Independent Study FAQs
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What is BRIDGES' Independent Study (IS) Mission?
Our mission will be to empower a community of parents, students and teachers to create and deliver innovative, high-quality, flexible and student-focused learning opportunities, enhanced with cutting-edge technologies through a curriculum that meets California state standards.
What are reasons for homeschooling?
The most common reasons for homeschooling are:
- Customize or individualize the curriculum and learning environment for each child
- Accomplish more academically than in schools
- Enhance family relationships between children and parents and among siblings
- Provide guided and reasoned social interactions with youthful peers and adults
- Provide a safer environment for children
- Teach and impart a particular set of values, beliefs, and worldview to children and youth
(Source: Brian D. Ray, Ph.D., National Home Education Research Institute, 2009)
What curriculum can home schoolers choose?
You can customize your student’s curriculum and choose what suits you and your student best. Your teacher can assist you with the choice and guide you. Your curriculum cannot be religiously based and has to meet California state standards.
What will BRIDGES Independent Study Program Offer?
Our IS program will offer you a credentialed supervising teacher who will work with the parents and students one-on-one to create a personalized curriculum according to the student’s interests and identified strengths and weaknesses.
Our IS program wants to empower all students to pursue their own personal educational journeys. For our IS program, the entire community serves as our classroom.
Our IS program offers the veteran homeschool parent the traditional program, where the family meets monthly with their supervising teacher. For the parent new to homeschooling, our program will provide weekly support meetings, where the teacher can help train the parent in delivering instruction, as well as help with strategies and support as needed to be a successful home educator.
Our IS program will allow each student to work at a personal pace in all disciplines.
Our IS program will offer enrichment classes that are focused on re-teaching and supplementing the core assignments made by the supervising teacher. Students will be given the opportunity to engage in collaborative, hands-on activities with learning objectives aligned to core courses. Enrichment classes can be attended at the BRIDGES site as well as at our partner school site in Ventura. The strong collaboration between the two schools will allow greater flexibility and availability of choices to our families. (Please note that we cannot offer funding for outside vendors).
Our IS program will go beyond books by providing events and field trips and incorporate the community.
Our IS program will allow flexibility in both teaching and learning styles and choice in curriculum.
Our IS program will offer a consistent educational experience and promote real-life context-based learning, educating the whole child.
Our IS program will incorporate the latest technology and have qualified teachers, high school and college students available to offer tutoring advice using the internet. Students can conveniently go online at their home and present their problem for additional help.
What does BRIDGES expect from us?
- To meet face-to-face with your supervising teacher at least every twenty days
- To have school activities every day and actively complete work, pursue educational goals and take responsibility for your child’s learning
- To take part in some of the extra opportunities/activities provided by the school
- To create your own school schedule and allow limited interruptions during the school day
- To work well with your student
- To support student learning appropriately
- To set high standards for teaching (homeschooling) and student learning
- To closely monitor and challenge your student
Will there be information meetings about BRIDGES’ IS Alliance?
Yes, information meetings will be scheduled on an as needed basis.
How can I apply?
You will be able to find the “Intent to Register” form on our website under the Independent Study tab. Please send the filled out form to our post office box, or you can scan it in and email it to Claudia Weintraub at Claudia.weintraub@bridgescharter.org. This will put you on our list, and we will then contact you when we get closer to school begin to sit down and fill out the other necessary paperwork.
For more information please contact our Independent Study Program Coordinator, Claudia Weintraub at Claudia.weintraub@bridgescharter.org.