Kaulele Education Services

Mark Carey, Kaulele Education Services. Photo by Joan Conrow

Kaulele Education Services

by Joan Conrow

As a professional tutor, Mark Carey solves the puzzle of how each kid learns best.

Carey, a clinical learning specialist, has extensive classroom experience. But he shifted to tutoring after seeing the effectiveness of one-on-one learning.

“I’m not a miracle worker, but I do feel like it’s always a success,” he says. “It’s a very powerful thing to have the exclusive attention of one person. Kids change. They become more confident and motivated.  Kids love quality adult attention.”

And Carey loves figuring out how to get kids feeling good about school, and excited about learning.

“Having a broad teaching career has allowed me to feel comfortable with all kids,” he says. “I like every kid that walks in the door. I love establishing the rapport.”

As owner of Kauhele Education Services — Kauhele means to take flight — Carey serves a range of students, from keiki struggling with their homework to home schoolers seeking academic enrichment.

He’s also credentialed to evaluate and teach kids with specific learning problems, such as dyslexia and ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactive Disorder).

Evaluations are especially useful with “between-the-cracks” kids, he says. These are students who may be viewed as not too bright by teachers because they have behavioral issues that often mask learning problems and high intelligence.

Mark Carey, Kaulele Education Services. Photo by Joan Conrow

“I’m a big fan of knowing a learner inside and out,” Carey says.  “The more you know about yourself as a learner, and the more others know, the better your success.”

Public schools are required to conduct such evaluations, though they often don’t go far enough, he says, while private schools typically don’t evaluate at all. The assessments may help determine whether a student qualifies for additional support from the school, and they identify the learning methods most effective for each child.

Learning disabilities need to be addressed early, when they appear in kindergarten and first grade, he says, though schools often don’t begin to deal with them until third grade.

Carey also guides parents through decisions like whether to pull a child out of a school or start homeschooling, and can be their advocate in school conferences.

“That’s where I do some of my best work,” he says.

He assists with college planning and entrance essays, too, and was once hired to accompany a high schooler on a college tour via private jet.

Though tutors are often called upon to remedy a specific problem, like an F in algebra, Carey says they can augment the standard curriculum with advanced math and self-directed science projects.

They can also “help offset the effects of a bad teacher,” he says. “There are some really messed up, horrible things going on the public schools and some really good things.”

Parents need to do their part by expecting their kids to do academic work at home on a regular basis, Carey says. A reasonable level is 10 minutes per day for every year in school, or 30 minutes for a third-grader.

“Don’t let them say they don’t have homework. Have them read a book, practice typing, write a letter to grandma, build something. It’s not just the job of the schools.”

Kauhele Education Services is located in the historic Seto building in Kapa`a, with services available by appointment. Email mark@kaulele.com; call 822-4411; visit www.kaulele.com; or look for kaulele on Facebook.