The Learning Clinic is a private practice that I established as an Independent Education, Training & Career Development Consultant in January 2007. 

Robert Kirwan, O.C.T., B.A.(Math), M.A.(Education)
"Professional Education & Career Development Coach"

I offer a number of services that fall under the umbrella of education, training and career development. The range and scope of services available are such that they should serve the needs of students, educators, parents, grandparents and members of the general public who are interested achieving their goals in the fields of education and career development. 

As well, I have a number of services that appeal to business leaders, professionals and managers of public and private institutions. A complete list of services can be found below.

MY MISSION: TO HELP PEOPLE ACHIEVE THEIR GOALS

I intend to use my knowledge and expertise in the areas of education, training and career development to help my clients achieve their goals. 

In order to do this I will be using this web site, www.thelearningclinic.ca as a virtual training institute and online resource centre. As you go through the web site you will see that it has been arranged into a wide variety of sections that deal with specific areas of interest. Some of the content is designed to motivate and inspire, while others are intended to provide you with effective strategies for accomplishing your goals. Some others are merely linking you to existing sites where you will have access to professional, legal, academic or information that pertains to topics of interest that deal with education and career development.

THE LEARNING CLINIC ONLINE TRAINING INSTITUTE

My ultimate goal is to create an "online training institute" for people seeking help in the areas of education, training and career development.

The underlying principle of most of the sections for which I am responsible on this site is that of "mentorship". This is a place where you may return to often in the coming years when you require guidance with respect to your own education and career development challenges. 

Besides providing you with the benefits of the knowledge and experience that I have gained in my professional and personal activities over the years, I will be making arrangements with business leaders and professionals from all walks of life who with to pass on their knowledge and experience as "virtual mentors" to students, teachers, parents and grandparents. I will be helping them produce effective educational presentations that are appropriate for use in the classroom or at home. These presentations will be available on the web site in a variety of forms, including video and audio on demand. Some of the presentations will be published in magazine format using extensive photos and text and will be available online or possibly for downloading in PDF format.

In addition, I will be providing most of these services in person to people from the immediate Greater Sudbury Area, with an emphasis on the provision of personal tutoring services to students from the elementary, secondary and post-secondary schools in the region.

PERSONAL TUTORING SERVICES

The Learning Clinic was originally established to address several emerging trends that I have observed in society today, namely:

1. Students of all ages are finding it extremely difficult to receive assistance in overcoming learning challenges. This has created an explosion of tutoring franchises in Ontario which for the most part are not really meeting the true needs of learners and parents.
    

2. Lifelong learning is here to stay; however, parents and students are finding it increasingly difficult to make choices that deal with education and career matters.
    

3. Multiple career paths will be a way of life from now on where people can expect to engage in a number of different and/or related careers during their lifetime.

Parents are finding it increasingly difficult to provide help for their children when it comes to education. The curriculum has become more and more challenging for students of all ages. We have arrived at the point in the evolution of public education where ALL FAMILIES will soon rely upon the services of a professional “Learning Coach” to provide them with guidance and tutoring support from time to time in order for their children to achieve academic success. Furthermore, academic success has never been more crucial for young people who wish to enjoy satisfying careers during the working period of their life.

When the time comes, and I assure you the time will come, for you to seek tutoring assistance for your child, you should be aware of all your options so that you make the best decision for your child. If you are a parent of an elementary or secondary school child, you should, at the very least, read the question and answer section below by clicking here>>>>.

If you wish to find out more about the tutoring services provided through THE LEARNING CLINIC please click here>>>>>

MY ROLE AS A PROFESSIONAL LEARNING COACH

I like to refer to myself as a "Professional Learning Coach". In this capacity, I am a person to whom you can turn when you have concerns of any kind about education, training or career development for you or a member of your family. You are welcome to look over my professional qualifications which can be found below.

COMPARISON WITH OTHER PROFESSIONAL PRACTITIONERS

In order to understand the role of a Professional Learning Coach, I invite you to examine a number of other existing professional practices with which you are already familiar:

• If you have legal concerns, you would visit your family lawyer for advice.
   
• If you have health problems, you would visit your family doctor for advice and treatment.
   
• If you have problems with your teeth, you would visit your family dentist for advice and treatment.
   
• If you have trouble with dentures, you would visit a denturist or your dentist.
   
