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Well-Trained Mind Academy: questions?


Susan Wise Bauer
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Could the study skills for the logic stage class be taken by a high schooler who hasn't had exposure to those skills?

HollyBee, the study skills is also available to high schoolers who need help developing better study skills. Middle school is simply our recommendation. I hope this helps, please let us know if you have any other questions! :)

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Parent/teacher conferences are mentioned on the website. Could you explain how those work? (How often? Are they required or optional? Are they by Skype or email, etc)

This year we completed the rollout of the various tools needed to make parent conferences possible for the upcoming academic year. This includes the Blackboard Parent Gateway which provides parents the ability to log in to monitor assignments and grades for each of their students.

 

We plan to offer either quarterly or semester parent/instructor conferences in a group environment for each course. Parents will utilize the same virtual office/classroom as the students so they get an update directly from the instructor, get familiar with the classroom environment, and have the opportunity to ask questions. We will post the conference schedule for each course by the start of the academic year. 

 

We're also working on an orientation program for parents (both live and recorded) during the same week as student orientation, so you can feel more comfortable with the tools available to monitor your student's progress throughout the year.

 

Please let us know if you have any other questions.

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  • 2 weeks later...

My son is currently enrolled in a Socratic discussion class online but I'm thinking of moving to a new vendor. Are the WTM Academy discussion classes going to be the same or different across both semesters? We're looking for a year-long course and of course we don't want to repeat in the spring. Thanks for any info you can provide. 

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My son is currently enrolled in a Socratic discussion class online but I'm thinking of moving to a new vendor. Are the WTM Academy discussion classes going to be the same or different across both semesters? We're looking for a year-long course and of course we don't want to repeat in the spring. Thanks for any info you can provide. 

Since this is our first year offering the Socratic Discussion, we've offered it as a single semester course to provide an entry-level option for those without any classical background. As such, the course will repeat the same syllabus in the spring, although the instructor could simply use different discussion topics to encourage students to repeat the course. Jocelyn has taught this course for many years and quite a variety of resources available, so I encourage you to email her since this is a suggestion which could benefit other families too (her email is on the syllabus).

 

We are evaluating this course to develop a full-year follow-on course as part of a series to prepare middle school students for the Spoken Rhetoric (which we also expect to develop into a follow-on series), similar to our writing courses.

 

We also expect to add classical language courses (both full-year and single semester) each year, including latin and modern foreign languages as our student family continues to grow. 

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Since this is our first year offering the Socratic Discussion, we've offered it as a single semester course to provide an entry-level option for those without any classical background. As such, the course will repeat the same syllabus in the spring, although the instructor could simply use different discussion topics to encourage students to repeat the course. Jocelyn has taught this course for many years and quite a variety of resources available, so I encourage you to email her since this is a suggestion which could benefit other families too (her email is on the syllabus).

 

We are evaluating this course to develop a full-year follow-on course as part of a series to prepare middle school students for the Spoken Rhetoric (which we also expect to develop into a follow-on series), similar to our writing courses.

 

We also expect to add classical language courses (both full-year and single semester) each year, including latin and modern foreign languages as our student family continues to grow. 

 

Thank you so much for getting back to me. I'll get in touch with Jocelyn. You have so many great plans!

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Jocelyn got back in touch with me and gave me permission to post her response here:

 

 

Yes, we will use different material and discussion topics during the second semester to make this a year-long course.

 

She is going to have the course description changed. Thanks again!

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  • 2 months later...

Regarding Aaron Well's Medieval Rennaisance Lit Course:

 

Do I need to purchase a collection of all Shakespeare's works if the students are only studying Henry V? My son has taken other Shakespeare courses and has accumulated a few individual titles, which are easier to handle.

 

Also, If only Book 1 of the Faerie Queene will be studied, does this mean we can purchase the Hackett version that is sold in separate volumes -- thus buying just Book 1?

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Regarding Aaron Well's Medieval Rennaisance Lit Course:

 

Do I need to purchase a collection of all Shakespeare's works if the students are only studying Henry V? My son has taken other Shakespeare courses and has accumulated a few individual titles, which are easier to handle.

 

Also, If only Book 1 of the Faerie Queene will be studied, does this mean we can purchase the Hackett version that is sold in separate volumes -- thus buying just Book 1?

Thanks for registering your student and for your question! We'll check with the instructor and he'll reply to you directly by email. Steve O.

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  • 2 weeks later...
  • 5 weeks later...

Dear Forum Folk,


 


Summer is almost over, but it’s not too late to sign up for classes!


 


There are just two weeks left to register your student for the fall semester. Make sure to reserve your student’s spot before registration ends on September 4th, and take advantage of our discounts for multiple courses or students which are only available until August 31st.


 


Explore our online courses today, and let us know if we can help you in the "where-did-the summer-go?" last-minute panic. :)


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  • 2 weeks later...

