COMMITMENTS FROM TUTORS:
We do not want to standardize the special genius that each tutor brings to his/her classes. Standardization can produce mediocrity. We do want a set of organizational guidelines that clarify what we expect. Tutors may have personal preferences that are variations of these guidelines.
· PROVIDE A SYLLABUS for each class that contains assignments for 32 weeks of classes. Weekly assignments should specify reading assignments, all writing assignments, research papers, maps and projects. Take home test dates should be listed. (Tutors who do not provide a 32 week syllabus invite parental criticism because parents and students do not have complete information about assignments when they commit to the course.)
· Written assignment sheets for 32 weeks must be in the hands of students at orientation. Students should have an assignment to be completed before the first day of class so that precious hour is used well.
· Classes are 1 hour and 10 minutes long with 5 minutes between classes and a 30 minute lunch period. Even if students are late, begin on time. Quizzes during the first 5 minutes create a natural consequence for tardiness and help focus attention. Do not dismiss students early. Classes should never end early, but if they do, please keep students in the classroom until dismissal time. Excess noise in the hall is disruptive to other classes.
· There is a limit of ten to twelve students for most classes.
· Please develop a contingency plan in the event of illness or other emergency. This should be planned prior to need. Let us know who your substitute will be. Qualified substitutes are acceptable.
· Should any parent request to sit in on a class, please allow them to do so. If this creates a difficulty, please let one of the board members know.
· Accept standards outlined in the TUTORIAL/CLASS APPROACH FORMAT and require your students to obey these standards.
· Please do not allow food or drink in class.
· We will purchase textbooks for your use in classes, but those texts revert to RTA should you stop teaching the course. Please write "RTA" in the text with your name, the cost and the year it was purchased.
· Distribute report cards on the 9th, 17th, 25th, and 33rd week of classes. DATES ARE ON THE CALENDAR. The last report card must be given to Valerie and we will distribute all cards to each family at registration.
· Include on report card assessment: absences, tardies, class participation, class preparation, and academic work. Please set limits for make-up work. We are preparing our students for college. Self-discipline is a large part of that.
· Do not accept late work from a student unless contacted prior to class by a parent having a reasonable excuse. Give a zero. Make-up work should not be accepted more than a week late except in special circumstances. Incompletes become zeros at the end of the quarter. Should late work become a problem with any student, contact the parent. Should there be no improvement, put the student on probation. If there are still no signs of effort, this will result in dismissal without refund of tuition.
· Charge a replacement fee of $5 for each report card students do not return. Re-do the report card and include the billing fee on the notes for that eight weeks. Use the fund for copying replacement cards and for the extra time re-doing them requires.
· Use a standard grading scale that you have explained in advance to your students. We recommend the standard numerical scale of 100-93 for A+ to A-, 92-85 for B+ to B-, 84-75 for C+ to C-, 74-65 for D+ to D-. Anything below 64 is failing. It is important to have a fair system with several grades to be averaged each quarter. Always mix compassion with fairness, but please hold students accountable for their work. Failing grades should only be given to students who show no effort. May I suggest this possible mix for a grading guideline: 25% prep/homework; 25% daily quizzes, 25% composition, 25% test. Semester grades should consist of 40% each quarter and 20% for the exam.
· We want to know if there is a problem with unexplained absences/tardies, poor test performance, lack of class participation, disruptive behavior, repeated late work, or poor grades. A Letter of Disciplinary Action form will be supplied to you for use on any repeat offenders. This letter serves as a warning precursor to dismissal.
· Please limit discussions to material pertinent to class. If the class met five times a week, this would not be an issue.
· Do not let students disrupt class or behave disrespectfully. Send disruptive students to the monitor on duty so the rest of the class does not suffer. In class discussions, please make sure conversation is not monopolized by the overly-talkative. Time needs to be evenly distributed.
· Contact the parents should there be a problem with incompleted work or disruptiveness in class. Tutors have the right to refuse to tutor a student who behaves inappropriately or disrespectfully or one who repeatedly does not complete the course work assigned.
· We ask that you also monitor dress code. Any violators are to be sent to the office. Students must be dressed appropriately and in an undistracting manner to be permitted in class. Your class may be their first of the day, and we may not notice offenses upon their entry into the church building. This needs to be closely monitored.
· Please oversee classroom cleanup if your class is the last of the day in your particular room. Any jobs should be delegated to the students the first week of classes. Each student should see to completion of that job on a weekly basis for the remainder of the school year. Should you have problems with non-participant students, please let one of the board members know.
· Please let us know of your ideas about how to improve what we do. We need your insights and suggestions.