Private, In-Home Tutoring in Stamford, Connecticut

Westover School is located at 412 Stillwater Ave., Stamford, CT 06902. Westover covers kindergarten through fifth grade. Contact Westover at (203) 977-4572. Westover School uses a cutting edge learning theory developed by Dr. Gregorc of the University of Connecticut. The theory describes teaching and learning in terms of the way students can become aware of the world: concepts can be perceived as either concrete or abstract, and they are ordered either random or sequentially, leading to four distinct ways of learning:  Abstract Random, Concrete Random, Abstract sequential, and Concrete Sequential. The use of these methods ensures that all children are learning to the best of their abilities, without incompatible learning styles unnecessarily blocking progress. Another fundamental principle that they base their teaching styles on is the idea that children learn basic skills better from direct instruction rather than independently. Combining this with the previous ideas means that students learn in heterogeneous groups of like-minded peers, in which every student supports each other’s learning and aides them in picking up new concepts and abilities. From their website, the key elements of this “Mastery Learning” style include: “Regrouping for instruction in Reading & Math: Students with similar learning needs and skill levels are grouped together; Flexible grouping: Students changed their group in reading or math as their learning needs change; Adjustable class size: Class sizes can be adjusted through the addition of teacher-specialists in reading classes; Better teacher to student ratio: Students who need more individualized instruction and support are in smaller classes for reading and/or math; and Looping: Same teacher, same students for 2 years in grades 1 & 2 and then again in grades 3 & 4.”

Scofield Magnet Middle School is located at 641 Scofieldtown Rd., Stamford, CT 06903. Scofield covers sixth grade through eighth grade. Contact Scofield at (203) 977-2750. The mission statement of Scofield Magnet is, from their website, to “The Magnet Middle School respects the unique characteristics and individuality of emerging adolescents. Our staff, in partnership with parents and students, strives to develop independent and responsible learners in both heterogeneous and homogeneous groups. Through our unique school culture, we address the physical, social, and emotional needs that further intellectual development. While using an interdisciplinary approach to learning, special emphasis is placed on math, science, and technology. The school is strongly committed to implementing the principles of the Carnegie Foundation Report and the Coalition of Essential Schools.” Scofield was originally founded with a goal of involving students in a learning partnership between the school, home, and community, in order to ensure success. The school is based on a set of core beliefs, which include: high standards, respect, trust, and partnership.

The Academy of Information Technology is located at 411 High Ridge Road, Stamford, CT 06905. The academy covers ninth grade through twelfth grade. Contact The academy at (203) 977-4336. The AITE mission is to provide their students with “a multitude of learning experiences to gain the skills and knowledge necessary to succeed in the challenges of the emerging global community through a dynamic, technology rich, college preparatory, small school environment. At AITE students develop their critical thinking, communication, collaboration and creative skills and learn how to make responsible decisions. We prepare our students through a multitude of learning experiences to gain the skills and knowledge necessary to succeed in the challenges of a global community.”  AITE also runs a one to one laptop access program, which gives all of their students state of the art technology access. Like most other high schools, AITE also offers AP courses. What makes AITE unique is that their students have access to other college level classes, such as pre-engineering and biomedical science.

Educating Our Parents: Understanding the Stamford District Curriculum

The core curricular emphasis on literacy is a feature of all coursework students do. Within each subject, literacy and communication skills are taught and students also learn techniques of investigation and research. Problem-solving, analysis, reasoning, and process knowledge are developed across all the subject areas.

All high schools offer a wide range of advanced and honors classes across English, Math, Science, Social Studies, Art and Foreign Language. Students within the district have been awarded numerous merit scholar awards, AP scholar awards and consistently score at the top of all districts in the state for test scores on the Connecticut Mastery Tests. Stamford Public Schools students also rank at the top in the country on national test scores.

