Academic Support Services

At MacDuffie, we are happy to provide an Academic Support Center, staffed by a full-time director and tutors. Our Director, Carol Dixon, holds a B.A. in Education and Psychology from Barrington College and a M.Ed. in Special Education from American International College. Supporting the overall strength of the program are specialty tutors and other part-time teachers who are qualified by credentials and/or experience.

The Study Skills Program covers a variety of introductory study strategies in four or five class periods. Younger students cover the following topics: learning styles, memory strategies, time management, taking notes from a text, and test preparation.  For the older students the teaching focus is on a specific study skill. Good candidates for this program are those students who struggle with the following issues:

• Students who want advice/coaching on any organizational, time management, or other study skill questions.
• Students who feel overwhelmed by the volume or type of homework.
• Students who have difficulty keeping their papers and notebook organized.
• Students who need help learning how to prepare and study for tests.
• Students who experience difficulty starting long-term assignments.

All students who are interested may apply for participation in this program at no additional cost. A conversation with the Director initiates the process for admission.   At that time the learning skill(s) is identified and a schedule is created. Instruction is provided in a one-on-one setting or in a small group setting.  Late summer or early in the school year are good times to call the Director (extension 145) regarding referrals.

The Guided Study Program is a fee-based program designed to provide additional support to capable MacDuffie students who have deficits or gaps in their learning or study skills. Additionally, these students may have a psychological-educational testing assessment or have exhibited long term learning difficulty in more than one subject area. This program is individualized to meet the student’s needs with instruction conducted in a one-on-one setting. Often, an educational assessment notes the specific study strategies that require attention. Next, a statement of objectives is developed for each student, listing the skills to be taught or reinforced, such as personal organization, the use of a daily planner, study time management, construction of study guides and schedules, reading comprehension, writing skills that include planning, pre-writing, editing of multiple drafts, or modeling of math concepts.  

Please feel free to contact the Director with any questions or concerns about the Guided Study Program.  These conversations will help you decide which frequency is best, based upon the student’s needs and grade.  The meeting schedule consists of one class period for three or four days per week, depending on the advice and counsel of the academic administration or by special request of the family. Normally the minimum participation is for a semester or longer depending on the need.