By: Maggie Lage

While January marks the beginning of the New Year, it is also the halfway point in the school year.  With an eye on upcoming report cards and concern over tough new standards for grade advancement, many parents are now looking outside of regular classrooms for extra tutoring their children may need.

Determining which tutoring service is best for each particular child can be difficult.  Because children learn in very different ways, parents need to be assured that the tutoring approach matches their child’s learning style.  Parents should also be confident that the curriculum and instructional methods complements and support what is expected in the classroom.  Finally, parents want to select the best service from an increasingly crowded field – preferably one with certified teachers, years of experience, and customized instruction.

Questions for Every Parent to Keepin Mind

• What are the qualifications of the tutors? Are they certified teachers? How much experience do they have in subject matter and pedagogical approaches?
• What is the track record of the supplemental education services organization?  Can they provide references of other parents and children who have been helped by their services?  Can they document advances in achievement by students who have faced learning challenges similar to my child’s own challenges?
• What types of diagnostic services will be provided at the outset?  How will the organization pinpoint my child’s particular needs?
• Different children have very different learning styles (kinesthetic hands on, auditory, visual, etc).  How will the organization determine which learning style characterizes my child?  What experience and track record does the organization have in shaping its offerings to the learning style of my child?
• It’s no secret that parental and/or family involvement is critical to educational achievement, and that’s true for classroom learning and tutoring services alike.  How will the tutoring organization involve me in the process?  How will the organization report on my child’s progress?
• Because all reputable tutoring services should be designed to support what is learned and taught in the classroom (as opposed to competing with classroom lessons), how will the organization work with my child’s school?  Does the organization already have relationships with my child’s school?  With my child’s teachers?  How can I be sure that what’s happening at the tutoring center directly impacts my child’s progress in school?
• Recognizing that the most successful educational endeavors are spurred when children are excited about learning, how will the organization inspire and motivate my child?  What steps will the service take to help my child build confidence?
• How will the service reward my child’s progress?  Through prizes, or through encouragement for “a job well done”?  How comfortable am I with this approach?

Hear what parents are saying about Huntington
“Huntington really finds what works for the individual child.  Conventional subject tutoring never seemed to reach the problem.  Nick loved coming here because he felt supported and he loved the sense of accomplishment he gained.” ~ Maria C.

“I want to thank you all for helping Eric.  Seeing Eric’s reading level, and academic level, continue to improve and excel is just amazing!  His confidence and attitude has also improved.  He came home and opened his report card and was excited to see the remarks and he said, “Huntington is Paying Off”. Thanks again.” ~ Linda P.

“My son’s SAT score was way beyond our expectations!  We were very happy with the experience we had at Huntington.  We can’t thank you enough for all that you’ve done to prepare our son for college and beyond.” ~ Deborah A.

“I would recommend your program without hesitation.  There is no way Katie would have improved and received the score she got without the direction and instruction of the wonderful Huntington Learning Center teachers.  We attribute her numerous scholarship offers to her increased SAT score.” ~ Marybeth R.

Founded in 1977, Huntington Learning Center has offered supplemental education services longer than any other provider. Parents often contact Huntington when they receive a particularly alarming report card or other communication saying their child is falling behind. Many also reach out to Huntington because they are concerned their child may have poor study skills, or difficulty in performing to grade level in reading and math.

Maggie Lage is the Executive Director of the Huntington Learning Center in Newark

34 Liberty Plaza | Kirkwood Highway | Newark, DE 19711

For more information or to schedule a consultation at the Newark location

call 302-737-1150 or visit www.newark.huntingtonlearning.com

By: Ronald F. Feinberg MD, PhD,
Barbara A. McGuirk MD,
George Kovalevsky, MD,
and Adrienne Neithardt, MD

No one likes going to the doctor.

But for thousands of couples in our community the wondrous miracle of conception isn’t happening so easily. This creates anxiety and stress about a process that should happen naturally, yet often doesn’t. In our experience,

patients seeking fertility care desire two major pieces of information:

1) “Why are we not getting pregnant naturally?”

2) “What are the most reasonable, safe, and cost-effective ways for us to build our family?”

There is an art to providing top-flight, patient-oriented fertility care.

And we practice our specialty according to the Golden Rule – “Treat others as you’d want yourself to be treated” – with the following key principles:

1) Leave no stone unturned. This means finding out everything about our patients that could be relevant to their fertility challenges. Issues as diverse as nutrition, life stressors, family history, and other medical problems could be extremely important. Specific gynecologic problems have a crucial impact on fertility, including pelvic pain, endometriosis, fibroids, and abnormal, irregular bleeding. Early in the process, we typically gather a great deal of information as we try to formulate a diagnosis and plan.

