Kip McGrath Education Centres Busselton & Margaret River in Busselton, Western Australia | Tutor/teacher

Kip McGrath Education Centres Busselton & Margaret River

Locality: Busselton, Western Australia

Phone: +61 8 9754 4140

Address: 162 Bussell Highway 6280 Busselton, WA, Australia

Website:

Likes: 170

Add/Update information

Reviews

Tags

• School
• Tutor/teacher

25.01.2022 Life is beginning to get back to some sort of normality and it's no different for us here at Kip! After a fair few weeks teaching our math & English program online, we open our doors again next week to our centres in Margaret River & Busselton. Our centre classes are filling up again fast & all our Kip teachers are looking forward to actually being in the same room as our students! Whilst we've enjoyed teaching you all on line - you may be surprised to learn that we've misse...d you! Online lessons will continue to be available for those who are unable to get into the centres. Thank you to all our parents & students for the feedback, support & the patience you've shown with any technology glitches you may have experienced over the past few weeks...but most of all, thank you for staying connected with us!

24.01.2022 Maths - whether you love it or you hate it, it's a necessary skill in everyday life. Just to give the day a mathematical shake up, I thought I'd share 5 maths facts. Whilst they aren't particularly useful, they are fun facts...& some you can test out for yourself! * There is only one, even prime number...amongst ALL the numbers we have. Do you know what it is? ... 2 * Do you know which number isn't represented in the Roman number system? 0 (Did you also know that 0 is considered to be an even number - because, if you divide it by 2, you still get 0!) * Which number is thought to be a 'magic' number? 9 Multiply any number by 9; add together the digits of your new number, the sum will ALWAYS add up and lead you back to 9. Try it! 15 x 9 = 135 so... 1+3+5=9 32 x 9=288 so...2+8+8=18 and 1+8=9 * If you stopped people in the street, and asked them what their favourite number is do you know what they're likely to say? 7 Mathematician, Matthew Bellos carried out a survey and found that odd numbers are more popular than even numbers, and the number 7 is the most popular of all...selected 9.7% of the time... probably because 7 creeps into our lives in memorable ways. Remember the Seven Dwarves? The Seven Wonders of the World? And we have seven days of the week. Can you think of any other sevens that creep into our psyche? * If there are 23 people in a room, there is a 50% chance that two of them will share the same birthday! If you want to explore why this is, there's an article that explains the mathematics for this here... https://medium.com/i-math/the-birthday-problem-307f31a9ac6f So, as you can see...Maths isn't so dull after all!

23.01.2022 Every term Colin writes a letter to those students who have been recognised as an Outstanding Student that term. Its never just a few lines, is always thoughtful and takes a few hours to put together. Why? Because Colin wants the outstanding letters to mean something. ... This term Colin highlighted the ingredients that make for an outstanding student (thank you Mirikai for planting that seed in Colins head! ) Ingredient 1. Concentrate in your session and do as much work as you can. You have to listen, and you have to think if you are going to learn. Ingredient 2. Ask if you dont understand. DO NOT PRETEND OR HIDE SOMETHING YOU ARE UNSURE ABOUT as it will just make your progress slower. Ingredient 3. Do your homework carefully two to three days after your Kip lesson. Practice what you need to practice e.g. tables or spelling words etc. Ingredient 4. ALWAYS, ALWAYS DO YOUR BEST. Anything less, means you are pretending. The Kip teachers are always stoked to give out certificates at the end of each term. It can be a painful decision though - deciding who will receive certificates. We have to remember that we dont give out certificates because our students are awesome, funny, lovable or thoughtful...the certificates are because we have noticed those students trying hard and putting in the effort EVERY-SINGLE-WEEK! Congratulations to all our students that received a Blue Certificate for having an inspiring term and of course, to those who received an Outstanding Certificate.

