 |
|
|
|
|||||||||
|
||||||||||||
|
|
|
|
 |
|||
|
1. HOW MUCH WILL IT COST FOR MY CHILD TO ATTEND AAT ? AAT is a public school, and as such, is funded through the state and federal governments. We will charge some small fees for general supplies, art or music supplies, field trips and other reasonable items, but no tuition will be charged.
2. IF MY CHILD ATTENDS AAT FOR A PERIOD OF TIME, BUT THEN TRANSFERS TO ANOTHER SCHOOL DISTRICT, WILL THAT OTHER SCHOOL RECOGNIZE AND ACCEPT MY CHILD’S CREDITS FROM AAT ? The new school should accept your child’s work and credit your child accordingly. We are working closely with the local districts to develop an acceptable form and format to record your child’s learning progress. You can take the End of Term Progress Report and End of Year Progress Reports to the new school and they should grant full credit for your child’s time at AAT
3. WILL MY CHILD BE ABLE TO GRADUATE FROM AAT ? Yes, your child may earn a diploma and graduate from AAT! To earn a diploma, he or she would need to meet the following requirements:
The senior project will only be required of students who attend AAT for three years or more. Students will be given guidance in developing, researching, and completing their projects. The projects will usually take at least a semester to complete and will be self-selected and then approved by the homeroom teacher.
4. WILL AAT OFFER ART AND MUSIC COURSES? Absolutely! Students can select art or choir as class electives.
5. WILL AAT OFFER SPORTS OR PHYSICAL EDUCATION CLASSES? Yes. Our 7th and 8th Graders will have a semester of Health/Phys. Ed. each year. We have access to a gymnasium three days a week for basketball pickup games and other free time activities after school. If enough interest exists, we can participate in a community school basketball (or other sport) league. We will not have a football team.
6. WILL AAT OFFER A HOT LUNCH OR BREAKFAST PROGRAM? We have hot meals catered to the school daily! We will offer some cold healthy snacks at reasonable prices. We also have several microwaves so students can heat up meals they bring if they do not wish to eat the catered meals. Vending machines offer fruit juices and other healthy drinks for students. We also serve a cold breakfast for those students who wish to participate. Students are not permitted to leave the school to eat lunch, nor are they allowed to have any “fast-food” brought to them.
7. WHAT DO THESE TERMS MEAN: BRAIN-BASED LEARNING; SELF-PACED AND SELF-DIRECTED LEARNING AND DISCOVERY-BASED LEARNING? “Brain-based learning” is a term that has surfaced over the past ten years or so as research into how the brain processes information, continues to expand our knowledge and understanding of how the brain learns. AAT has attempted to create a learning environment that maximizes the brains potential for learning. The teaching methods we use and the programs we have developed are all based on this brain research. Our teachers and staff are trained to use these brain-friendly methods to ensure the greatest level of learning for your child. We have even set our daily schedule to reflect this brain research. Research tells us that the adolescent brain is “nocturnal” and the best time for a teenager to start the school day is 9:00am. “Self-paced learning” refers to how a child determines his or her own timetable for learning. Rather than everyone in a grade level having to learn the exact same thing at the same time, AAT students get to set their own pace for learning to some extent. If a student has the ability to catch on quickly to a task or concept, he or she can move through that task at a faster pace and then proceed to something more challenging. On the other hand, if a student has difficulty understanding a concept, he or she can slow down the pace and take the time they need to figure out the assignment and come to a better understanding. They will move on to another level of difficulty only when they are ready. Teachers will help guide a students learning and encourage them to always select slightly challenging assignments, so the students learning does not come to a stand still. “Self-directed learning” refers to a student being able to choose what he or she wants to study. The teachers will develop assignment choices for each of the subject areas all based on an overall theme for the quarter. Within limits and within reason, occasionally the students will be able to choose and develop what they want to study regarding that theme. When students get to choose what they want to learn, they are more motivated to study harder. Also, research shows that students will often choose more challenging assignments and learn more information than if a teacher gives them no choice. Students also become better at learning and thinking when they control what they study. At AAT, we strive to help students become better learners so they can continue to learn all through their lives. “Discovery-based learning” is a student-centered kind of learning. Rather than a teacher telling students the information, students are encouraged to “discover” the answers for themselves. Teachers provide the students with the necessary supplies and resources and then guide them through the process of discovering new knowledge. With discovery-based learning, right answers are not as important as the right thinking. The process for discovering the answers is important because students are forming their own meanings and understandings, making their learning more permanent. This type of learning is brain-friendly.
8. WHAT DO YOU MEAN BY “CRITICAL THINKING SKILLS”? Critical thinking is a process of breaking down and questioning information. To put it simply, it is a process of thinking about your thinking in order to make your thinking better. Critical thinking is a skill, a necessary tool that must be taught; it is not a process that happens naturally for people. If students are able to think critically, they are less likely to be “talked into” poor decisions about purchases, political opinions, and life-styles. They are more likely to be able to use reasoning skills when taking multiple choice tests (like the Ohio Proficiency Test). The universal standards of good thinking will be taught at AAT in order to help students become better thinkers, and better learners. Students may resist this type of learning because it requires them to “do” something. Too often only the best private schools help students develop their critical thinking skills. Most teachers lead students to the answers they want the students to get, rather than the thinking students should do. But once a student accepts their role as a learner and thinker, their progress will be swift and learning will become exciting for them!
9. WHY DO YOU REQUIRE STUDENTS TO SERVE VOLUNTEER HOURS? Volunteering—or service learning—has been linked to positive influences on psychological, social, and intellectual development. It has also been shown to reduce a child’s feeling of isolation, increase their attitude about themselves and school, and improve their social behavior in general. Students who volunteer within AAT may feel a greater sense of belonging and pride for their school and the people involved with AAT. Those students who volunteer in organizations outside of school may gain deeper understanding of diverse populations (such as the elderly), gain career experience, and begin to learn new trades and skills. At AAT, we see volunteering as another opportunity for students to learn about themselves and the world around them.
10. WHY DOES ALLIANCE ACADEMY START EARLIER IN AUGUST THAN MOST SCHOOLS? Our calendar is based on quarters instead of semesters. Each quarter is 9 weeks lond and then students enjoy a break of 2-3 weeks. In the summer, the break is 8 weeks long. This schedule allows us time off from school, but does not give such a long break that students forget what they have learned at the end of the school year.
|
|||