• If you have trouble with your back, you would visit your family chiropractor for advice and treatment.
   
• If you have trouble with your eyes, you would visit your family optometrist for advice and treatment.
  
• If you have trouble with your feet, you would visit a podiatrist;
   
• If you need help with investing or financial matters, you would visit your financial planner for advice.

Professional experts in many fields are there to help you solve your specific problems and provide you with guidance and consultation to move forward with your life. They spend their careers becoming experts in their field so that they can provide you with dependable advice and prescribe solutions to your problems.

You may also notice that most families rely upon the professional services of one individual practitioner in each field of expertise in order to maintain long-term consistency in terms of treatment. For example, it makes no sense to go to a different lawyer every time you need legal help, or to a different dentist every time you need work on your teeth. You want someone you have confidence in and who has some knowledge about the history of you and your family members.

THEREFORE, IF YOU HAVE EDUCATION CONCERNS....

Therefore, since education, learning and career planning are becoming more and more complex with each passing year, many people will soon find themselves seeking the services of an "Independent Family Education Advisor" in much the same way they would turn to a family doctor, dentist, chiropractor, or optometrist.

If you have education, learning or career concerns, it only makes sense that you should visit a specialist who is qualified to provide you with effective solutions to your problems. Whereas learning is a complex process which is affected by numerous variables, and whereas education success will impact directly upon career plans and personal goals in life, it is becoming increasingly important for all members of your family to have a person to whom they can turn for guidance and direction in times of need.

An "Independent Education & Career Development Advisor" will help you and your family overcome the challenges that come up from time to time, and will also help you develop a long-term strategic plan that will be critical in all of your life endeavours. The amount of time and the nature of the services you require will depend upon your desired outcomes and the challenges that must be overcome. 

You don't always need the services of a lawyer, or a doctor, or a dentist, or a chiropractor, or a financial planner, but it is nice to know that you have someone you can contact in times of need. The same is true of your "Education Advisor". You may not always need his or her services, but it is nice to know that there is someone you can turn to in times of need.

GOALS & OBJECTIVES OF THE LEARNING CLINIC

I have a number of very specific goals and objectives which I would like to achieve through The Learning Clinic.

1. The Learning Clinic web site will become recognized as a centralized location which provides information, resources and appropriate links to other sites pertaining to education, training and career development of people of all ages. It can best be described as a combination "virtual shopping centre" and "reference library" rolled into one. 
    
2. The Learning Clinic web site will contain relevant reference links to educational material as well as articles, editorials and commentaries that will inspire, motivate, and inform. This virtual publication will also provide insight into major issues and trends that are influencing the field of education and career development today and which will have an impact will into the future.
    
3. Through the use of my office, I intend to create more awareness among various target groups of the businesses, professionals, and institutions that provide goods and/or services which may be useful in helping students and parents achieve their education and career development goals. To this end I will be working with many professionals and business leaders to develop appropriate articles, audio broadcasts and videos that will be used to accomplish this goal. Eventually we will also include information about goods and services that are available to local residents.
    
4. The Learning Clinic will become a resource centre which will be of use to classroom teachers in the delivery of their curriculum from elementary through to post-secondary levels. I will be adding to the site numerous articles and videos which can be used by classroom teachers in a variety of subjects, especially those that are career related.

LOCAL, PROVINCIAL & NATIONAL OUTREACH PROGRAM

The Learning Clinic web site is being designed so that it will be appropriate for use by students, teachers and parents no matter where they live in this great country of ours. Some of the services will be more applicable to people living in the Greater Sudbury Area, such as providing tutoring services for students and localized training and/or marketing services for businesses.

However, the radio shows that are produced and the video seminars that are developed will be structured so that they can be of use to students, teachers and parents throughout the country. The editorial content, for the most part, will be general in nature and will be applicable to education, training and career development no matter which part of the country in which you live.

THE LEARNING COACH APPROACH WORKS IN ALL SITUATIONS

1. DIAGNOSTIC STAGE
   Analysis of the current status and identification of reasonable goals and expectations.
    
2. PLANNING STAGE
   Development of a strategic plan of action which will achieve the desired outcomes.
    
3. IMPLEMENTATION STAGE
   Carrying out the strategic plan of action under the guidance of the professional learning coach.

If you wish to see how this process works with respect to personal tutoring, you can read the detailed explanation by clicking here>>>>.

