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The Cambridge Stratford Study Skills Institute
Cambridge Stratford, Ltd. formed The Cambridge Stratford Study Skills Institute in 1985 with the help of its current president, Peter W. Stevens, a former vice president from a private college in New York. It is an international organization of learning and study skills specialists and tutor training professionals dedicated to helping students of all ages to STUDY SMARTER, READ FASTER and SCORE HIGHER ON TESTS, key ingredients for success in school as well as in life.
Cambridge Stratford Study Skills Course System
The CSSS INSTITUTE provides teacher and tutor training services, private courses for students in summer and after school programs nationally, and publishes the internationally renowned study skills curriculum entitled The Cambridge Stratford Study Skills Course. It is taught publicly by schools, colleges, federal and state grant programs at 3 grade levels (6-8th: 20 hour edition, 9-11th: 30 hour edition, and 12-15th: 10 hour edition, entitled Ten Tips for Academic Success, available in English and Spanish). These editions include 4 components; Student Workbook, Teacher Manual, Transparency and Listening Tape Set.
Tutor Training Research Study
In 1994, The INSTITUTE introduced a research-based tutor training curriculum nationally under the direction of Dr. Ross MacDonald entitled The Master Tutor: A Guidebook for More Effective Tutoring. It includes the state-of-the-art methods tutors can use to improve one-on-one tutoring sessions and consists of a self-instructional Guidebook for tutors, a Tutor Trainer's Manual, and Transparency Set. A pre- and post-assessment, The TESAT (Tutor Evaluation and Self-Assessment Tool) is available for validating improved tutoring skills. In 2004, The Online eMaster Tutor Training Course was created for training tutors from the convenience of their own homes/dorms/libraries and a 2-week Train-the-Trainer course, The Online eMaster Tutor Trainer’s Course, became available to train online tutor instructors.
Improving the Retention of College Students
The CSSS INSTITUTE's mission is to help students prepare for and succeed in college. Skills learned will be transferable for life-long learning. Helping with the adjustment to the transition to college is a further priority. A series of self-orientation to college reference texts have been published to ease frustrations commonly associated with planning for and problem solving in college. One is specifically tied to tradi- tional freshman students entitled 100 Things Every College Freshman Ought to Know. Another is for non-traditional adult students entitled 100 Things Every Adult College Student Ought to Know. Three others are for online, international, and students with disabilities. Each serves to empower students by providing a right-hand, pocket-sized reference detailing the "WHAT, HOW, WHY, WHEN, WHO, and WHERE" to go in seeking answers to adjustment problems. The 100 Things series has been recommended reading by schools, adult continuing education, and college retention-management coordinators nationally. It helps students understand college customs, practices, vocabulary, and procedures, plus includes plain-old-good-advice learned by past students who experienced the common pitfalls. The adult edition is specifically enhanced to include important tips for balancing multiple responsibilities with families, work environments, friends, and the new college setting. Other editions are similarly focused on the unique difficulties and consumer-friendly advice for special students or those going through more rigorous learning challenges. If you need information about any of the products or services offered or would like a sample lesson (PREVIEW MANUAL) or desk copy for adoption consideration to be forwarded for your review, write, or call today.
NOTE: Prospective Authors - 100 Things is being planned as a series. If you have an idea, book, or concept that might help students succeed in school or college, please contact us. We're interested!