23.01.2022 We're never too young to learn to look out for one another and lend support.

23.01.2022 Was it really only last month that life here in Australia seemed predictable & normal?! Our normal though is being challenged somewhat with the uncertainty that has come with COVID-19. Here at Kip we are very mindful of the concerns you have about the safety of your children & so this post is about what were doing to ensure we minimise all of our risk of becoming unwell & what you can do to help us with that. ... - If your child has ANY sign of being unwell, please keep them home. We want to protect anyone else who uses our centres from becoming unwell & lowering their immunity if they should contract the COVID-19 virus. Some of our students and teachers live with compromised immune systems. Please help us to protect them as well as your own child/ren. - We are always happy to organise online at home makeup sessions for any student who is unable to come in to the centre. Simply let us know & this can be arranged. - PLEASE ensure your child comes to Kip with their own drinks bottle, pencil & ruler. - Before EVERY lesson, the teachers at Kip clean ALL keyboards, headphones, mouses (is that the plural of a keyboard mouse?!) door knobs, desks & chairs using antibacterial wipes. - EVERY student cleans their hands using antibacterial sanitisers before their lesson starts We will, very soon, be offering online group lessons. This is in preparation for a directive to temporarily close the education centre to protect our community. In the meantime, if you prefer your child to have their lessons from home, an online at home makeup lesson can be arranged. We are all connected in a myriad of different ways & when communities pull together we see wonderful things happen. We are so fortunate to be living in communities that are known for this, and who look out for one another particularly at this time.

23.01.2022 Ava is a wonderful student in the Margaret River Centre. She is working extremely hard and making very good progress. Ava was presented with an Outstanding Student Award for her effort during Term 3. She wrote this article for our last newsletter. I’m in year 4 at Margaret River P.S. I have been going to Kip for 3 terms.... I have a brother called Jack. In my spare time, I like to do motorbike riding, go to the beach and sing. I also like to read Weido Books and do acrobatics. Kip has been really fun and helped me a lot. Ava See more

22.01.2022 Its really important for every teacher here at Kip, in Busselton and Margaret River, to encourage our students to build the math and English skills they need. We want to see them go to the places they want to go in life!

22.01.2022 The teachers here at Kip are very experienced...at Busselton alone there is over 100 years teaching experience between Colin, Robyn, Karen P & Karen C...In Margaret River there is over 75 years experience between Bronwyn, Karen P & Tori...thats a LOT of experience to draw on...& a lot of life lessons to share. We know we cant teach our students in the same way...we all learn differently. Because we get to know our students well, we can draw on our teaching experience & use the Kip Program to help each student reach their Kip goals! Thats a pretty special thing to be part of!

21.01.2022 Here at Kip McGrath we recognise that our students have different strengths and gaps in their knowledge. Its why no student at Kip will be doing exactly the same program as another student. One of the benefits of using the Kip McGrath program is that each students program is tailored to focus on the skills they need to develop. Whether its Grade 1 English or Year 12 English; Grade 1 Maths or Year 12 Maths...we cover it all and everything in between! The Kip McGrath program teaches all the skills set out in the Australian National Curriculum. When we graduate a student we know they are set to shine even more than they already do.

21.01.2022 All jokes aside...we can help you calculate what x really is! Contact Colin on 0409 689 759 or pm us to book a free assessment to see how we can help.

21.01.2022 Our new reality here at Kip is engaging with you all virtually. Our online lessons start this week (a few of you have already been guinea pigs for Colin & Karen as they rolled out the first of these - thank you!) We will endeavour to post useful information on this platform during this time which will... hopefully inspire, reassure & support you as you & your kids adapt to being isolated at home or having your family isolated at home whilst you continue doing your frontline jobs to help all of us remain safe. The first of these posts is some info from UNICEF with some guidance about conversations with our children about all that is happening...

20.01.2022 Learning at Kip isn't just about learning math and English skills... Far from it! We also help our students develop their self confidence. In fact, every teacher at Kip knows that without self confidence, our students won't learn as quickly. ... Why is this you might ask? Self confidence underpins a few key tools that a child (or anyone) needs so they can learn something new. Self Confidence... 1. REDUCES FEAR AND ANXIETY When we stop worrying about 'getting it wrong', being judged or thinking we're 'no good' at something, we make space for possibility. And that's powerful! Possibility makes it possible to give something a go, being willing to try something new and adding to our cup of potential. When we're able to explore new things or step into new roles without worrying, we start trusting more in our own abilities and qualities. 2. IMPROVES OUR MOTIVATION When it feels as though our dreams and goals are hard to reach it becomes hard to stay dedicated and motivated. At Kip we help our students take small steps so they can see they are acquiring new skills. And when they do, we celebrate! These achievements help our students take pride in their skills, their growing knowledge and strengthens their motivation and willingness to keep trying. 3. BUILDS RESILIENCE When our students begin to 'own' the skills they are developing, they become more resilient when they face a setback. Instead of giving up when they get something wrong, they'll give it another go. And we encourage that. 4. IMPROVED RELATIONSHIPS From being unsure, and often aware of the gaps in what they know, we see our students break away from their shy or perhaps sullen, disaffected or perhaps disruptive ways which they've learnt to cultivate so the adults around them lower their expectations of what they can achieve. It's easier that way. In the short term! And then something happens... With the love and support our Kip Kids get from their parents and guardians and the encouragement and belief their teachers have in their learning, we see magical things happen. We see our students break out of their chrysalis and become the butterfly they were always meant to be!

