00 - 11:30 AM - 3rd grade
11:30 - 1:00 PM - 4th grade
1:00 - 2:30 PM - 5th grade
2:30 - 4:00 PM - 6th grade
4:00 - 5:30 PM - 7th grade
5:30 - 7:00 PM - 8th grade

*These are tentative schedules only. The actual schedule may change, depending on demand.

A nonrefundable $50 deposit is required if you want to secure a spot for summer or fall classes.

There is already a waiting list for fall classes, but I am giving priority to my existing students. Please note that I expect these classes to fill up fast (as they did this school year), so let me know as soon as possible what time slot you want.

Starting July 1st, tuition fees will be as follows:

Grades 3 & 4: $45/class
Grades 5 & 6: $50/class
Grades 7 & 8: $55/class

Sincerely,
Lester Gesteland
Tiger Workshops Learning Center
280 Amboy Avenue
Metuchen, NJ 08840
(908) 510-5982
TigerWorkshops.com

11/29/2016

Please note that Mr. G is accepting no new students for his reading and writing classes at this time. (Enrollment is still open for Ms. Shannon's math classes, however.)

If you would like your child to be put on a waiting list, or considered for enrollment for the fall semester, 2017, please send an email to [email protected]. In your message:

1. Indicate the name, age and grade level of your child.
2. Detail in what gifted and talented, advanced or upper level classes she/he is currently enrolled.
3. Attach a copy of your child's most recent PARCC (or equivalent) exam results.

Kindly understand that Mr. G must meet with parents in person and check a prospective student's writing and reading ability before enrolling her/him in his learning center.

05/21/2016

05/20/2016

OPEN HOUSE: Monday, May 23rd & Saturday May 28th

Dear parents,

Please note that we will be holding an Open House on the following dates:

This Monday, May 23rd
5:00 to 8:00 p.m.

Saturday, May 28th
10:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.

Ms. Zhou, the math teacher, will be here to meet with parents, so feel free to walk in any time during those hours if you would like to chat with her.

If you would like Ms. Zhou to give your child a math evaluation (free of charge), please let us know ahead of time (call 908-510-5982) so we can make sure evaluation materials are available and space is set aside for the student.

If you have any friends who are looking for enrichment for their children and want a reading and writing evaluation, I can provide that too (also free). Just please, again, have them call me ahead of time.

Mr. G (Lester Gesteland)
Tel: (908) 510-5982
Tiger Workshops Learning Center
280 Amboy Avenue, 2nd Floor
Metuchen, NJ 08840

05/20/2016

怎样帮助你的孩子写作

家长们常常问我：应该怎样帮助孩子的写作功课？这是一个让许多家长关心的问题，因为家长们自己不是从小在美国长大的。

幸运的是，还是有一些方法可以让这些家长们采用。他们可以帮助孩子的写作，即便他们自己英文也不够流利。

1：朗读一遍： 孩子写完作文后，让他朗读一遍。他会发现一些不小心犯的错误，然后纠正。

2. 大声读：第一遍修改完毕后，让你的孩子再大声读一遍。这次他会发现更多的错误，并且体会到思路是否通顺，文笔是否流畅，用词是否精确。

如果可能的话，让孩子在全家人面前大声朗读，受到那么多人的关注，孩子会更愿意把文章写好。这也让家人们都有机会帮助孩子。

3. 最后再读一遍：在前面修改了两轮的过程中，有可能引进了新的错误。鼓励孩子再最后读一遍，修改一下，可以保证文章的质量。这一步很关键，叫做proofread.