I tried to post this question to the academy, but the website said it failed to send the message and to use another method to contact the administrator. 

 

I have a 14 and 15 year old that we want to sign up for one of your writing courses.  We are unsure as to whether to select the Rhetoric "crash course" or Rhetoric 1.  Both are prolific creative writers, both have had grammar instruction and did a stint in IEW and have finished the first half of a Bravewriter course.  What they have not had a lot of experience in is nonfiction writing and the accompanying citing of sources.  We appreciate any guidance you can give in this department.
Thank you,
Sarah Arn

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Is it likely that the Early Modern/Renaissance history and lit classes for high school will be added next year or the year after? Also, given that the publication of the Modern history book has been delayed indefinitely, which resources might be used for that class, if one were to be offered in future? Mine are in Ancients now, and I'm hoping to be able to continue the sequence. Thanks!

 

Sincerely,

Your friendly neighborhood recreational planner

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Could the study skills for the logic stage class be taken by a high schooler who hasn't had exposure to those skills?

Yes, I have a freshman that would definitely benefit from some direct instruction in study skills, but I have some reservations placing said child in a class with kids as young as 10. I see students are assigned an 'accountability partner', but I am wondering how effective the feedback will be with a potential 4-5 year spread in ages. Any info or thoughts on how that may be handled?

 

Thanks!

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What is the likelihood of another section of Prep for Rhetoric opening up? I have heard rumors that it is at least being considered. My daughter is in the delayed section because the others were full, but it sounds like a good portion of the class is giving feedback to the live students which is only indirectly helpful for the delayed students.

Thanks!

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Actually, having just re-read SWB's blog post about the restructuring of the rest of the series, how will the remaining courses be structured? It won't be a four-book series, but surely there will still be only four courses, since it's a high school sequence. 

 

Thanks for your question and interest in future course offerings!

 

We plan to keep the sequence going by adding Renaissance & Enlightenment in 2016-2017. Then, 2017-2018, we'll introduce Early Modern/Modern history and accompanying literature class.  Texts for history, (tentative plan):
 
2016-2017, Renaissance & Enlightenment: HOTRW along with Paul Johnson's The Renaissance: A Short History and J. M. Roberts, The Penguin History of the World, 6th ed.
 
2017-2018, Early Modern and Modern history: J. M. Roberts, The Penguin History of the World, 6th ed., and Paul Johnson,Modern Times: The World from the Twenties to the Nineties, rev. ed.
 
These may change, but whatever we use will be comparable.

 

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Thank you, replied...

 

Unfortunately, we are still stuck...leaving messages with anyone at WTMA I can :p  (thankfully, we're on delayed, so I have a little extra time to fix things).

Lisa, thank you for registering for our classes!

 

The quickest way for us to assist registered families is through our Help Desk Form, which is also available on our Blackboard login page:

 

wtma.blackboard.com.

 

Once you include your details, we'll be able to quickly get you into your classes.

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Is there a waitlist for full class sections?

Thank you for your interest in our courses! :)

 

Yes, you may add your name to our waitlist, which is also available at the top of our Courses page.

 

We're adding new sections to our Expository Writing Prep and Rhetoric Writing Prep courses, and we'll also begin contacting families waiting for other classes this week.

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Thanks for your question and interest in future course offerings!

 

We plan to keep the sequence going by adding Renaissance & Enlightenment in 2016-2017. Then, 2017-2018, we'll introduce Early Modern/Modern history and accompanying literature class.  Texts for history, (tentative plan):
 
2016-2017, Renaissance & Enlightenment: HOTRW along with Paul Johnson's The Renaissance: A Short History and J. M. Roberts, The Penguin History of the World, 6th ed.
 
2017-2018, Early Modern and Modern history: J. M. Roberts, The Penguin History of the World, 6th ed., and Paul Johnson,Modern Times: The World from the Twenties to the Nineties, rev. ed.
 
These may change, but whatever we use will be comparable.

 

 

Thanks for your response!

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Thank you for your interest in our courses! :)

 

Yes, you may add your name to our waitlist, which is also available at the top of our Courses page.

 

We're adding new sections to our Expository Writing Prep and Rhetoric Writing Prep courses, and we'll also begin contacting families waiting for other classes this week.

Oh excellent! expository writing prep is the class we need!

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  • 2 weeks later...

I second this!  Ms. Richardson was FANTASTIC!  I would have loved for Ds to have her in Rhetoric II this year! 

 

Please, please give her more classes!  I have more kids coming up to the WTMA ages, and would love for them to be in her classes.  She is wonderful with the kids and really knows her stuff.

 

:)

Hot Lava Mama

 

Thank you so much for your feedback on Ms. Richardson's teaching and on the types of classes you'd like to see us offer in the future.

 

We are working on course assignments for next year and will take your requests into serious consideration during our planning.  Course offerings and instructors for the 2016-17 school year will be available on our website in February of 2016. 

