Schools & Tutors in Chester

SIGNING Basics' instructors help their students learn to speak without uttering a word. Through private lessons and group classes, they teach American Sign Language to students of all ages and backgrounds. Introductory lessons lead students through the basics of the sign-language alphabet and movements. Advanced classes show students how to carry conversations, enabling them to communicate effectively or correct baseball coaches' faulty “charge the mound” gestures. Instructors also offer workshops that impart basic techniques for businesses and groups.

Atlantic Edge Dive Center's dive-masters might technically be classified as land mammals, but they spend enough time under water to earn the honorary title of amphibian. They spend days and nights teaching and leading dives, whether they're arming curious beginners with basic skills in one of their on-site swimming pools, or conducting open water certification tests off the coast. They go beyond simply certifying students for adventure: they provide rescue diving, dive master, and instructor training as well.

Their passion for the aquatic pastime draws them to all kinds of watery outposts. They lead excursions to the Florida keys to help rehabilitate the coral reefs surrounding the islands, and dive into the relatively calm waters of the tanks in the Baltimore National Aquarium, where they have a chance to see 53 species of fish feed in the secret underwater cafeteria.

Like the quadruple-digit fire inside The Crefeld Glass Studio's furnace, instructor Josh Cole's enthusiasm for glassworking helps budding artists create things they could not have attempted on their own. Josh keeps his classes at four to eight students so that everyone gets both the full benefit of his master's of fine arts in glass from the Tyler School of Art at Temple University and a clear view of classmates as they work the furnace. Regular pop-ins from visiting artists imbue The Crefeld Glass Studio with a collaborative vibe, and an online gallery gives students a place to proudly show off the exquisitely rounded rims of their amber-streaked vases or the short-sightedness of their delicate glass sledgehammers.

The nonprofit Philadelphia Photo Arts Center spreads the good word, acting as cultural ambassadors on behalf of photography through educational programs, events, and exhibitions. A team of fine-art photographers, curators, and other arts professionals initiates the snapshot curious in five-week classes that demystify portraiture and editing programs such as Adobe Lightroom, among other subjects. Shorter workshops present much of the same material in three-hour spurts, and one-on-one or group tutorials give learners plenty of individualized instruction and encourage them to design their own curricula. The teen program nurtures artistic impulses during afterschool hours, handing students loaner supplies and foraying into the city during field trips. PPAC also cultivates sources of artistic inspiration, from visiting-artist lectures to a library that showcases salient work in the field.

Bearing the titles of Master of Photography and Photographic Craftsman from Professional Photographers of America, David and Ally McKay embody the keen vision and aesthetic prowess that separated good photographers from great ones. They share these skills during classes at McKay Photography Academy, where they train eyes, fingers, and imaginations to work in tandem as a snapshooting dream machine. Their classes help aspiring photographers progress from neophytes to seasoned pros; the Beginning Digital Photography course teaches students to harness the intricacies of their instruments, and the Pro Academy offers inside tips on how to successfully snap wedding portraits, pose recent grads, or tease out candid emotions. When not busy instructing the next generation of shutterbugs, David and Ally also devise photo safaris, which send small teams of photographers to capture shots of famed landmarks including San Francisco's Golden Gate Bridge; the Lincoln Memorial of Washington, DC; or Yosemite's 60-foot statue of Yogi Bear.

FunDamentals co-owner and operator Jennifer Goble doesn’t teach kids to count with flash cards. On the contrary, she believes that keeping kids active and engaged in their lessons not only helps them retain their newfound knowledge better, but helps them enjoy the experience of learning. This belief is the cornerstone of each program at her learning center. Lessons vary in topic based on age, from 1 to 5 years old, and may get kids involved in a number of physical and intellectual activities such as bouncing to delightful beats to bolster balance or learning shapes through colorful images. Interactive games, social time, and hands-on projects round out the center’s mix of fun and learning. Jennifer also actively involves parents in each lesson, giving adults a way to bond with their offspring and kids a strong spotter for learning to eventually bench-press their friends.