Q: What do you mean by “tutorial service”?
A: Granite Classical is a service for home school families. We do not fit, nor do we try to fit, Maryland’s legal definition of a school. To someone observing classes on a Monday or Wednesday, we might look like a small, private school but we are not. While there are two class days with tutors and other students, the bulk of the work is completed at home with parents’ guidance and help. For core subjects, home assignments provided by Granite are included in your tutorial tuition. All Granite families legally homeschool under Maryland law. Granite views the parent as the primary educator.
Q: How are you different from a cooperative or “co-op”?
A: Granite is different from a co-op in that we are actually a legally incorporated non-profit organization with a staff of screened and interviewed employees. This means that our staff includes some parents of students, but many of the tutors are from outside our family base. Our goal is to staff Granite with the highest caliber of tutor possible. Interestingly, several parents of Granite students are qualified tutors and are on our staff.
Q: Are your tutors certified?
A: Many of our tutors are certified or formerly certified. However, certification is not a requirement for employment as our primary goal is to hire tutors with integrity who possess a passion and aptitude for the subjects they teach. For instance, practicing lawyers might teach our comparative government and senior rhetoric classes; Professional engineers have taught physics and math; and ordained pastors often teach Bible.
Q: How will I (a mom at home) be able to help my child learn Latin or logic or rhetoric?
A: Parents have commented that a benefit from Granite is the opportunity to access classical learning and topics without having to master them on their own. Parents also delight in access to classical education vicariously. Tutors instruct students during class and provide clear assignments to be completed on the home school days. Help for parents and students is at hand from tutors whenever needed. Parents assist Grammar age students with memorization, readings, and worksheets, while parents of older students encourage time management, assist with comprehension, and encourage their student to contact the tutor if needed for clarification. At any grade level, parents will need to give enthusiastic support, even when the parent is not familiar with these subjects. As always, it is important for parents to regularly supervise student work.
Q: What grade levels do you offer?
A: Grades K – 12.
Q: What subjects do you teach?
A: In grades 1-6 we teach history, science, Latin, and English grammar and writing. In grade 7 logic is added to the curriculum, and Bible is added in grade 8. Our 10th through 12th grade students have the option of taking only Granite’s core program, Omnibus and Rhetoric, or they may add academic science and modern foreign language Options courses.
Q: What is Omnibus?
A: One of Granite’s distinctives is the Omnibus course. Starting in the Logic stage, we combine history, English, and worldview into one two-hour class. We have found that this integrated liberal arts approach is effective in training students to think critically and biblically across the curriculum. One of Granite’s primary goals is to give students the keys to lifelong learning. The Omnibus course helps achieve this as students are taught to engage their material deeply, thoughtfully, and critically.
Q: What about art, math, physical education and other subjects?
A: In addition to our core classical program, Granite offers a wide variety of Options (i.e. non-core classes), both academic and non-academic. Fees for these classes are additional to the base tuition. The term “academic” is used to distinguish those courses for which more than one high school credit is required. Our academic Options include Chemistry, Physics, modern foreign language, science labs and math from pre-Algebra through Calculus. Granite’s non-academic Options include such subjects as choir, drama, art, physical education, yearbook, chess club, and guitar. The non-academic Options vary from year to year.
Q: When do you meet?
A: We meet on Mondays and Wednesdays. The academic year starts the Wednesday following Labor Day and usually runs through the Wednesday before Memorial Day. The day begins at 8:30 with chapel. The core day ends at 2:10 for grades 1-9 and at 11:25 for grades 10-12. Academic Options 2:15 for grades 1-9 and 11:35 for grades 10-12. Non-academic Options usually begin at 3:10.
Q: May I take only one or two of the classes?
A: Yes, academic and non-academic Options may be taken on an a la carte basis. Core classes cannot be taken a la carte.
Q: Are you an oversight group? Will you review my portfolio and submit the paperwork for me?
A: Granite is not an oversight group. Portfolio review and paperwork associated with the portfolio is the responsibility of the homeschooling family.
Q: What are my responsibilities as a parent towards Granite?
A: In addition to schooling your child at home, each family is required to serve as a daily assistant three times each year and on one of the committees that support various activities such as drama, the History Feast, the Science Fair, and the Great Debate.