This is the time of year when New York City families with late elementary and middle school students begin to think about preparing for the ISEE, SHSAT, or SSAT in the fall.  Partners With Parents has a long history of successfully preparing students for these tests.  If you are considering tutoring, we recommend scheduling a couple of sessions before the summer to lay out a cohesive study plan for the next 6 months.  If you get an early assessment of your child’s needs then the appropriate plan can be set in motion with enough time to make substantial progress.  Our students benefit from preparation that focuses on test taking strategies and building academic self confidence, as well as simply mastering the test content.  Remember, the best tutors book quickly, so the sooner you contact PWP, the more likely you’ll be to get the best match for your child.  Below are the bios for a few of our favorite test prep tutors. (more…)

I am the mother of a 5 and 7 year old. I am a conscientious parent so I am beginning to think about how to teach my children about “community service.” I want my kids to be justice oriented, aware and appreciative of differences, and immersed in the joy of giving. Being Jewish, I want to teach them the mitzvot and help them become active and generous community members, engaged in “repairing the world.”

I know that parents are the most important teachers, whether we like it or not, so it’s on me to pass these values along. But, I will be honest, I bristle at the notion of making up a community service project and “doing it,” rather than living as someone who serves my community.  What I really want to teach my children  is to become people who see being of service as part of their daily lives.   Recently, a neighbor’s experience crystallized things for me. . . (more…)

Every once in a while a parent comes to us with an unusual tutoring request.  Recently, we had one such request: an architecture tutor.  As discussions and planning with the parent progressed, we decided that a small group would be the best forum for this exploration.   This means we are pleased to present a new six-week course in architecture for 10-14 year olds, starting April 8^th.  This class will give students a good basic knowledge of architecture and its use in the modern world.   Below you will find the details including dates, potential topics, and class structure.  To register, please call (212) 928-5016 or email us.

Day/Time: Thursdays, 6:00-7:30pm

Dates: April 8^th, 15^th, 22^nd, & 29^th, May 6^th, + field trip on Saturday, May 8^th

Location: Residence of the parent who came to us with the request.  (W 107^th St)

Length: 1½ hours, including presentation and guided practice each session

Ages: Ten to fourteen years old (recommended) (more…)

One of the real perks to living in NYC is being able to give our children access to so many different people and ideas.  While most of the time these interactions flow smoothly with benefits all around, every once in a while there is friction.  Not necessarily so much friction among the children, but rather among parents and the childrearing ideas that we hold dear to our hearts.   For instance, I have discovered that I am a fairly relaxed parent, who tries not to say “no” just for the sake of saying “no.”  I firmly believe that my child should have the chance to experience life through his own interactions and experiments with the world, not mine.  I am the parent that makes others shudder because I allow my son to lick rocks, put sticks in his mouth (indoors no less), and balance precariously on the furniture. (more…)