Frequently Asked Questions
How does
the Global Village program work?
Our standard
school year runs from September to June. However, students can enroll at
any time of the year and can continue working through the summer if they
wish.
Students are free to choose from Web-based or text-based courses. Most
people prefer to take some of each. Each year-long course is divided into
thirty-six lessons. Semester-long courses are eighteen lessons. Students
access their Web-based lessons from our password-protected Web site. Text-based
courses are accompanied by a written study guide. Students receive credit
when they have completed all the lessons.
Elementary students have one teacher. High school students
are assigned a teacher for each course. They can correspond
with their teachers via phone, mail, e-mail, fax, or
in person if they live locally. Teachers are available
to answer questions from students or parents.
Students are free to work at their own pace and to collaborate
with their teachers in customizing the curriculum to
match their unique interests and needs. High school
is designed to be completed in four years. Students
who wish to accelerate their progress are free to do
so.
How do
homeschooled students do academically?
We have
found that homeschooled students do very well. A recent study* reports
that in every category and in every grade level, homeschoolers score above
the national average. Many colleges are recognizing this fact as well; some
even specifically look for homeschooled students. These students experience
learning as fun and meaningful, rather than something that they are forced
to do to get a grade or pass a test. They learn to think for themselves,
to follow their own interests and ideas. Their learning is not interrupted
by bells or class schedules or disruptive students; they are free to follow
thoughts and projects to their natural conclusions. They also learn early
about self-discipline and finding a study schedule that works for them.
* Report by Lawrence Rudner,
statistician at the University of Maryland; recently published in the Education
Policy Analysis Archives.
What about socialization?
Homeschooled
students have many opportunities to be "out in the world"
interacting with others. Many participate in community
activities such as clubs, athletics, arts programs,
internships, cultural activities, and community service.
An advantage to schooling at home is that parents and
students have more of a choice about how the "socialization"
takes place. Homeschooled students are often more self-assured
and confident; they are more comfortable being themselves
and following their own interests and styles. Global
Village encourages students to interact through the
use of a dedicated Facebook group.
How effective
is a Web-based curriculum?
Students
often learn more from Web-based courses. It is much easier to get up-to-date
information from Web-based lessons than from text-books that were published
several years ago. The Web provides abundant research opportunities with
multimedia - video and sound clips and photographs. Students have the opportunity
to "visit" such places as famous art and science museums, NASA, and other
government agencies and to keep up with current events, political news,
etc. Many students who have not previously had much interest in school
love to do their work on the computer.
Is GVS accredited?
Yes. GVS is
accredited by NALSAS, the National Association for the
Legal Support of Alternative Schools. NALSAS is the
accrediting arm of the National Coalition of Alternative
Community Schools (NCACS).
Why create
a special school for peace and diversity studies?
We feel
that it is important for students to learn about and interact with people
who are different from themselves. We believe that much of the conflict
in the world comes from lack of understanding and experience.
We also
feel that students should be free to focus on their studies without fear
of harassment due to race, religion, actual or perceived sexual orientation,
etc.
Our intention is to be an
incubator for young peacemakers. We believe that it is important to nurture
and protect the passion and enthusiasm for creating a better world that
comes so naturally to so many young people.
How can
I help support Global Village School's vision?
Financial donations:
We are a nonprofit organization. (Global
Village School is a project of Community Partners and
contributions are tax deductible to the extent
permitted by law. ) All operating funds come from
donations and tuition. We know that many students are
in need of an educational alternative right away; we
would like to be able to provide them with scholarships.
To do this, we need donations. Checks should be made
payable to Community Partners FBO Global Village School.
If you would like to donate online, please click here.
Support us as you search the
Internet:
GoodSearch is a search engine which donates
50-percent of its revenue to the charities and schools
designated by its users. It's a simple and compelling
concept. You use GoodSerach exactly as you would
any other search engine. Because it’s powered
by Yahoo!, you get proven search results. The money
GoodSearch donates to your cause comes from its
advertisers - the users and the organizations do
not spend a dime!
Ken and JJ wanted to create a means to support
charities so that people would say, "Why wouldn't
you do it?" That's what GoodSearch does. Since
it doesn’t cost anything and you get proven
search results, there's no reason not to use it!
Plese click on the banner below to get started.
Support us as you shop:
Schoolcash.com - Go to the
Web site, type in Global Village (it shows us as
being in Los Angeles, which is where Community Partners
is located), and shop. (You will need to register yourself
the first time.) Some of the merchants (@250 total)
include: Amazon.com, Barnes and Noble, Disney Store,
J.C. Penney, Land's End, Learning Network Store, OfficeMax,
L.L. Bean, Toys R Us, and Walmart. Global Village
School will get a percentage of everything you spend.
eScrip - register your Vons/Safeway card, your ATM
card, and preferably a credit card. Each time you
shop at Vons/Safeway or any of the other participating
stores, using a registered card, we automatically
get a percentage. Some of the participating merchants
include: Eddie Bauer, Spiegel, Big 5, Pep Boys,
Working Assets Long Distance, Carl's Jr., Carrows,
Chevron, Budget Rent A Car, Payless Shoe Source, American
Airlines Flight Certificates, and Round Table Pizza.
Contact us to sign up, or you can go directly to their
site,click on SIGN UP, and type in "Global Village
School". (Our Group ID is 147518188; we're listed
as "Global Village School FBO Comm. Partners.")
GVS Socially Responsible Shopping Page
- Please visit our Socially
Responsible Shopping Page to purchase goods made
in progressive, earth-friendly ways. Global Village
School will get a percentage of everything you spend.
WaMoola for Schools - Washington Mutual Bank has introduced
a program that allows their customers to benefit the
non-profit K-12 school of their choice each time they
use their WaMu ATM card. Registration costs nothing
other than the time it takes to go to the site and
enroll. Each time you use your card to make a purchase,
Global Village School will earn points that are converted
into cash at the end of each year. Please note that
the address listed for us is in L.A. because we are
a project of Community Partners. Please click here
to get started.
Curriculum advisors:
We
always appreciate the opportunity to receive suggestions on how to improve
our curriculum. We are particularly seeking input from people of color and
people involved in working for peace.
Spread the word:
We
would like to know about other organizations with similar missions. We
would also like to get the word out to any students who could benefit
from enrollment in Global Village.
Please contact us if you would like to help in these or
in any other ways.
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