Rutherford Tutorial Academy
Of MTHEA
Class Scheduling Information Sheet
Dear Parents,
Class sign-ups for the 2010-2011 school year is now open, so this is a good time to revisit some important information that will help insure a successful tutorial experience for your family.
When you are deciding on a tutorial for your child, make sure the established educational goals and philosophies of the tutorial you choose match up with your personal educational goals and philosophy. This task may seem daunting because Middle Tennessee is blessed with several tutorials. We recommend you check websites, speak with tutorial board members and tutors, and converse with families who are currently involved in each of the tutorials you are considering so you can find the group that most closely aligns with your beliefs.
RTA began eleven years ago with a heart to provide our children an excellent high school education while we enjoyed the benefits of a home schooling experience. We desired to see our own children armed with the knowledge and study skills needed to walk confidently into college. This became our foundation, our goal, born out of hopes for our own children; it remains the primary focus of each decision we make in RTA policy and daily class routines. We are thankful to see many graduating seniors smoothly transition from home school into a successful college experience.
Our curriculum is college preparatory. We are looking for the serious student who is willing to complete assigned work and study independently to further his/her education after high school graduation. The integrity built from this work ethic will carry such students well in life, no matter what they decide to do.
We are looking for parents who value education. Parents must be willing to coordinate their efforts with the tutor and put forth the needed time to explain and oversee their student’s work. Parents must also be willing to find extra help for their students when needed.
We believe we have the BEST tutors around. Our tutors are passionate about the class(es) they teach and have a desire to pass that love onto their students. Please check out tutor bios at rtaweb.net. Before you sign up for a class, carefully read over the course outline and ask questions if you need clarification about class expectations or standards. These tutors will do their best in 70 minutes of weekly instruction time. Remember they are planting seeds with these students. You are the teacher!
Due to the nature of this type of education, a student with learning disabilities will find this type of study extremely difficult. Although you, as a parent, know your child best, we are reluctant to recommend this approach as the best alternative you may have in meeting your child’s needs.
Parents, make sure you check out the curriculum that is being offered for your classes. It is your responsibility to ask the tutor any questions or address any concerns you may have BEFORE you sign up for the class. After April 5th, it is too late to get your money back.
At RTA, we require pre-tests for students who are going to take their first math class, or a second year of a foreign language and all students must take a pre-test for our composition classes (Pre-Comp through Comp III).
MATH
Make sure your child is strong in his/her mathematical basics or has mastered the previous level of math BEFORE starting a math program at RTA.
Our math classes frequently REQUIRE additional assistance outside the regular hour and ten minutes at RTA on Monday. If you, as a parent, are not strong in math, make sure you have someone who can help out.
Our pick of the many options available is the Saxon series, already familiar to most home schooling families. In previous years we have steered away from the Saxon books because the Geometry has been integrated with the Algebra material, providing a less than satisfactory amount of practice for a full Geometry credit. Additionally, the number of practice problems provided to introduce new concepts is usually not adequate to bolster confidence with new skills. The good news is that beginning in 2009 the publishers completed a Geometry text to remedy the first problem. Bev League, our Algebra and Geometry tutor, will augment the practice work to be completed with each lesson so students will have plenty of reinforcement, a key element in math success. As many of you know, Saxon offers a Dive CD to complement the daily lessons, so help at home will be as close as your computer screen. This CD may be the non-math-minded parents’ best friend. While we know this approach is not perfect for everyone, we feel it is a solid program with a format that will offer your students accountability and competence in Algebra and Geometry. And remember, 2013 graduates will need a fourth year of math to graduate in Tennessee under Governor Bredesen’s new education plan, so those math skills will be foundational.
ENGLISH
For one high school English credit, a student should take a literature class and one of the composition classes. If you choose to do one or the other, you need to supplement more writing to your literature class or include several quality literary works to your writing class. We have separated our English classes to focus on analyzing literary works in a literature class and building strong writing skills in a composition class. The development of both skills is crucial in preparing our students for the work required in college.
FOREIGN LANGUAGE CLASSES
We STRONGLY suggest that a student takes three years to get to get their two credits for the foreign language requirement necessary for graduation.
The Intro to Spanish/Latin class emphasizes vocabulary and is NOT a high school level course, but it is extremely helpful in developing a strong foundation for Spanish I or Latin I.
If you are in high school, you may want to check with your umbrella school to see if they will allow you to count it as some type of an elective.
When a student is in high school, he or she may opt out of the Intro classes, but we have noted many instances of students struggling unnecessarily because they attempted to skip this foundational beginning point.
SCIENCE
Make sure your child has the math background needed for the level of science class you are considering.
As a note: Umbrella schools will not usually give the student a Physical Science credit if the student has not already completed or is currently taking Algebra I.
HISTORY & GEOGRAPHY & GOVERNMENT
Couple your literature class with a similar history study. For example, when taking American Literature, take US History; when taking World Literature, take World History; etc….
ELECTIVES
Have some fun and take an elective, or two, or three…. This helps round out a good solid education.
STUDY HALL
In reality, our study hall is a social time for most of our students. If a student needs to study, he/she may do so, quietly, in the foyer or when possible, in the Red Room. We have a Study Hall Mom who will oversee all the students during this time. We recommend at least one Study Hall for our new students. It is a great way to get to know some other RTA students.
You may begin to start filling out your paperwork you feel that RTA is the best match for you and your family. We will be accepting applications from our current RTA families, both students and siblings in February. In March, we will start interviewing new families and fill in empty slots at that time.
PLEASE re-read all the information on the RTA web-site. It will help remind you and inspire you as we start our planning for the next school year. We are truly blessed to have so many wonderful families at RTA and we count it a joy and pleasure to work with you as we prepare our children to become strong in character, knowledge and work ethic before they go out to shine in this world in which we live.
The RTA Board
Diane Cothern, Angie Forte, Brenda Welborn, Valerie Brandon and Beth Lundy