Frequently Asked Questions
The Questions
How much do these courses cost?
How long are the courses?
How many times weekly do the classes meet?
Where do the classes meet?
Do you assign grades?
Do you give homework?
Do you give tests?
Do you provide a report card or other formal report of my student's progress?
Are these classes hard?
Do you have “honors” classes?
The Answers
How much do these courses cost?
AES charges by the hour: $65 per hour for individual instruction; $45-$55 per
hour for group lessons, depending on the size of the group. See the
cost page for the details.
How long are the courses?
Courses run about 80-120 hours, depending on the student and circumstance.
If you figure 100 hours, you won’t be far wrong.
How many times weekly do the classes meet
We recommend 2 hour-and-a-half meetings per week. Less than this is not enough to cover the course
work in a timely manner. More than three sessions provides diminishing returns; there’s only so much
a student can absorb in a given time.
Where do classes meet?
Sessions are conducted at our office and classroom in the Ortega Village Business Center in San Juan Capistrano:
31726 Rancho Viejo Road, Suite 106
San Juan Capistrano, CA 92675
Many arrange to have sessions in their home.
There is a modest surcharge for sessions taught on your location to accommodate travel time and expense.
Do you assign grades?
No. The whole concept of grades and pass/fail don’t apply to home schooling. If the
student doesn’t understand a topic, we continue to study it until he or she does
understand it. Students cannot fail, they cannot get a “low grade,” because we work on a
subject until the student’s understanding is complete.
Do you give homework?
Yes. Learning math entails a lot of practice solving problems, much more than we can do in
our meetings; furthermore, part of the student’s preparation for life is learning to manage time
and to fulfill obligations without constant supervision. The student should presume that
he or she will be spending a half-hour per weeknight doing math homework.
Do you give tests?
Yes, although the tests have a different meaning in home-schooled math than they do in
traditional schooling. AES math tests are diagnostic and indicative, rather than assigning
a grade.
After each broad topic in the class, the student takes a test, which tells
the student and the teacher whether more work is needed on that subject. If so, then we go
back and work further on the topics that are not understood; otherwise, we pass on to the
next topic in the course. Tests are graded for a percent score; every student will
receive an eventual 90% or better on these tests.
Do you provide a report card or other formal report of my student's progress?
I give no report cards, as such; I’m in constant contact with parents regard a student’s
progress through a subject. If there are
particular concerns or special praise is due, I’ll express this sooner rather than later.
Every month you will receive an e-mailed package from AES, containing:
- A description of what your student studied this month.
- A commentary on your student’s progress: how he or she is doing; a description of the
strengths and weaknesses exhibited over the month.
- A statement showing the amount of money remaining on your account. When this reaches zero,
I’ll send you a new invoice for a further increment.
The goal is to ensure that the parent is kept completely up to date on what the student is learning
and how well that process is proceeding.
Are the classes hard?
Nah. Taught right, math is easy.
Do you have "honors" classes?
The concept doesn’t apply. We teach our students to whatever depth they are capable of and need. A
student with a deep interest in geometry (and, yes, that is not uncommon) will receive more instruction
and more depth in the subject than a student with less interest. All students receive an
excellent grounding in the course's subject.
|