本文作者Mr. G 是英文老师，TigerWorkshops.com
他们提供暑期写作阅读班，暑期数学加强班（Singapore math）。

详细信息请参加open house 6/23 星期一5pm-8pm；
6/28 星期六 10am-1pm。可以向英文、数学老师当面咨询。

Tel: (908) 510-5982

Address: Tiger Workshops Learning Center, 280 Amboy Avenue, 2nd Floor, Metuchen, NJ 08840

05/05/2016

This is an email I recently received from a parent. My response follows:

Hi Mr. G,

I am a mom of two sons (ages 9 and 5) and we live in north Edison. I found your recent blog on "Five Ways to Maximize Learning at Home" very interesting and practical! My older son is currently in the third grade. We have encouraged him to read more, and gradually he is picking up on more books to read. Yet he is very reluctant to write anything. I tried to ask him to keep a journal on our trips etc., or write about his favorite subject - cars, with very limited success.

What advice do you have to encourage him to: 1) expand his reading and go beyond what he normally reads (Big Nate; Wimpy Kids); and 2) write more?

As for your summer intensive daily classes for third/fourth graders - how can he get a taste of it to see if he is up for it? I have learned my lessons of signing up for classes that "I" think he would benefit from, which do not end up well. Now that he is getting older, having him on board is key in choosing activities and classes.

Thanks!

Mrs. X

--

Dear Mrs. X,

Thank you for your email.

To get your 3rd grader to read different books, all I can do is suggest what worked for my sons at that age: require that they read a certain amount each day before doing a fun activity they enjoy. If you don't want your son to read Big Nate or Diary of a Wimpy Kid, then tell him he has to read something else, but give him a choice. Here are some books my younger students have enjoyed:

Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, by Roald Dahl
Matilda, by Roald Dahl
James and the Giant Peach, by Roald Dahl
The BFG, by Roald Dahl
Mr. Popper's Penguins, by Richard & Florence Atwater
Frindle, by Andrew Clements
The Lemonade War, by Jacqueline Davies
The Mouse and the Motorcycle, by Beverly Cleary

With regard to writing, again, "bribe" him with some computer game time, but only after he sits down and writes a page. Tell him he can write a story, or write about something he enjoys. Some possible topics:

Write a story about a little boy who finds a magic item that gives him a special power.
Write about your favorite movie/book/TV show/computer game.
Write about your favorite hobby/sport/activity.
Write about where you would like to go for summer vacation
Write about what you think would be a perfect summer vacation

I hope this helps.

About summer classes, my policy is to evaluate students before enrolling them, so you will need to bring your son in so I can analyze his writing and reading abilities before I sign him up for a class. As far as "testing out" the class, what I allow is for parents to pay for one trial class, where the new student meets the other students and sees what the class is like, and then both the student and parents can decide whether to continue. After the trial class, I do require that parents pay for at least one week of daytime classes, however (or one month of once-a-week classes).

Lester Gesteland
Tiger Workshops Learning Center
280 Amboy Avenue
Metuchen, NJ 08840
(908) 510-5982
TigerWorkshops.com

04/30/2016

https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/five-ways-get-your-kids-read-write-home-lester-gesteland?trk=prof-post

“What can I do at home to help my children improve their reading and writing skills?” This is a question I hear often from parents who visit my learning center. Even after signing their kids up for

04/28/2016

Do you want your child to excel in English writing and reading? I can help.

I run a learning center in Metuchen that teaches students to become more effective writers and readers. With 10 years' experience as an instructor, I have helped children boost their ELA grades and get into gifted & talented, honors and upper level classes.

This summer I will be offering a wide range of classes to cater to the needs of today's busy parents. These include daytime, evening, weekend, five-day-a-week and once-a-week sessions.

Contact Tiger Workshops Learning Center now to schedule a free evaluation for your child:

Phone: (848) 229-2528
Email: [email protected]
Website: TigerWorkshops.com
Address: 280 Amboy Ave., Metuchen, NJ 08840

Please find more information about our classes below:

ONCE-A-WEEK CLASSES
Each once-a-week class is 1.5 hours long and will feature 45 min. of reading instruction and 45 min. of writing instruction. Students will read books, learn vocabulary and grammar, write essays in class, and be expected to complete both reading and writing homework each week.