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  • 3 months later...

Is there any chance WTM Academy might be prevailed upon to offer more levels of AOPS math next year?  My dd will be ready for the Intermediate Algebra book (she already did Intro to Algebra), and would like to stick with AoPS, but she needs a bit more repetition and support for retention than the AoPS classes offer, and I think twice-weekly live would be a much better format for her than 1x/week in text.  It sounds like more levels will eventually be offered, but not till too late for us...  I posted this thread on the high school board, and it looks like there are others interested...!  Any chance ... pretty please??? 

please.gif

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Is there any chance WTM Academy might be prevailed upon to offer more levels of AOPS math next year?  My dd will be ready for the Intermediate Algebra book (she already did Intro to Algebra), and would like to stick with AoPS, but she needs a bit more repetition and support for retention than the AoPS classes offer, and I think twice-weekly live would be a much better format for her than 1x/week in text.  It sounds like more levels will eventually be offered, but not till too late for us...  I posted this thread on the high school board, and it looks like there are others interested...!  Any chance ... pretty please??? 

please.gif

 

We will be offering AOPS Pre-algebra, AOPS Algebra I, AoPS Geometry, and AOPS Algebra II. I hope one of these classes fits!

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We will be offering AOPS Pre-algebra, AOPS Algebra I, AoPS Geometry, and AOPS Algebra II. I hope one of these classes fits!

Unfortunately, she'll need the next level up, as the "Algebra II" class is just covering the second half of the Intro Algebra text, which she's already finished. The Intermediate Algebra text comes next, before Precalculus.

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  • 2 weeks later...

When will the courses be posted for the 2016-2017 school year?

When will registration open?

 

Thanks :)

Thank you for your interest in the fall!

 

We're finalizing registrations for the spring semester through the first week of February, then immediately updating the website with Fall Semester courses and syllabi. We expect Fall Registrations to open by mid-February. No pre-registration will be required, which simplifies the process for everyone! 

 

Stay tuned for announcements through our Facebook or newsletters!

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  • 2 weeks later...

Thank you for your interest in the fall!

 

We're finalizing registrations for the spring semester through the first week of February, then immediately updating the website with Fall Semester courses and syllabi. We expect Fall Registrations to open by mid-February. No pre-registration will be required, which simplifies the process for everyone! 

 

Stay tuned for announcements through our Facebook or newsletters!

 

Thank you for the update!  Do you know if you are planning to offer any middle-school level literature classes this year?  Or if there will be any other new middle school offerings?  I'd love to know before I sign dd up with another provider for certain subjects that you don't currently offer. 

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Thank you for the update!  Do you know if you are planning to offer any middle-school level literature classes this year?  Or if there will be any other new middle school offerings?  I'd love to know before I sign dd up with another provider for certain subjects that you don't currently offer. 

 

We are adding the following classes to our middle school offerings:

SOTW Early Modern Time

SOTW Modern Age

Introduction to Music Theory & Appreciation for the Logic Stage (Full-year course)

French I

German I

 

Classes will be posted for preview during the week of Feb. 1!

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We are adding the following classes to our middle school offerings:

SOTW Early Modern Time

SOTW Modern Age

Introduction to Music Theory & Appreciation for the Logic Stage (Full-year course)

French I

German I

 

Classes will be posted for preview during the week of Feb. 1!

When you say German I is a middle school offering, does that mean it is different from a high school German I? I was looking at another vendor for German I next year for my freshman, but I would much rather keep him with WTMA since we use you for other classes. Thx!

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When you say German I is a middle school offering, does that mean it is different from a high school German I? I was looking at another vendor for German I next year for my freshman, but I would much rather keep him with WTMA since we use you for other classes. Thx!

 

German I covers what a traditional introductory high school or middle school class covers.  Some students begin language instruction in middle school (especially those who continue on to prepare for the Advanced Placement German exam), so we've indicated that German I is a middle school offering because we've designated the course for grades 7-11.  The material is appropriate for high schoolers, and we hope to see your freshman student in German next year!
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German I covers what a traditional introductory high school or middle school class covers. Some students begin language instruction in middle school (especially those who continue on to prepare for the Advanced Placement German exam), so we've indicated that German I is a middle school offering because we've designated the course for grades 7-11. The material is appropriate for high schoolers, and we hope to see your freshman student in German next year!

You just made my day:-) Thx.

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  • 3 weeks later...

If anyone is monitoring this, I am a bit confused. The website says that reg will open today at noon est, which was about 10 min ago. But it says that current families will get an email later today with info? I thought current families typically get reg time first?

 

I also tried to log in, but it says my email is not in the system, so I can't login to my account. I know you are moving to a new system. I suppose I am just confused on the timing and since I absolutely need two courses that each only offer one section, I am a little apprehensive :D

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