The Green Valley Reporter Online Edition
One
of the nation’s top tutors now serving Green Valley
Tracy
Sherwood, Tutor and author of Superphonics, has been a fairly well kept secret
for the past twenty-five years.
While
discretely catering to celebrities, ranging from highly gifted dyslexic adult
artists, entertainers and athletes, to aspiring young entertainers who are more
apt to break into the industry with early phonics training, Sherwood's stellar
results are getting out.
But
an open portfolio consists of upper class parents who are not shy to tell others
what is experienced while observing their child’s tutoring sessions.
"In
one hour, I commonly saw progress that I would be thrilled to see after months
of tutoring", says Yolanda Pittsinger of Palmdale CA. "After the
session, Tracy would ask me to rate the session between 1 and 10 - just for the
record. I would be in awe so much by what I observed that I would have to come
down to earth to answer her with an understated, 10.
According
to Sherwood, not every session knocks mom of her chair; there are sessions
between these that show more believable progress, but they are simply practice
of the newly developed skills and abilities. "This period can be a little
deflating", says the tutor, "it's a bit like learning to fly and then
having to practice within a small area of space until ready for more advanced
tactics. But soon we’re really flying."
What
magnitude of progress can this tutor make in say, three months? It depends upon
the missing basics or learning barriers that are sitting there in the beginning
of the program, Sherwood explains.
For
Chanel Pittsinger, 13, it was confidence that was in her way. She was several
years behind in maturity, but Sherwood says it was confidence that became her
barrier - way back… who knows when?
In
the 7th grade, Chanel was unable to read a first-grade book or do a simple
subtraction problem. But these were the least of Sherwood’s concerns.
“Chanel wouldn’t speak outside of her family when we began tutoring”, says
Sherwood. “She covered her face with her hair. She shook her head for
‘no’, and used her hand as one would a puppet to answer with ‘yes’. Her
mother had to explain this to me”. Although Sherwood got right into the
phonics and numbers, the much-needed two-way conversation was lacking to make
much progress.
It
was what Sherwood calls 'Confidence Drills' that would be first priority in
Chanel's early sessions of tutoring. Sherwood applies a series of techniques for
increased confidence, and parents say they get results fast.
“She
came out of it in three sessions”, said her mother, but it was one particular
session that changed the lives of her entire family forever. Now she bumps her
older brother out of the way to do the talking at customer counters and has
become openly playful and communicative.
“She
just came out of whatever she was drawn into. That alone was priceless to us”,
says Pittsinger.
Her
Special Resource teacher wants to know what has brought about such drastic
change so quickly. She’s not the only one asking. Sherwood’s response has
been to open her schedule to include workshops for teachers and parents who want
to learn the techniques that make this big progress.
Some
socially adept students become easily distracted with external noise or
conversation while reading or studying. This could be due to social interest in
conversations around one or simply an inability to focus on even simple reading
tasks. For these situations, Sherwood has developed highly effective
'Concentration Drills' to quickly resolve the problem.
Similarly,
there is also the teen or adult who although gifted in many areas, can hardly
read. Confidence is so high in other areas of life that it's difficult to reach
for help in reading when it seems to come so easily to others. In nearly every
professional field there is a gifted individual who has always had trouble with
spelling, writing, and reading. Fireman, policeman, city workers, and even some
teachers are deficient in vital basics, according to Sherwood. They learn to
hide it and are even more embarrassed when finding out how quickly the
deficiencies can be resolved.
Secretly
frustrated is the busy professional artist or athlete who keeps having his
attention forced on his dyslexia every time reading or writing becomes a needed
skill in his life. "We can make a lot of progress in an hour.' the expert
comforts. "Most students are tutored at home or at my home in Rancho Vista,
but it can also be done on a plane and on studio breaks.
A
long-time talk-radio comedian and businessman in Los Angeles is one example of
big talent with dyslexia. JB had been trying unsuccessfully to get into acting.
By twisting words and letters around he turned dramatic auditions into comedy.
It wasn't funny to him though, the tutor shares. He couldn't get parts.
After only six tutoring sessions consisting of what Sherwood calls 'Superphonics
for Dyslexia', which included two script-coaching sessions, the radio comedian
landed not one, but two starring rolls in two different ‘comedy’ sit-coms,
one of which is quite successful today.
In
the public school arena, Sherwood gets urgent calls for help from Special
Resource teachers who are overwhelmed with having to give special attention to
classes of learning disabled kids – all of varying ages and needs in a single
group. Sherwood gives demonstration sessions with the toughest cases and
innovative techniques for teaching each and every child at his level, while
running the entire group. “The most effective techniques are actually the
least work and most fun”, says Sherwood. She says the day seems to go much
faster when the teacher knows how to frequently shift activities within these
techniques.
Tracy
Sherwood services anyone, anywhere, as long as one is not on mind or mood
altering medications or street drugs, and provided one can pay the price that
comes with her hire. If not, good progress can also be made with group tutoring
and/or promising Superphonics trainees. One can even purchase a license to train
and start up his or her own Superphonics Tutoring service - provided one has an
awful lot of love and patience for children.
Sherwood
starts with a complimentary evaluation in her home. To come to the student’s
home, the fee is $225. A tutoring program personally delivered by Sherwood can
be as high as $30,000 or as low as $3,000 depending on evaluation of needs and
of course, wants.
Tracy
Sherwood can be reached at 818-469-0278. Her web site address is http://superphonics.com