2) Make care convenient. Once patients make the decision to move forward with care, they usually want to get things done efficiently, and without delay. With 9 clinicians (4 physicians, 2 physician assistants, and 3 nurse practitioners), we are available for our patients at three office locations in Delaware: Dover, North Wilmington, and our main office on the campus of Christiana Care (which is open 7 days/week, 362 days/year).

3) Be friendly and provide information. There is never a reason for fertility staff to be unfriendly, uninformed, or unhelpful. Reproductive Associates’ staff members are seasoned, trained professionals, with a significant insight about all issues related to fertility care, including details about testing, treatments, and insurance coverage. We keep in constant contact with our patients via cell phone, e-mail, or whatever means necessary, i.e. we promote great customer service!

4) Be compassionate and ethical. There is never a reason to overtreat, using more powerful fertility drugs than necessary, or to utilize IVF (in vitro fertilization) with excessive numbers of embryos. In fact, Reproductive Associates will be presenting data at an up-coming national meeting demonstrating the high success rates that can be achieved by transferring just one embryo to the uterus during IVF. This finding, along with highly efficient embryo cryopreservation, has helped hundreds of patients achieve high success, and with low risk pregnancies.

If you believe it is time for you and your partner to experience the ‘Golden Rule’ of fertility care, then consider a trusted first or second opinion with one of the nation’s leaders – the Reproductive Associates of Delaware team. Take the FREE Fertility Challenge Survey @ www.WJfertility.com

Reproductive Associates of Delaware is home to four nationally recognized Reproductive Endocrinologists:

Dr. Barbara A. McGuirk Medical Director, Reproductive Surgery, Board Certified: Reproductive Endocrinology and Obstetrics
and Gynecology.

Dr. Ronald Feinberg Medical
Director, IVF Program, Board Certified: Reproductive Endocrinology and Obstetrics and Gynecology.

Dr. George Kovalevsky
Medical Director, Academic Affairs, Board Certified: Obstetrics & Gynecology, Board Eligible: Reproductive Endocrinology.

Dr. Adrienne B. Neithardt
Donor and Third Party Services, Board Certified: Reproductive Endocrinology and Obstetrics and Gynecology.

Reproductive Associates is proud to have some of the finest and brightest endocrine and andrology lab staff, Linda Morrison, MT, MBA, Stacey Carney BA, TS., Cai Wang MD, Caitlin Boylan, BS and Katherine Shelly, BS who are led by our Lab Director, Marc Portmann,  M.T., MHA. Our facility is also home to four of Delaware’s finest practitioners: Nancy Lorber, CRNP, Melissa Aiken PA-C, Rhonda Wright PA-C, and Susan Carr, CRNP.

For your convenience we have 3 locations across Delaware to serve you: In Newark on the campus of Christiana Care, Dover, at Eden Hill Medical Center and at Silverside Medical Plaza in NorthWilmington. Please call 302-623-4242  to make an appointment.

Did you know that most couples seeking fertility care provide us with valuable clues for solving their problem? Did you know that most fertility challenges are curable, or can be overcome by exciting advances in our field? Did you know that our patients help us provide ever-improving fertility care by telling us important information about their history, symptoms, and life challenges?

For over a year, thousands of patients have educated us by answering several key questions on our unique, physician-reviewed online fertility challenge survey (please visit www.wjfertility.com).
Here is a glimpse into what we have learned:
1. Did you know . . . 75% of couples who are actively trying to conceive should do so within 6 months?  Over 90% should be successful within 12 months.  Almost 100% of our surveyed couples have not successfully conceived, and strongly desire consultation.

2. Did you know . . . the majority of infertile woman surveyed have pelvic pain, either now or in the past, or abnormal, prolonged, or heavy menstrual cycles?  Many are ultimately diagnosed and/or treated for endometriosis and/or fibroids.

3. Did you know . . . a high percentage of infertile women have suffered miscarriage in the recent past?

4. Did you know . . . time is of the essence for most women seeking pregnancy over age 30, even if they have had a successful pregnancy in the past?

5. Did you know . . . all infertile couples MUST have the male partner checked because 40 to 50% of infertility is related to poor sperm quality.

6. Did you know . . . 70% of our surveyed patients have been frustrated with the medical information they previously received from their health care provider?

Please visit www.wjfertility.com to take our fertility challenge survey.  Stay tuned for more “did you know” findings in future Women’s Journal editions.

Reproductive Associates of Delaware is home to four nationally recognized reproductive endocrinologists:
Dr. Barbara A. McGuirk, Medical Director, Reproductive Surgery, Board Certified: Reproductive Endocrinology and Obstetrics Gynecology.