Class size is limited to a maximum of six students.

Here is the weekly schedule and pricing:

WEDNESDAY
5:00-6:30 p.m. 3rd grade
6:30-8:00 p.m. 6th grade

THURSDAY
5:00-6:30 p.m. 4th grade
6:30-8:00 p.m. 7th grade

FRIDAY
5:00-6:30 p.m. 5th grade
6:30-8:00 p.m. 8th grade

SATURDAY
10:00-11:30 a.m. 3rd grade
11:30-1:00 p.m. 4th grade
1:00-2:30 p.m. 5th grade
2:30-4:00 p.m. 6th grade
4:00-5:30 p.m. 7th grade
5:30-7:00 p.m. 8th grade

SUNDAY
10:00-11:30 a.m. 3rd grade
11:30-1:00 p.m. 4th grade
1:00-2:30 p.m. 5th grade
2:30-4:00 p.m. 6th grade
4:00-5:30 p.m. 7th grade

PRICE
3rd Grade: $45/week
4th Grade: $45/week
5th Grade: $45/week
6th Grade: $50/week
7th Grade: $50/week
8th Grade: $50/week

DISCOUNTS
5% off for classes purchased before May 1st
5% off if you buy 10 classes
10% off if you buy 20 classes
Siblings: 5% off the second child

DAYTIME CLASSES
Summer daytime intensive classes will meet two hours a day, five days a week, and will include the following:

WRITING: Each week students will be taught a different type of composition (see schedule), and will have hands-on practice writing and revising it. As always, pupils' homework will be corrected by me, Mr. G (an experienced journalist, book editor, teacher and tutor), and each student will receive both oral and written feedback.

READING: Students will read an entire book (or 100 pages) each week and discuss it in class.

VOCABULARY will be taught daily, and will be drawn from the reading (with vocabulary contests to motivate learning).

READING COMPREHENSION SKILLS: Students will be taught the skills they lack, and will be given practice to reinforce those skills they already know (making inferences, summarizing, using context clues, identifying the main idea, finding the theme, etc.).

HOMEWORK will be given daily to reinforce what was learned in class. Assignments will include an essay to write and at least 25 pages to read every day, Monday through Thursday.

Small Classes: There will be a maximum of six students per class.

SCHEDULE
Each week, Monday through Friday, classes will meet at the following times:

3rd & 4th graders: 9:00 - 11:00 a.m.
5th & 6th graders: 11:30 - 1:30 p.m.
7th & 8th graders: 2:00 - 4:00 p.m.

CURRICULUM
June 27 - July 1: The Narrative
July 5 - July 8: Literary Analysis Essay: Poetry
July 11 - July 15: Research Writing: Historical Texts
July 18 - July 20: Literary Analysis Essay: Plays
July 21 - July 31: CLOSED
Aug. 1 - Aug. 5: Research Writing: Scientific/Technical Texts
Aug. 8 - Aug. 12: Literary Analysis Essay: Prose
Aug. 15 - Aug. 19: Research Writing: Informational Texts
Aug. 22 - Aug. 26: Literary Analysis Essay: Poetry
Aug. 29 - Sept. 2: The Narrative

TUITION: Daytime Intensive Classes

3rd & 4th graders: $60/day, $275/week
5th & 6th graders: $62.50/day, $283/week
7th & 8th graders: $65/day, $300/week

To reserve a spot, a $50 deposit will be required (which will go toward your tuition payment).

DISCOUNTS
5% off if you buy 10 daytime classes
10% off for 20 daytime classes
15% off for 30 daytime classes
20% off for the entire summer package
Early Pay: 5% off if you purchase summer classes before May 1st
Siblings: 5% off your second child

You get a FREE CLASS (one day of instruction) for each paying student you refer.

To register for these classes, please call (848) 229-2528, email us at [email protected], or visit our website atTigerWorkshops.com.