19.01.2022 We're online & in full swing! It was daunting initially, having to learn a new way of teaching. This side of our learning though has provided all the teachers here at Kip, the opportunity of being able to stay engaged with our students & do what we love to do...to teach. Thank you to all of you in our Kip Community for inviting us into your homes, patiently travelling with us as we learnt how to use the Kip McGrath Online program & accomodating the changes in our Kip timetab...ling so that we can continue to teach your children around their online school programmes. If you know of any other families that could benefit from us supporting their children in their education - please share our page with them to remind them we're here. Stay well. Stay safe. Enjoy being present with each other. Bronwyn, Colin, Karen C., Karen P., Robyn & Tori. x

18.01.2022 Were online & in full swing! It was daunting initially, having to learn a new way of teaching. This side of our learning though has provided all the teachers here at Kip, the opportunity of being able to stay engaged with our students & do what we love to do...to teach. Thank you to all of you in our Kip Community for inviting us into your homes, patiently travelling with us as we learnt how to use the Kip McGrath Online program & accomodating the changes in our Kip timetab...ling so that we can continue to teach your children around their online school programmes. If you know of any other families that could benefit from us supporting their children in their education - please share our page with them to remind them were here. Stay well. Stay safe. Enjoy being present with each other. Bronwyn, Colin, Karen C., Karen P., Robyn & Tori. x

18.01.2022 Being proficient in reading is essential for students to do well at school. For some though, this skill can be hard to learn...but not impossible. Dyslexia is something that affects many students at school...& there is more than one type of Dyslexia! There are a few reasons that Kip McGrath is particularly good at supporting a student with Dyslexia: - our structured learning program - the learning environment is with small groups (but individual lessons structured specifical...ly for each student) - we offer a structured reading scheme - we teach spelling rules with lots of phonetic reinforcement - there is a lot of repetition with both English & Math activities...but the students dont necessarily know it because the activities are presented differently...but the repetition is there! - the teachers at Kip are able to be flexible with our teaching programmes & tweek them according to our students learning The image from https://www.dyslexia.com/question/what-dyslexics-see/ gives you some idea of the jumble of words some Dyslexic students see when they read.

18.01.2022 We're sharing this thoughtful advice from Margaret Dobson on coping with COVID19 isolation - March 23 2020 "After having thirty-one sessions this week with patients where the singular focus was COVID-19 and how to cope, I decided to consolidate my advice and make a list that I hope is helpful to all. I can't control a lot of what is going on right now, but I can contribute this. Edit: I am surprised and heartened that this has been shared so widely! People have asked me to cr...Continue reading

18.01.2022 As promised I've attached the Award Letter given to some students last term. September 2020... Dear We’ve been tutoring students from Busselton and Margaret River for nearly 25 years and a lot has changed dramatically over this time, but some things have stayed the same. We are still specialists in helping students build confidence and improve their Maths and English skills. We make a plan and we work on the student’s weaknesses each and every lesson. This is challenging for the student but is worth it because it usually leads to very good permanent improvement. The students who improve the most are those who accept this challenge and are prepared to meet it full on. This is not an easy challenge because it means the student has to work really hard on things, they are not very good at. Many students don’t want to do that. Many are scared they won’t make the improvement, so they don’t fully try, and others just want a magic fix. They don’t want to do extra work; they just want to get better without putting in the effort! We understand these reasons for not trying but we need the student to fully engage if they are going to improve and catch up. Students who fully engage and push themselves to improve, stand out from other students and we call them Outstanding Students. You have been chosen as an Outstanding Student this term. This says a lot about your character. It says you want to improve and you’re not going to accept where you’re at. It says you are not afraid of hard work and it says you can be relied upon to do the work without your parents watching every move. I know your family will be very proud of you, just like we are, but most importantly you should feel very proud of yourself and the effort you’re making. It will stand you in good stead for your future. Congratulations from all of us at Kip McGrath. Colin Casella Kip McGrath South West W.A.

