FAQs
About Our Scholé Group
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What benefits and services does your Scholé Group provide? |
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We provide:
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When and where does The Scholé Fellowship meet? |
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The Scholé Fellowship meets once a week on Fridays from 9-3:30 at Fellowship Church Knoxville Our scope and sequence includes assignments for the state required 36 week school year, however our community only meets on campus for 31 of those weeks. Our fall and spring semesters are 18 weeks each. We have also further divided our school year into three terms, carefully distributing the workload across the terms, which helps to promote and encourage scholé. |
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Is the calendar aligned with Knox County Schools? |
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The Scholé Fellowship always considers Knox County Schools’ calendar for Fall Break, Thanksgiving Break, Christmas Break, Spring Break and Good Friday when planning our community days. Most of the time, these breaks will align with Knox County each year. |
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How does The Scholé Fellowship compare with other classical communities? |
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Although there are a few similarities between The Scholé Fellowship and other classical homeschooling options, families will find that there are some significant differences. Similar to other options, The Scholé Fellowship meets on one day of the week, offers families the blessing of community as well as accountability, and provides an outlet for school experiences that work best in community. Some of these experiences might include science experiments, history and literature discussions, and debates. However, overall, The Scholé Fellowship is less corporate, and therefore less expensive and more flexible than other choices you might be considering. Our community day is also scheduled very differently, with truly integrated subjects and extended class times to allow for conversation, presentations, and experimentation. We are less rigorous and slower-paced, generally taking a more restful approach to education in community and in our homes. We are wholistic (as opposed to reductionistic) in our purpose, incorporating teaching practices that foster a more cooperative, not competitive, atmosphere on campus. We desire to be a community of practice—ordering our time together, our meeting spaces, and our habits—so that our children learn to love what is lovely, and believe that no traditional, classical, Christian education is complete without this balanced approach. In short, if you are looking for something more than just classical curriculum, you might find The Scholé Fellowship appealing. We try hard to avoid using classical curriculum for utilitarian ends, and believe that, because of God’s faithfulness, our children will learn to love His Truth and to seek His Truth in love. |
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Can I register with The Scholé Fellowship AND another homeschooling community? |
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Most families would find it difficult to be in community with more than one homeschooling group. The commitment required by each group would not leave much time for homeschooling. We do want you to be aware that space is limited, therefore when we are considering applicants priority is given to families with plans to register with The Scholé Fellowship only. |
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As a parent of a registered student, what is my commitment? |
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The Scholé Fellowship is a parent-founded community and parent participation is essential to the overall wellness and success of the community. The church is a body with many members, and each member has an important role to play for the good of the whole body (1 Cor. 12:12). While it is not necessary for parents to be on campus with their student(s) each week, they are expected to periodically volunteer to serve the community. This is a simple way to love your neighbor (Matt. 22:39) and a practical opportunity for parents to model this virtue for their children. As a community, we also seek to learn and grow together, so we read one director- assigned book or selection each semester. Accountability is one of the advantages and blessings of homeschooling within a community. Our parents are eager to take advantage of this built-in opportunity to model a love of learning for their children. They agree that reading with other parents builds community, helps them become an informed and inspired teacher, and helps to create a clear vision for their homeschooling efforts. |
About Our Academics
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How do The Scholé Fellowship’s academic mentors serve the community? |
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Our professional Academic Mentors, who love what they teach, partner with parents to provide feedback for each student, which they will find helpful when it comes to assessment. They will model a love of learning, encourage students to dig deep into classical subjects, and facilitate conversation and reflection during their community day. With weekly communication from your student’s mentor, you will find your homeschooling simplified and you will feel equipped and encouraged to homeschool through high school. |
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Do the academic mentors assess my student? |
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Ultimately, we want students to focus on learning and not on their “grades.” We seek to assess students based on the faithful exercise of their God-given abilities. One important way to adopt restful, classical teaching is to grade without dependence on the 100 point scale, which tends to focus students not on learning but, on “getting the grade.” We therefore encourage all of our families to downplay numerical, data-driven grading. Homework evaluation, quizzes, tests and the final grade will always be at the discretion of the parent at home. Academic mentors will help parents evaluate their students by providing written and verbal feedback on class participation, projects, presentations, and on written work prior to the final draft. Students are put at ease because they know and trust that they will be given a cumulative assessment based on the level of mastery with which they end the course; they are motivated to continue striving for magna cum laude (with great praise). You, with the help of your student’s mentor, will create a learning environment that gives your student the freedom to master the subject while simultaneously cultivating a real love of learning. |
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Are there honors level classes available for my high school student? |
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In The Scholé Fellowship’s scope and sequence our students may receive honors credit for all of their high school history requirements and English requirements. Other honors credits available include: Worldview, Philosophy, Theology, Government, Biology, Physics, and Chemistry. |
About Scholé
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What is Scholé ? |
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The word scholé (pronounced skoh-LAY) comes from a Greek word that means “restful learning,” with a connotation of “contemplation,” “conversation,” and “reflection.” Scholé Groups are homeschooling communities that not only employ the content of a classical curriculum, but they also try to create an environment that allows for and encourages restful reflection of what is being studied. A true classical education must be balanced with schole for enjoyable, permanent learning to occur. |
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What do Scholé Groups seek? |
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Traditionally, the purpose of studying the liberal arts and the great books has been to seek truth, goodness, and beauty. Over the centuries, classical education has produced many great leaders, and Scholé Groups were formed to support the continuance of this tradition. Committed to the restoration of this proven form of education, these groups are helping to cultivate wisdom and virtue in their students. Employing teaching practices that encourage and inspire students to value contemplation and conversation rather than merely “covering” a wide range of material, students are delighted to discover how refreshing meaningful engagement with the liberal arts can be. |
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How can a Scholé Group help me reach my homeschooling goals? |
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Recovering the classical tradition and the scholé? approach is only made possible by collaboration, which is why Scholé Groups were formed. Each group is connected to a vibrant community of adult and student learners, creating a network of shared gifts, helpful experience, and learned wisdom. The larger Scholé Groups network, which spans the globe, gives each individual community access to practical resources, guiding and equipping them in their efforts to reach one common goal and ideal—a deep and meaningful education for their students. |
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What is the Scholé Groups Network? |
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Our Scholé Group is part of network of Scholé Groups across North America. Scholé Groups are homeschooling communities that employ the content of a classical curriculum and the pedagogy of restful learning (scholé). The Scholé Groups network offers a variety of resources to homeschooling communities and facilitates communication and collaboration among these groups. Learn more at scholegroups.com. |