K-12 Maryland Mentor Program
The commitment to reach for a different path of learning for their children brings parents to The
Learning Community International. Through consistent contact and support throughout the year,
TLCI’s Mentor Program has demonstrated a high level of success in guiding parents and children
to develop and maintain a successful educational program customized to the needs, interests and goals
of the learner. Students transferring from a traditional high school enroll in the Mentor Program.
Program Overview
Each family is assigned a Mentor
consultant,
a professional with years of
home education experience. Through scheduled home visits and conferences, the consultant will
offer guidance for developing and implementing each child’s Individualized Learning Plan (ILP).
The consultant will discuss resources and curricula, assist your child to assume greater
responsibility for the success of his or her learning program, and be readily accessible throughout
the year to provide support when requested.
Our program has clear K-8,
High School and
enrollment requirements designed
to ensure program integrity
and success.
Enrollment also includes additional
basic services and materials to
support your home and community based learning program, including special events, professional
seminars, Performing and Arts Fair, Science & Math Fair, Learning Fair, designated e-groups, and
more.
Mentor Program Placement
The goal of TLCI is to assist with the design of a customized program for each learner that offers
the greatest chance of success in a home and community-based learning environment. Just as no two
children are the same in ability, motivation and interests, an effective Individualized Learning Plan
requires that the right level of support be matched to the unique needs and goals of each learner.
Though the basic Mentor Program provides sufficient service and guidance for success in most cases,
some children and families require increased levels of support and supervision beyond he scope of the
basic Mentor program.
Discussion of placement in the appropriate support level of TLCI’s Mentor Program is explored
during the pre-enrollment phone consultation with final determination made during the initial home visit.
At that time, the TLCI consultant conducting the meeting will determine which additional service packages
or curriculum, if any, will be required as a condition of enrollment.
Individualized Learning Plan & Tailored Services
The Mentor Program offers a significant amount of support, including up to five visits and five
phone calls/conferences. The objective of the initial home visit is two-fold. The first task of the
consultant is to continue the enrollment intake process and, upon completion, to determine whether
enrollment in TLCI and/or the basic Mentor Program, is an appropriate placement for the family.
Assuming placement is appropriate, the consultant will then assist the parent and learner to
organize an Individualized Learning Plan
(ILP) that meets or exceeds all
legal and program criteria, goal setting, finding resources that meet your child’s needs and
learning style, and proper record keeping.
Depending on the child, the ILP of one learner may be driven primarily by his or her interests
and consist of trips to local museums and other public sites, numerous hands-on activities such as
kitchen sink experiments or helping to renovate a house, while the bulk of the program’s
academic resources come from the shelves of the local library. The ILP of another learner may
have a more academic focus with the bulk of the program of study derived from textbooks, special
classes, or our K-12 curriculum.
In addition to working closely with the family to devise a customized program, the Mentor
Program’s consultant will also assist your child to assume greater responsibility for the
success of his or her learning program. The
program goals and schedule of a
customized ILP is tailored to facilitate the learner’s interests and motivation to learn at his
or her pace, enjoying the journey along the way to success. No packaged curriculum or program
is able to provide this degree of flexibility and learner success.
K-12 Curriculum & Other Options
A critical component of a successful Individualized Learning Plan, especially in the beginning,
is access to academic resources that act as an anchor, preventing the learner from losing focus
and helping maintain momentum. One such tool is the
e-Tap on-line curriculum that includes thousands of
streaming videos that enrolled families can purchase at a significant savings. This
learner-driven curriculum for the entire family can form the core of any ILP, supporting
a wide range of learning styles, interests, and needs.
Customized Services
Through consistent contact and guidance by your consultant throughout the year, Mentor Program
services are customized to your family’s needs and can be modified by your consultant at any
time to address the changing interests or goals of the learner. The program may include up to five
visits to your home or other site by your consultant, scheduled pre- and post-visit phone conferences,
and regular email contact. Optional
Mentor Support packages are
available for families that require
greater support.
Visits can be tailored and modified in ways that best meet the needs of the family. For
instance, one visit might take place at a library or bookstore for the purpose of providing guidance
finding and using resources. Another meeting might include the participation of one or more resource
specialists (math, science, etc) to provide point-of-service guidance for specific needs.
Through consistent contact and guidance by your consultant throughout the year, Mentor services
are tailored to your family and can be modified at any time to address the changing interests, needs,
or goals of the learner.
Additional Services and Value
The Mentor Program includes up to five home visits and at least six
conference calls from your own professional consultant, development of an individualized learning plan
(ILP) for each enrolled child, email contact as needed, as well as additional
basic services along with a number of
optional services and products
to support your home and community based
learning program.
Enrollment also includes TLCI’s annual Learning Fair, Science and Math Fair, and Performing
and Arts Fair. Other special events such as our Professional Seminars and other workshops are
offered at a modest fee to cover costs.
TLCI also supports our families with e-groups, various e-bulletins and communications, and
aiding parents to organize trips and social events for their children.
Accreditation
The Learning Community International is accredited by the Commission for International and Trans-Regional Accreditation
(CITA).
CITA
is the largest accrediting authority in the United States and is responsible for evaluating
and accrediting over 36,000 schools in 100 countries. TLCI is also co-accredited by the
Middle States Commission on Elementary Schools (MSCEC) and the Southern Association of
Colleges and Schools (SACS).
Program Success
Of the families enrolled in the Mentor Program, 98 percent are successful in making the
transition from a traditional school placement to a home and community-based learning environment
and continue to build on their success throughout their time of enrollment.
Our graduates have been admitted to
Ivy League colleges, technical and
arts schools, all state universities, every military academy as well as universities outside the
U.S. TLCI is also an Intel Semi-Finalist school.
Unmatched Service & Support
TLCI has a twenty-five year history of delivering quality enrollment
services of rising value and integrity by the most experienced, professional consultants in the
field of home and community based learning. No other program provides this degree of guidance,
flexibility, personalized service, security, and curriculum support tailored to the needs of your
family.
TLCI is about learning, not schooling.
Enrollment Process
Back to Maryland Programs.