18.01.2022 It has to be said, English isnt the easiest language to learn! Its no wonder some students struggle with learning when to use some of the spelling rules that are supposed to help us. Thank goodness for Kip McGraths comprehensive phonics program!

17.01.2022 At Kip, the teachers love nothing more than to see one of their students graduate. As sad as it always is to say goodbye to them, we know our job is done. We think that teaching is quite possibly one of THE most rewarding jobs in the world! Our hearts sing when we read comments like this... "Hi Colin I just wanted to say a big thank you to you and your team at Kip. Will and Claires hard work has paid of as he received a B for maths this semester. I am so proud of him. So... thanks again. Cheers Tina" A New Year means a new year and maybe even a new school... If youd like your child to get a head start in their new school year or, if your child is anxious about keeping up in their new school year, book in for a free assessment to find out if we can boost their confidence and skills...we almost always can! Its easy to do this...simply send us a message or call Colin on 0409 689 759

17.01.2022 It's really important for every teacher here at Kip, in Busselton and Margaret River, to encourage our students to build the math and English skills they need. We want to see them go to the places they want to go in life!

16.01.2022 Another Kipper talks about why she likes Kip McGrath

15.01.2022 A word from one of our students... When people learn that Im a teacher at Kip McGrath, I often get asked what we do here. I cant think of a better way of explaining than how Eddie does it so, Id like to introduce you to him... "Ive been going to Kip for five years with Robyn as my tutor. Ive asked for her several times because I like how friendly she is, and she is good at her job of helping me keep up with school. ... Kip has really helped me stay up to speed with school and I have noticed it has helped me with my English and then Maths recently when I got into high school. Mum and Dad are stoked they never have to hound me about doing my homework as Kip has helped me with my motivation. My best subject at school is Design and Technology where we are welding candelabras. My least favourite is Science (sorry; not sorry Ms Hannah). Outside of Kip I enjoy surfing and swimming, skating, free diving all outdoorsy stuff really. Jetty jumping is something most kids in Busselton love too. I also love my cats. I have done a lot travelling and camping with my family. My favourite place is Queensland, especially Cairns. My most crazy travelling memory is how much my head rattled all the way on the Great Central Road when we drove to Uluru last year. At the end of school I want to earn six figures." Teaching here at Kip isnt just about helping our students learn new skills that they might have missed, are struggling with or want to stretch themselves with. Kip is also about instilling confidence to learn, the courage to ask questions and realise the possibilities their life can offer. We love it when we run into our past students as young adults (and not so young adults!) and hear where their life path has taken them. We hear some fabulous stories and look forward to learning where Eddies life path takes him. If you think Kip can help your child, call Colin on 0409 689 759 or PM us and we will contact you.

14.01.2022 Maths - whether you love it or you hate it, its a necessary skill in everyday life. Just to give the day a mathematical shake up, I thought Id share 5 maths facts. Whilst they arent particularly useful, they are fun facts...& some you can test out for yourself! * There is only one, even prime number...amongst ALL the numbers we have. Do you know what it is? ... 2 * Do you know which number isnt represented in the Roman number system? 0 (Did you also know that 0 is considered to be an even number - because, if you divide it by 2, you still get 0!) * Which number is thought to be a magic number? 9 Multiply any number by 9; add together the digits of your new number, the sum will ALWAYS add up and lead you back to 9. Try it! 15 x 9 = 135 so... 1+3+5=9 32 x 9=288 so...2+8+8=18 and 1+8=9 * If you stopped people in the street, and asked them what their favourite number is do you know what theyre likely to say? 7 Mathematician, Matthew Bellos carried out a survey and found that odd numbers are more popular than even numbers, and the number 7 is the most popular of all...selected 9.7% of the time... probably because 7 creeps into our lives in memorable ways. Remember the Seven Dwarves? The Seven Wonders of the World? And we have seven days of the week. Can you think of any other sevens that creep into our psyche? * If there are 23 people in a room, there is a 50% chance that two of them will share the same birthday! If you want to explore why this is, theres an article that explains the mathematics for this here... https://medium.com/i-math/the-birthday-problem-307f31a9ac6f So, as you can see...Maths isnt so dull after all!