Dr. Ronald Feinberg, Medical Director, IVF Program, Board Certified: Reproductive Endocrinology and Obstetrics and Gynecology.

Dr. George Kovalevsky, Medical Director, Academic Affairs, Board Certified: Obstetrics & Gynecology, Board Eligible: Reproductive Endocrinology.

Dr. Adrienne B. Neithardt, Donor and Third Party Services, Board Certified: Reproductive Endocrinology and Obstetrics and Gynecology.

Reproductive Associates is proud to have some of the finest and brightest endocrine and andrology lab staff, Linda Morrison, M.T. Stacey Carney M.T., Heather Ray B.S., Cai Wang MD, and Caitlin Boylan B.S.  who are led by our Lab Director, Marc Portmann, M.T., MHA.

Our facility is also home to four of Delaware’s finest practitioners: Nancy Lorber, CRNP, Melissa Aiken PA-C, Rhonda Wright PA-C, and Susan Carr, CRNP.

For your convenience we have 3 locations across Delaware to serve you: Medical Arts II Pavilion on the campus of Christiana Care, Dover, at the new Eden Hill Medical Center and at Silverside Medical Plaza in North Wilmington.
Please call 302-623-4242 to make an appointment.

Please visit www.wjfertility.com to take our fertility challenge survey, or visit our website
www.reproductiveassociates.org to learn more about our practice.

AKOYA, 12, is an African-American girl who is ambitious, intelligent, friendly, playful, and outgoing. She maintains average grades, is well liked by teachers/peers. She enjoys her classes, chorus, and Double Dutch and has a good sense of humor. She has siblings with whom she needs to maintain written contact.

DAMEION, 14, is an African-American who is in 8th grade. He did well in school last year. He enjoyed attending summer camps and likes to go on day trips to amusement parks. He participates in Boys & Girls Club daily after school and enjoys listening to music.

DONALD, 12, is a happy, curious African-American who loves the bathtub, swimming pool, & sitting by the ocean. Diagnosed with Cerebral Palsy & intellectual limitations, he attends school & likes to play on the Can-Do Playground. Although he uses a wheelchair, he can walk around the playground & push a grocery cart. Non-verbal, he laughs, interacts, & engages with family.

EZRA, 14, is an African-American who hopes to become a construction worker so he can build houses. He is friendly & enjoys sports, particularly football and pool. He likes animals and spending time at the mall with friends. He participates in Boys & Girls Club, mentors younger children, & volunteers at homeless shelters.

JACOB, 13, is an African-American who wants a family that likes to cook and have fun even doing housework. He not only cooks but watches cooking shows & makes desserts such as cheesecake & banana bread. Jacob enjoys horseback riding, football, reading, gym, science, math, drums, movies, shopping, jokes, & gospel/rap music. He maintains solid grades & is polite, inquisitive, bright, & friendly.

JAMIA, 14, is an outgoing African American female who loves shopping, music, & sports – especially Chris Brown & basketball! Her radiant smile lights up the room; she has a wonderful sense of humor & loves to laugh. Jamia attends Milton Hershey School, where she is doing well academically.

JOWELLE, 12, is an African-American girl who loves to bike ride, roller skate, and bowl. She has lots of friends; her sense of humor keeps them all in stitches. Currently in 5th grade, she was on the Honor Roll all year during 4th grade and received a perfect attendance award. Jowelle is a twin being placed separately from siblings.

KEVINA, 14, is an African-American girl who is an excellent student. She enjoys writing poetry, singing, cheerleading, swimming, shopping and finding bargains. Kevina hopes to be an attorney, is tenacious, and can stand up for what she believes. She is articulate, intelligent, and talented.

LARRY, 11, is an African-American who enjoys playing sports, including baseball and bowling, but basketball is his favorite and remains his passion. He attends church and enjoys attending summer camps. He can be happy and talkative and will need continued contact with his older sister.

TREVOR, 8, is a Caucasian boy described as a loving child who loves school and his teacher; he cannot wait to arrive at school each morning. Trevor participates in Boys & Girls Club, as well as Jungle Gym recreation center. He is being placed separately from his sister.

TURRELL, 10, is an African-American boy attending Milton Hershey School. Science is his favorite subject. He is friendly, charming, outgoing, and loves to talk, especially about sports. He loves football and hopes to be a professional athlete. Turrell enjoys bowling, roller skating, & riding his bicycle. He needs to maintain contact with his siblings.

November is National Adoption Month
Please contact Lisa K. T. Jumps, M.Ed., Permanency Administrator, Division of Family Services, 302.633.2658, Lisa.Jumps@state.de.us

Heart Gallery portraits courtesy of Royal Photography, Wilmington, Delaware. Visit our website at: www.Royalphotographyde.com.