Centre for Learning and Teaching: A Comprehensive Academic Support System

The Centre for Learning and Teaching (CLT) at St. Andrew’s College provides a variety of programs and resources designed to promote student learning and to improve instruction.

Guided Learning Centre

The Guided Learning Centre (GLC) is unique to St. Andrew’s. We require students who have not finished major assignments on schedule to attend the GLC after school where they are given the guidance and time to complete their work. The GLC also provides teachers with support for students who may miss assessment and evaluation opportunities because of other school commitments.

Procedure

• Students can be mandated to attend the GLC only for a major assignment that has been posted to the subject teacher’s daybook at least seven days in advance of the due date;
• failure to submit on the due date results in the subject teacher emailing student names to the “Guided Learning Centre” email account. The student, parent(s), Advisor, coach, and Housemaster are then informed of the GLC referral;
• the assignment must be submitted to the GLC Drop Box by 5:30 p.m. on the 7th day following the referral. Fifteen percent (15%) is deducted from the assignment; and,
• starting on the day following the referral, the student is withdrawn from his co-curricular commitments and must attend the GLC. Students are ineligible to participate in any co-curricular activity if work is outstanding. Students must clear their name from this list prior to the start time of the co-curricular commitment.

“Good Standing” Students

Many students manage both their academic and co-curricular commitments effectively. “Good Standing” (GS) students are boys who have achieved Scholar Status during the previous academic term. While GS students are subjected to the same 15% deduction for missing due dates, they do not have to attend GLC sessions. Assignments are due seven days after the original due date. If a GS student does not submit an assignment by the end of the seven-day period, he will lose his GS privilege. Additionally, any student referred to the GLC three times in a single term will lose his GS status.

Extensions

Occasionally, students will require assignment extensions for extenuating circumstances. Students must apply to their subject teacher for extensions at least 48 hours before the due date.

Consequences for Not Attending the GLC

The GLC is an extension of the classroom. Students who choose not to attend will be subject to a gating.

GLC Plus

A similar program to the GLC, the “GLC Plus” identifies students who neglect assignments or other school work regularly. The “GLC Plus” differs from the GLC in that instead of pulling students from co-curricular activities permanently, which can be detrimental to the St. Andrew’s experience, students must attend a weekly two-hour GLC session. At these weekly sessions, teachers work with students, helping them to manage their academic portfolio better.

Students must attend the GLC Plus one day a week for the entire term. Failure to do so will result in a gating. The Learning Resource Specialist will work with the identified student to improve his academic standing by formulating a written remedial plan for him to complete.

Referral Process and Protocol

The Director of Academics, in conjunction with the Learning Resource Specialist, grade coordinators, Advisors, and parents, will assign at-risk students to the GLC Plus following the term one and term two report cards. Automatic referral to the GLC will be applied to “at-risk” students, defined as those boys who have an academic average of less than 62% or three or more courses below 60%. The Director of Academics retains the right to use his discretion in recommending other students to the GLC Plus program.

The Writing Centre

The Writing Centre is a division of the library that helps students develop effective writing and research skills by offering individual consultations, classes, tutorials, and workshops. Additionally, the Writing Centre actively promotes literacy across the curriculum and encourages excellence in writing by producing the student newspaper and the student literary magazine. It also organizes a speakers’ series.

ESL Plus

The ESL Plus program helps students whose first language is not English and who have already completed the ESL program at St. Andrew's, or who are taking both the ESL and regular English program. Many of these students may need ESL support until the end of grade 12 to develop their English-language skills further; this is especially true with writing and speaking skills. This program runs one evening after school under the supervision of the school’s ESL teachers.

Math Centre

Mathematics is important in many university disciplines, therefore, it is essential that we provide students with a strong mathematical foundation. The Math Centre helps, through individual and small-group tutorial sessions, those students who struggle with mathematics. The program is facilitated by a current University of Waterloo co-operative education math student who is supervised by the staff of the CLT.

Missed Test Policy

Students who miss an assessment for a legitimate reason may complete the assessment in the GLC upon their return.  It is incumbent upon the student to complete the assessment in an expedient manner.

Learning Resource Services

Learning Resource Services maintains the records of students with learning exceptionalities, certifies eligibility for services, determines reasonable accommodations, and develops plans for the provision of accommodations for students.  For more information regarding the accommodations currently offered to students with learning exceptionalities, please contact the school’s Learning Resource Specialist.

Open Classroom

Each Monday and Thursday during the morning break, faculty are available to meet with students to provide remedial help for their classes.  Students should notify their teacher in advance that they are attending Open Classroom.

Tutoring

Students who require additional assistance in an academic subject, or who would benefit from an “academic coach”, may request a tutor who may be senior students or tutors engaged from outside the school community.  All requests for tutoring should be made through the School’s Learning Resource Specialist.

Standing Committee for Excellence in Teaching and Learning
In addition to a comprehensive academic support program, the CLT is the locus of a faculty professional development committee called SCETL (Standing Committee for Excellence in Teaching and Learning). The committee ensures that our policies, procedures, and programs are in line with our Academic Vision Statement.