14.01.2022 It was pretty confusing for us grown ups when we heard about Job Keeper and Job Seeker allowances...which offered what and who could claim for which? Even our politicians got the terms muddled on occasion! Were nowhere near as confusing here at Kip. We offer centre lessons or on line lessons...or both if thats what you want...they mean exactly what they say! ... Our Kip program provides the exact same activities online as our students have access to in our centres. Who might enrol for online lessons? * Do you live too far from a centre to get to a centre class? * Are you wanting to brush up on your English &/or math before applying for a job or higher education...but dont want to be in a class with young students? * * Have you been convalescing from illness and want to get ready to return to school or study? * Are you finding it hard to juggle after school tuition with your sporting/music/theatre activities? Whether you are interested in centre lessons or online lessons call Colin on 0409 689 759 for a free assessment.

14.01.2022 Life is beginning to get back to some sort of normality and its no different for us here at Kip! After a fair few weeks teaching our math & English program online, we open our doors again next week to our centres in Margaret River & Busselton. Our centre classes are filling up again fast & all our Kip teachers are looking forward to actually being in the same room as our students! Whilst weve enjoyed teaching you all on line - you may be surprised to learn that weve misse...d you! Online lessons will continue to be available for those who are unable to get into the centres. Thank you to all our parents & students for the feedback, support & the patience youve shown with any technology glitches you may have experienced over the past few weeks...but most of all, thank you for staying connected with us!

14.01.2022 The 2019 NAPLAN results showed an encouraging improvement in years 5, 7 & 9 writing skills across all states & territories in comparison to recent years. However, the results are still lower than the results of the first NAPLAN test of 2011. The Kip McGrath English program focuses on reading, writing & comprehension, building the very skills that NAPLAN tests. As a specialist English teacher I know how important these skills are - not just for the English classes at school, but all HaSS subjects at High School too.

14.01.2022 Go figure! No wonder learning can be confusing!

13.01.2022 The best results for your child are achieved by attending regular tutoring sessions. Dont skip Kip!

12.01.2022 Teachers are found in all areas of a child's life...but their most important teachers are their parents, family and carers. This is why we know how important our relationship is with you, the parents, grandparents and carers of our students. Working together, on behalf of your child/ren, is a key to the success our students, here at Kip, will experience. Please make sure you speak to your child/ren's teacher at least 3 times each term. Every 20 weeks your child will be re-tested and a new report will be provided for you. This is a long time to wait though if you have a query, concern or can't get in to the centre. It's also why Colin encourages you to call or email him so that together, we can ensure success for our students.

11.01.2022 Multiplication Madness... or is it? We often experience a lot of resistance when it comes to learning the times tables...and for a while there, learning the times tables dropped off the math curriculum as a priority. ... But its back up there - & for very good reason! 1. When you know your times tables working out math problems in your head becomes a LOT quicker! This helps to lessen any resistance you have to math because it becomes easier to calculate math problems. 2. Your confidence in maths grows. Even tasks at home become quicker such as laying the table for extra guests, or whether to buy two of an item because its on special this week or calculating how much to save each week for spending money on your next holiday. When a child has a good sense of number they can use their number knowledge to solve some of lifes problems. 3. You will notice patterns emerging which helps when more advanced skills are being learnt. For example: 3 x 4 = 12 30 x 40 = 1200 300 x 400 = 120 000 Times tables are the basic tool for calculating fractions, algebra, calculus, equations etc. 4. The brains muscle memory will become stronger Studies have shown that primary aged children who dont have a good understanding of their times tables with good recall, struggle much more with their high school maths. When you learn your times tables you have one of the key tools of arithmetic at your fingertips. Times tables are to maths what tyres are to a car. You can still drive a car without tyres but it will be one hell of an uncomfortable ride!