BASELINE METHOD

This process is often called the "Baseline Method". It means that whenever I am working with a client, regardless of the nature of the relationship, my first job is to determine the current status and then work from there. I always say that no matter what your goals and objectives, you must accept the fact that you are starting from your current position, so the first thing we must do is clearly identify what that position is. Part of this identification includes determining your strengths and weaknesses as well as the resources that are available to you at the time.

The "Baseline Method" with respect to tutoring is outlined in more detail below by clicking here>>>>.

SERVICES OFFERED BY THE LEARNING CLINIC

 
PERSONAL TUTORING SERVICES FOR STUDENTS

• For Elementary, Secondary and Post-Secondary School Students  

• For adults who are in training or returning to school              

• Instructors available for all Grade Levels & Subject Areas                         

• Instruction in both English & French language as well as other minority languages                

• Both Regular & Special Needs Programs                                             

• One-on-one instruction in the home of the student

• Flexible scheduling to accommodate the needs of the family

• No long-term contracts to sign

• Student-focused "Learning Coach" approach to instruction

EMPLOYMENT AGENCY FOR PERSONAL TUTORS SEEKING STUDENTS

• Registry of Tutors includes over 100 instructors available for tutoring

• Many instructors are current Teachers’ College Students

• All instructors have some university or community college background

• Instructors cover all curriculum fields

• Retired, Occasional and Part-time teachers

• Early Childhood Educators & Teacher Assistants

CORPORATE SERVICES

• Development, Implementation & Review of Employee Training & Evaluation Programs for businesses & institutions

• Provision of Education & Career Planning Consultation for parents on staff

• Education marketing & seminar presentations

• Recruiting staff from post-secondary institutions

IPRC REPRESENTATION

• Acting as the official representative of parents during the IPRC process

• Analysis & review of IEP for exceptional children

CONSULTING SERVICES ON EDUCATION ACT & REGULATIONS

• Review and interpretation of Education Act & Regulations for parents, professionals and institutions

• Representing and advocating for parents & children in complex matters with school board

• Labour relations consultation in matters involving school boards and/or teachers/staff

• Consultation and support in educational matters involving mediation, arbitration and criminal code issues

• Collective agreement administration and grievance management

• Collective agreement negotiations and proposal writing

• Long term disability plan administration & work place accommodation programs

• Conflict management and mediation in benefit coverage disputes

FAMILY SERVICES & MEDIATION CONSULTATION

• Consultation & Mediation with respect to education planning for children in family break-up situations

• Tutoring services to assist children in adjusting to new school environment in marriage break-up situations

• Counseling of parents under stress in how to deal with education issues and challenges facing their children

CAREER PLANNING SERVICES

• Individual career counseling for students & parents       

• Presentations to elementary & secondary school students

• Presentations on the role of parents in career planning process

SEMINAR & WORKSHOP FACILITATOR

• Will assist in the planning and facilitation of seminars and workshops for most purposes

• Guest speaker on a variety of education related topics for all audiences

• Instructor for College level programs on education, marketing, public relations and labour relations

PUBLIC RELATIONS

• Development and implementation of strategic marketing public relations programs

• Web site design and management for intra- and internet strategies

• Professional writer & publisher/editor of special interest publications

BACK TO INTRODUCTION

PROFESSIONAL QUALIFICATIONS OF ROBERT KIRWAN

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

“The Learning Clinic” is the private practice of Robert Kirwan. It is not a franchised operation. We therefore have the ability to meet the unique needs of each child who seeks assistance. Most of the other tutoring companies operating within the Greater Sudbury area are part of a franchise chain. This means that in order to be consistent throughout the franchise they must adopt a more or less standard procedure and content base for their instruction. Students will therefore be required to develop their skills using standard exercise sheets that can be marked and evaluated using a central grading system. Local franchise owners do not always have the freedom to make adequate adjustments to meet the needs of individual students.  

At The Learning Clinic, our tutors treat each student differently, developing a program that is unique to their individual needs. There are no two situations that are alike at The Learning Clinic, and no two students will be doing the exact same work. A “Franchise Owner” must exert a certain amount of control over local franchisees, and this control has a limiting effect on what can be done to meet the needs of children seeking tutoring assistance. The Learning Clinic has no such limitations and is therefore completely "student-focused" as opposed to being "program-focused" as is the case in most other tutoring situations.

