By Shari Kaplan
Helping students who need that little extra boost and challenging those who are confident in what they already know are the main goals of KnowledgeQuest, one of the newest learning centers to join the trend of providing specialized instruction outside of school.
Nestled in a corner of Los Gatos' Downing Center, KnowledgeQuest opened in September with two credentialed teachers at the helm: Jasna Knowles and Susan Deutsch.
"We both have backgrounds in education. We saw a need for students to get what they're not getting in school, or what they are getting but perhaps they need a little more. There are any number of reasons they may have missed picking up the right skills along the way," says Deutsch, a Los Gatos resident.
"Some students may not qualify for special ed, but they definitely need it. They can use this as extra help," adds Knowles, who lives in Saratoga.
Knowles says the largest proportion of clients are students whose parents enroll them because they have fallen behind in one or more academic areas or have trouble with study skills or time management. Other students enroll in KnowledgeQuest's enrichment programs because they are working above grade level or desire an extra challenge.
Each student's quest for knowledge begins by completing one or more in-depth evaluations, each approximately 2 1/2 hours long and focusing on reading, writing, basic math, pre-algebra, algebra or study skills. Deutsch and Knowles then analyze the tests and share the results with parents.
They then design individualized programs based on each student's needs. Students also fill out a brief questionnaire that helps them identify whether their learning style is predominantly visual, audio or kinesthetic (movement and touch).
"We have a very multi-sensory approach. There are a lot more ways to learn than simply reading a book!" Deutsch says. One educational supplement, which Deutsch says is always a good motivator, is working in the computer lab.
Students can increase math and English skills with "edutainment" programs or use multimedia CD-ROMs such as the Time Almanac or Grolier's Multimedia Encyclopedia to do research on hundreds of topics.
Following an orderly series of lessons and activities in their personal folders, students earn stickers on a "Bravo Sheet" that they can save up and exchange for a multitude of incentives geared toward all ages.
Bouncing balls, Play-Doh and action figures appeal to the younger set, while toiletries, point-and-shoot cameras and gift certificates to music stores and movie theaters score big with teenagers and young adults. According to Knowles, the age range of KnowledgeQuest students is from 4 to 26.
"The only competition is within themselves. It's not just a matter of getting scores; it's the trying," Knowles says, explaining that students need not answer every question correctly in order to fill up their Bravo Sheets.
"Many parents feel frustrated they can't spend more time with their children, especially when it comes to keeping up with their schoolwork," Deutsch says. "Our main goal is to work together with parents and classroom teachers to ensure that students get the most benefit possible from their education."
For Jessica Nance, 14, a Leigh High School freshman, the enrichment activities at KnowledgeQuest are complementary to her English honors class. One of the new skills she values most is speed reading.
"That's very important in English honors because we have to read book after book after book," says Nance, a KnowledgeQuest student for about three months. She says she appreciates the typing practice she gets from the computers as well as the opportunity to improve what she considers her poor spelling.
"I get more direction on how to do things. It's a bit more fun because I have a 'homey' feeling here. It's okay to be here and okay to mess up," she says.
Mark and Jill Yoder, 16 and 13 respectively, have been attending KnowledgeQuest for several weeks. Mark, a Los Gatos High School junior, is hoping to better prepare himself for the PSAT test. Both he and Jill, an eighth-grader at Fisher Middle School, also hope to improve their reading comprehension and study skills.
"Coming here helps you in all your skills. I can't name just one," Mark says. His sister adds: "It helps you get organized and learn more, and you can do it in a fun way."
This article appeared in the Saratoga News, Wednesday, January 17, 1996.
©1996 Metro Publishing Inc. All rights reserved.