10.01.2022 Were sharing this thoughtful advice from Margaret Dobson on coping with COVID19 isolation - March 23 2020 "After having thirty-one sessions this week with patients where the singular focus was COVID-19 and how to cope, I decided to consolidate my advice and make a list that I hope is helpful to all. I cant control a lot of what is going on right now, but I can contribute this. Edit: I am surprised and heartened that this has been shared so widely! People have asked me to cr...Continue reading

10.01.2022 Its always lovely to hear feedback from parents about how the support & teaching that happens at Kip makes a difference to their childs experience at school. We know how important this is...not only to the student but to their parents as well. For parents to know their child is enjoying their school experience is an incredible relief. Particularly if that child has, in the past, had a very different experience of education. After all, a student spends more awake time at... school than at home. Thats a LOT of hours! Today a parent called to say they had received an email this week from their daughters school commending her on her attitude to her learning. Assignments are being handed in on time...& sometimes prior to deadlines, shes reading a lot more & WANTING to do her homework. All these changes have shifted because this students confidence in herself as a student is growing. Despite the fact that this particular student is studying math at Kip...the changes are reflected across ALL her subjects at school. That is something definitely worth celebrating! And this gives us teachers goosebumps! This is why we LOVE teaching our students! Enrolling at Kip isnt just about teaching maths & English skills. Were BIG believers in supporting our students to believe in themselves & develop the attitudes that will help them in school & the workplace beyond.

09.01.2022 Was it really only last month that life here in Australia seemed predictable & normal?! Our 'normal' though is being challenged somewhat with the uncertainty that has come with COVID-19. Here at Kip we are very mindful of the concerns you have about the safety of your children & so this post is about what we're doing to ensure we minimise all of our risk of becoming unwell & what you can do to help us with that. ... - If your child has ANY sign of being unwell, please keep them home. We want to protect anyone else who uses our centres from becoming unwell & lowering their immunity if they should contract the COVID-19 virus. Some of our students and teachers live with compromised immune systems. Please help us to protect them as well as your own child/ren. - We are always happy to organise online at home makeup sessions for any student who is unable to come in to the centre. Simply let us know & this can be arranged. - PLEASE ensure your child comes to Kip with their own drinks bottle, pencil & ruler. - Before EVERY lesson, the teachers at Kip clean ALL keyboards, headphones, mouses (is that the plural of a keyboard mouse?!) door knobs, desks & chairs using antibacterial wipes. - EVERY student cleans their hands using antibacterial sanitisers before their lesson starts We will, very soon, be offering online group lessons. This is in preparation for a directive to temporarily close the education centre to protect our community. In the meantime, if you prefer your child to have their lessons from home, an online at home makeup lesson can be arranged. We are all connected in a myriad of different ways & when communities pull together we see wonderful things happen. We are so fortunate to be living in communities that are known for this, and who look out for one another particularly at this time.

09.01.2022 Yes! Here at Kip we expect our students to write in complete sentences! Our students might not appreciate this Meme...but the teachers will think it funny!

09.01.2022 Karen, one of our Busselton Kip Teachers, is the MC for a panel discussion for this amazing local (& global) event on the 31st October. The topic focus for the events first talk is ‘Building Resilience in Kids & Teens’, with Key Note Speaker, Adam Przytula from Armed for Life. Our panel for this topic are: Annie Snedden - Media Teacher & Senior High School Head of Year at St Mary MacKillop College Jean-Michel David - Principal of Yallingup Steiner School Joanne Edmond ...- Psychologist & Well-being Coach from Core Therapy Psychology Services Mary Wood - Nurse, Neuro-linguistic Practitioner & Personal & Business Coach from AdventureWorks. There are decades of experience & some incredible work being done by members of our panel with our kids & teens. If you’d like to take this opportunity to hear from experts working with our kids & teens every day & ask them questions, check out the interview with Mary...