WHERE DOES THE TUTORING TAKE PLACE ?

The Learning Clinic sends a personal tutor in to your home to work with your child in a familiar environment. Some tutoring companies require you to bring your child to a specific centre at certain times of the day to work in a setting that is very similar to a regular classroom. We decided that it was more important for our tutors to witness the actual conditions under which yourchild works at home. Part of our responsibility is to help our students cope with the normal distractions at home in order to be able to develop the skills necessary to be successful when the tutor is not there to help out. We also tell parents to avoid making any changes in their normal routines while the tutor is present. 

Our goal is to develop “learning skills” in our students. We want our students to learn how to learn, so our tutors must be aware of all of the distractions that are being faced by the child. We did not feel we could provide effective long-term skill development by working with children in an artificially created environment. To do so would have been just like creating another “school away from school”. We also respect how busy parents are in the evening after school, so it makes it much easier if we come to you.

WHEN IS THE TUTORING OFFERED?

The Learning Clinic” allows a parent to schedule tutoring so that it does not interfere with the rest of the family plans. We work around your schedule. Some tutoring companies require you to meet with your tutor during specific times once or twice a week. 

The Learning Clinic decided that it was important to be flexible and sensitive to the needs of the entire family. Therefore, our tutors will agree to meet with your child on a day and time that will be most convenient to you and your family. This means that tutoring may be on different days and different times each week. This is because we feel that some of the most important learning in a child’s life takes place away from school, so whatever the family is doing to provide enriched learning experiences is important. We do not want to interfere with your role as a parent and will therefore accommodate our schedule as well as we can to allow for tutoring sessions to supplement your activities. We do not feel it would be beneficial to the child for the rest of the family to adjust their schedule to fit the times for tutoring.  

The only condition is that one or both parents, or another responsible adult must be present in the house while the tutoring is taking place.

WHAT IS THE “LEARNING COACH” APPROACH TO TUTORING?

The Learning Clinic” has adopted a “Learning Coach” approach to tutoring which utilizes a one-on-one instructional model. 

Some tutoring companies require you to share a tutor with up to three other students. In that type of tutoring, each student is required to work on a different assignment sheet exercise, with the tutor available to answer questions and give direction when needed. When the student successfully completes the page, he/she gets a reward and then goes on to the next page. This “mastery learning” approach may result in the learning of specific skills that produce good results in an upcoming diagnostic test.  However, we do not feel it will produce the long-lasting skill development that comes from one-on-one “coaching”. 

We help our students “discover” their skills and build upon their strengths so that they better retain what they have learned for future situations. Mastery does come with one-on-one tutoring, but it tends to have a much more long-lasting impact on the student.

HOW MUCH DOES IT COST FOR TUTORING WITH THE LEARNING CLINIC?

The Learning Clinic” has been able to provide a program that is affordable for most families. As with most things in life, you always get what you pay for. Tutoring is no different. Unfortunately, tutoring is something that many families may not feel they can afford. The Learning Clinic has found a way to allow parents to adjust the tutoring they receive to fit their budget. 

Our fee is $40 per hour, and includes all taxes. This is comparative to the hourly rate charged by the other major tutoring companies in town. 

We require that the tutor meet with your child for a minimum of 90 minutes each session, but you are welcome to extend the sessions to two or more hours if needed. The minimum time is necessary so that the tutor has time to provide effective instruction to your child and also have time to discuss your child

HOW LONG DO WE HAVE TO COMMIT TO YOUR PROGRAM?

The Learning Clinic” will not commit you to a long-term contract. 

The only thing we require is an initial commitment of twelve hours. You may pay for this in two installments if you wish. When you meet with your tutor for the first session you will provide the tutor with two cheques of $240 each. One will be dated the day of the first meeting and the other can be post-dated one month later.

Therefore, after the initial period your only commitment to The Learning Clinic is for six hours at a time. You are not required to sign a contract that forces you to remain with a program that is 30 or 40 weeks in duration. Once the time you have purchased is up, you have the option of continuing for another six hours or terminating the tutoring. A number of our students have been with their tutor for up to two years, while others go through 12 or 18 hours and then stop for any number of personal reasons. This policy is especially popular with high school students who may wish to hire a tutor to help with the last month of school, just before exams. They may only need the tutor for 12 hours, so why pay for anything more. 

