Why does MODG offer the Learning Support (LS) Program?
Learning Support, like many of the other services we offer, was developed at the request of our families. In the early 2000s some of the students approached one of our teachers to see if she could coordinate a history discussion class. They wanted to discuss the material they were reading with their peers. The idea appealed to the teacher; she is a firm believer in the discussion method of learning. The Learning Support classes offer an additional aid to our other programs to help enhance the development of the student’s intellectual ability.
How do LS classes help 'enhance the development' of the student?
Both our Learning Support and Teacher Services programs are excellent in helping students understand the material, organize their thoughts and convey them well in writing. The MODG program itself, because of the materials chosen and the method employed, helps form the ideas in the students' minds. Discussion in general is a key to our program, and LS classes greatly assist in forming this skill. Defending and presenting opinions in class help the students love learning and improve their written work, because they come to an understanding of the different positions first through the spoken word.
Who does the grading?
LS courses include paper grading. The LS program was originally intended to offer the benefits of discussing concepts as they came up in the syllabus; however, additional benefits became apparent once the LS program began. When grading work, the teacher can immediately identify when there is a problem in a student's understanding and address it immediately. For that reason, in most classes we encourage the students to submit work for grading. Parents, however, are strongly encouraged to submit a parent grade for these classes each semester, as they remain the primary educator of their students!
How are parents involved?
We welcome any parents to sit in on the classes that their students are doing with us. (Please contact your teachers to discuss how to do this.) It is our hope that discussions in class encourage the students and parents to continue the discussion together after class.