09.01.2022 Were never too young to learn to look out for one another and lend support.

09.01.2022 A word from one of our students... Every term Colin produces our Kip Newsletter...and every term we hear from 3 students. Today Id like you to meet Grif who attends our Margaret River Centre. "I live in Cowaramup. I am 11 years old and am in year 6 at Cowaramup Primary. I am attending Kip McGrath to improve my reading, spelling and comprehension. ... In one and a half years I have improved nearly 2 grades with the help of Kip McGrath. I like the way the teachers teach me. Its really helpful and easy to understand. I like to use the computers and find it a good way to take the lessons. I enjoy drawing and photography. I do lots of jumping on the trampoline and have taught myself loads of tricks and turns. I also like to do a bit of gaming on my Nintendo Switch." For us teachers, the beauty of Kip isnt just about seeing our students learn new skills and come to understand concepts they might otherwise be finding difficult...we also get to know our students for the amazing young people they are...their interests, what else they excel at and how they shine outside in their own communities.

08.01.2022 A word from one of our students... When people learn that I'm a teacher at Kip McGrath, I often get asked what we do here. I can't think of a better way of explaining than how Eddie does it so, I'd like to introduce you to him... "Ive been going to Kip for five years with Robyn as my tutor. Ive asked for her several times because I like how friendly she is, and she is good at her job of helping me keep up with school. ... Kip has really helped me stay up to speed with school and I have noticed it has helped me with my English and then Maths recently when I got into high school. Mum and Dad are stoked they never have to hound me about doing my homework as Kip has helped me with my motivation. My best subject at school is Design and Technology where we are welding candelabras. My least favourite is Science (sorry; not sorry Ms Hannah). Outside of Kip I enjoy surfing and swimming, skating, free diving all outdoorsy stuff really. Jetty jumping is something most kids in Busselton love too. I also love my cats. I have done a lot travelling and camping with my family. My favourite place is Queensland, especially Cairns. My most crazy travelling memory is how much my head rattled all the way on the Great Central Road when we drove to Uluru last year. At the end of school I want to earn six figures." Teaching here at Kip isn't just about helping our students learn new skills that they might have missed, are struggling with or want to stretch themselves with. Kip is also about instilling confidence to learn, the courage to ask questions and realise the possibilities their life can offer. We love it when we run into our past students as young adults (and not so young adults!) and hear where their life path has taken them. We hear some fabulous stories and look forward to learning where Eddie's life path takes him. If you think Kip can help your child, call Colin on 0409 689 759 or PM us and we will contact you.

06.01.2022 In just one week the New School Year begins. We will be welcoming back many of our students from last year, welcoming many new students and assessing students who are looking to see if we can help them build the skills they need to flourish at school. How do the Kip teachers do this? First and foremost, we care. A student has to feel heard, seen and understood before any barriers they may have to learning start to come down.... Its a privilege to see this happen.

06.01.2022 There are many ways we can help our students learn. Sometimes a shorter, online lesson works best...for very good reason hey Xavier?! What a gem! "I am 9 years old and have been doing Kip McGrath for two years. I much prefer doing it online over going into the centre because I like doing it for one hour.... That means I can go over to the park afterwards and play with my friends Matthew, Daniel, Cooper and my brother. We like to play football, have nerf gun wars & ride our bikes around the park. Kip has really helped me with my English and I now have more confidence for reading books such as The Amazing Voyage by Geronimo Stilton & Diary of Minecraft Zombie: In Too Deep by Zack Zombie It has also really helped me with my writing and spelling. I also have more confidence in using bigger words and putting my hand up in class and answering questions. Thankyou to all my Kip McGrath teachers for helping me so far in my Kip journey."

05.01.2022 It has to be said, English isn't the easiest language to learn! It's no wonder some students struggle with learning when to use some of the spelling rules that are supposed to help us. Thank goodness for Kip McGrath's comprehensive phonics program!

04.01.2022 Our first week of the Kip year has started! Despite not all the schools in our region starting back on Monday - everyone showed up...including the teachers! Which is a very good start! Welcome back to all our new & existing students, parents & guardians. Were looking forward to supporting you & sharing in an amazing year. All our students, over the course of this week, will be setting their goals (with their teachers) for the term ahead. When we have something to aim for, the journey becomes much clearer.

04.01.2022 Phonetics - what is it? A phoneme is the smallest unit of sound we hear in a word. The skill of using phonetic knowledge provides the foundation of our Kip English program for those students who are learning to read & spell. The reason for this is that phonetic knowledge is a really important skill to learn. ... Words are made up from groups of sounds. Its these sounds that are called phonemes. When we read, we use our knowledge of these sounds to decode what the word actually says. Eventually our brain becomes super quick at doing this which is why we can read unfamiliar words. Phonetic knowledge helps us to understand the link between the words we write and read and our spoken language. All those words that our children hear, from the moment they learn to talk, help them make the link between the written and spoken word. So, if you have a chatty child...just take heart...they are practicing their phonetic skills!