The other reason we wanted to maintain this six-hour commitment is because conditions change in a family and we did not want to be an added burden in times of need. When selecting a tutoring company for your child, you should examine contracts carefully. For example, The Learning Clinic does not penalize you if you are forced to cancel a session for any reason. We merely re-schedule at a later date. You don’t lose time or money. You may also suspend tutoring for an extended period of time and then pick it back up again at a later date. Any hours you have remaining from your last session will simply be used to begin your new block of time.

IF I HAVE OTHER CHILDREN WHO NEED HELP, DO I PAY EXTRA FOR TUTORING?

The Learning Clinic” sends a tutor who will work with all of the children in your family. While most tutoring situations only involve providing instruction to one student, parents appreciate the fact that if they have more than one child, they can request a tutor with the qualifications to provide assistance to all children in the household. 

There is no additional charge for this service. You are paying to have a tutor come into your house for six hours. How you divide up that time is completely up to you. For example, there are some situations where the tutor will work with one child for one hour and then the other child for 30 minutes. The parent pays for 90 minutes of tutoring service whether there is one child or two. Most franchise companies will charge you an amount for each child. The Learning Clinic does not charge extra for this service.

DO YOU GUARANTEE MY CHILD WILL IMPROVE?

The Learning Clinic” maintains that you CANNOT guarantee the success of tutoring programs. 

While some franchise companies claim to “guarantee” that your child will improve by at least a full grade level from the tutoring program, The Learning Clinic will NEVER make such a guarantee.  

As a professional educator who has been practicing since 1973, I assure you that no one can guarantee any level of success when it comes to learning. 

I will guarantee that your child will benefit positively from the tutoring he/she receives from The Learning Clinic and that it should make him/her a better student. However, any guarantee that a child will improve by one or two grade levels will always include some very strict conditions. For example, some companies will have your child take an initial “diagnostic” test which will reveal certain deficiencies in specific skill areas. A program of instruction will then be designed to work on those skills over a set period of time, usually about 30 to 40 weeks or sessions. A second diagnostic test will be administered at the end of the program. This end-test will usually reveal significant growth in the weaker areas, thus enabling the company to justify its guarantee. The Learning Clinic would rather focus on improving the overall learning skills of each student so that success can be achieved in class. We supplement the work being done by the classroom teacher and are therefore more concerned with helping our students “learn how to learn” rather than “learning how to complete work sheets”. Our approach has proven to be the one that provides the most long-lasting results.

HOW DO TEACHERS FEEL ABOUT THE LEARNING CLINIC?

The Learning Clinic” is owned and operated by a member of the Ontario College of Teachers. As a member in good standing with the Ontario College of Teachers, my work as a private practitioner in the field of education receives a certain level of credibility that other tutoring operators do not have. I am bound by the same code of ethics and professional standards as all other teachers and guidance counselors. Teachers know that I am acting in the best interests of the students at all times. I am not merely running a private business. I am “one of them” and as such can be trusted. Therefore, teachers feel comfortable about recommending The Learning Clinic to the parents of their students. This endorsement has lead to the continued growth of my practice.

MAY WE CONTACT THE TUTOR IN BETWEEN SESSIONS?

Our tutors are always available by phone or email in between sessions. Often the child may just need a quick answer to a specific question that cannot wait until the next scheduled session. All you have to do is give the tutor a call and he/she will do what can be done to solve the problem. There is no charge for this service.  

MAY WE CONTACT YOU AT ANY TIME?

I am your family education advisor and will remain so indefinitely. When you need specific services or advice, you can always contact me. My job is to find a tutor to meet the needs of your children from time to time, but while your child may be served by a variety of tutors over the years he/she is in school, I will be the one constant you can come to depend upon. Consider me the same as your "family doctor" only my area of specialty is with education and career development.

RETURN TO INTRODUCTION

ONE-ON-ONE INSTRUCTION

IN YOUR OWN HOME

FLEXIBLE SCHEDULE

PERSONALIZED INSTRUCTION

CONTACT WITH  TUTOR AT ALL TIMES

NO LONG-TERM CONTRACT TO SIGN

STOP & START  FEATURE  

SHARING WITH A CLASSMATE

YOUR OWN FAMILY EDUCATION ADVISOR  

AN AFFORDABLE  TUTORING PROGRAM  

ONLINE PUBLICATION SERIES