The city of Stamford is the seat of Fairfield County in Connecticut. Stamford is the third largest city in the state. Stamford is a relatively large city, covering an area of 135km2, and housing a population of 131,000. Stamford is home to four Fortune 500 Companies, nine Fortune 1000 Companies, and 13 current 100 Companies, as well as numerous divisions of large corporations. This gives Stamford the largest financial district in the New York metropolitan region outside New York City itself. Stamford was called Rippowam by the Native inhabitants, and was known as such up until the land was acquired by European settlers on July 1, 1640. In the 18th century, one of the primary industries was merchandising by water, which was possible because Stamford is so close to the city of New York.

There are 47,317 housing units at an average density of 1,253.6 per square mile (484.0/km2). There are 45,399 households out of which 28.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 48.5% were married couples living together, 11.5% had a female householder with no husband present, and 36.2% were non-families. 28.7% of all households were made up of individuals and 9.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.54 and the average family size was 3.13. The proportion of the population under the age of 18 was 21.6%, age 18 to 24 was 7.8%, age 25 to 44 was 32.5%, age 45 to 64 was 25.0%, and 65 years of age or older was 13.1%. The median age of 37.1 is slightly lower than the U.S. median age of 37.2.

The Stamford Museum and Nature Center

The mission of the Stamford Museum and Nature Center, as stated on their website, is to be “dedicated to the preservation and interpretation of art and popular culture, the natural and agricultural sciences, and history. The Museum is a vital cultural and educational resources for the community, and a focal point for family activity, lifelong learning, and inspiration. We seek to inspire creativity, foster self-discovery, promote environmental stewardship, and nurture an appreciation for learning through exhibitions, education programs, and special events that enhance every visitor’s experience of our unique site.” Some of the exhibits at the museum include Medieval to Metal: The Art and Evolution of the Guitar, Sayaka Ganz: Reclaimed Creations, Fruitfulness by Nathalia Edenmont, and Thomas D. Mangelson: A Life in the Wild.

Cove Island Park

Cove Island Park has a vast amount of developed facilities, including: a one mile loop for walking and running, a children’s play area, a roller blade and cycling path, expansive lawn areas for kite flying, two sandy beaches, a small salt marsh, intertidal mudflats, and the estuarine Holly Pond and Cover River, which provide opportunities to observe water birds. There are also rocky shorelines, perfect for fishers, and a small bluff that offers an excellent place to get a large scale view of the Sound. There are also detailed descriptions of the coastal resources that are along the recently completed Long Island Sound interpretive trail. Additionally, there is a state of the art nature center that has displays on the history of Long Island Sound.

The Maritime Aquarium at Norwalk

The mission and vision of the Maritime Aquarium, at laid out on their website, is to “inspire people of all ages to appreciate and protect the Long Island Sound ecosystem and the global environment through living exhibits, marine science, and environmental education. The Maritime Aquarium is the only aquarium focused on Long Island Sound. From this core, it explores related animals and conservation issues from around the world. Its exhibits, admired for their quality and dramatic elegance, are carefully designed to give people of all ages entertaining, educational, and emotional experiences with animals in order to instill a sense of wonder in the diversity of nature.” The maritime Aquarium offers not only displays of many aquatic life forms, but also an IMAX theatre that displays 40 minute long immersive experiences, such as Superpower Dogs, Oceans: Our Blue Planet, and Backyard Wilderness.

Interesting Facts

• Stamford features a unique stained-glass skyscraper, that is 45ft tall.
• Stamford is a nautical city. You can take advantage of this perk by fishing, crabbing, and swimming at the public beaches at Cove Island Park and Cummings Park. SoundWaters Coastal Education Center offers workshops, lectures, and concerts, as well as boat rides on the Long Island Sound.
• Stamford is an international city that boasts 7 airports, including Bradley International Airport, Amtrak and Metro-North New Haven Line service – which can get you to Manhattan in 45 minutes – and easy access to four state highways and the Interstate 95, which connects New England to Florida.