03.01.2022 When a student enrolls into one of our classes, we ask them to promise one thing...to try their very best...every lesson. Nothing more Nothing less. ... Our teachers promise our students one thing too...that we will always do our best by them. Every lesson Every week.

02.01.2022 Looking for a tutor to help your child improve in English and maths? When doing a search to find the help you need, make sure you ask the following questions: Is the tutor a qualified teacher? ... Does the tutoring service have positive reviews? Does the teacher set clear goals for the student? How will your tutor report to you, the parent? Kip McGrath is now delivering our tutoring online, but it is still the same professional, personalised tutoring that your child would get in our centre. Find out more and book free online assessment today at https://kipmcgrath.com.au Ph Busselton or Margaret River 0409689759

02.01.2022 An update from Colin for Term 3

02.01.2022 It's always lovely to hear feedback from parents about how the support & teaching that happens at Kip makes a difference to their child's experience at school. We know how important this is...not only to the student but to their parents as well. For parents to know their child is enjoying their school experience is an incredible relief. Particularly if that child has, in the past, had a very different experience of education. After all, a student spends more 'awake' time at... school than at home. That's a LOT of hours! Today a parent called to say they had received an email this week from their daughter's school commending her on her attitude to her learning. Assignments are being handed in on time...& sometimes prior to deadlines, she's reading a lot more & WANTING to do her homework. All these changes have shifted because this student's confidence in herself as a student is growing. Despite the fact that this particular student is studying math at Kip...the changes are reflected across ALL her subjects at school. That is something definitely worth celebrating! And this gives us teachers goosebumps! This is why we LOVE teaching our students! Enrolling at Kip isn't just about teaching maths & English skills. We're BIG believers in supporting our students to believe in themselves & develop the attitudes that will help them in school & the workplace beyond.

01.01.2022 Learning at Kip isnt just about learning math and English skills... Far from it! We also help our students develop their self confidence. In fact, every teacher at Kip knows that without self confidence, our students wont learn as quickly. ... Why is this you might ask? Self confidence underpins a few key tools that a child (or anyone) needs so they can learn something new. Self Confidence... 1. REDUCES FEAR AND ANXIETY When we stop worrying about getting it wrong, being judged or thinking were no good at something, we make space for possibility. And thats powerful! Possibility makes it possible to give something a go, being willing to try something new and adding to our cup of potential. When were able to explore new things or step into new roles without worrying, we start trusting more in our own abilities and qualities. 2. IMPROVES OUR MOTIVATION When it feels as though our dreams and goals are hard to reach it becomes hard to stay dedicated and motivated. At Kip we help our students take small steps so they can see they are acquiring new skills. And when they do, we celebrate! These achievements help our students take pride in their skills, their growing knowledge and strengthens their motivation and willingness to keep trying. 3. BUILDS RESILIENCE When our students begin to own the skills they are developing, they become more resilient when they face a setback. Instead of giving up when they get something wrong, theyll give it another go. And we encourage that. 4. IMPROVED RELATIONSHIPS From being unsure, and often aware of the gaps in what they know, we see our students break away from their shy or perhaps sullen, disaffected or perhaps disruptive ways which theyve learnt to cultivate so the adults around them lower their expectations of what they can achieve. Its easier that way. In the short term! And then something happens... With the love and support our Kip Kids get from their parents and guardians and the encouragement and belief their teachers have in their learning, we see magical things happen. We see our students break out of their chrysalis and become the butterfly they were always meant to be!

01.01.2022 Every student that attends Kip McGrath will have been through an assessment. This is important. Why? The prime reason for the initial assessment is to inform the tutor, student & parent/carer about the skills we need to focus on here at Kip. It doesnt matter if a student is here for English or math. The purpose of assessment is the same. ... Our assessments inform: - a targeted education program - clear direction for teacher & student - achievable goals for the student to reach We retest our students every 20 week. Its an amazing feeling when we, as teachers, see how many new skills our students learn...or relearn. Just imagine how our students feel when they blitz their school tests too!