• 3760 Southborough Rd Florence, SC 29501
  • info@marinerlearningcollaborative.org
  • 843-496-1113

FAQs

Mariner Learning Collaborative is located at 3760 Southborough Rd, Florence, SC 29501

…inside Hoffmeyer Road Baptist Church -Oakdale

Mariner Learning Collaborative is open Monday – Thursday from 8:00 AM to 2:30 PM. 

Members may arrive as early as 8:00 AM. However, formal activities do not begin until 8:45 AM.

 

Mariner serves families of all financial backgrounds and offer need-based fee reductions to make Mariner widely accessible. Fees are pro-rated for members who join mid-year. We accept applications and new members at any point in the year.

Tuition Fees: 
 
Full-time (4 days/week) —–$3500/ year or $350/ month
 
Part-time  (2 days/week + Field Trip days) —$2750/year or $275/ month
 
Single Class Drop-in (one semester/~18 week class) —$310
 
Tutoring (offered 3:00-5:00, M-Th by appointment only) —$35/hr

We do not have a standardized curriculum as each member’s interests and learning styles are different. At Mariner, any curriculum and/or learning method or modality may be utilized. Most members will choose a mix of activities, formal and informal, traditional and unconventional, collective and independent. (e.g. books, videos, online classes, in person classes at Mariner, college classes, conversations with peers, one-day workshops, one-on-one tutoring, shadowing or apprenticeships, volunteering, or employment.

Unfortunately, most of us have come to view learning as what happens in school when a teacher packages an objective into a lesson “delivered” to students. However, teaching does not equal learning. How many times did we memorize information for a test and then almost instantly forget it the next day? Remember the show Are You Smarter Than a 5th Grader? It’s based on the reality that adults forget most of what they “learned” in school.

A conventional approach is a fine way to study and acquire some knowledge, and is adequate for some students. However, everyone learns in a variety of ways everyday, most of which does not occur in a classroom.
Mariner members can choose to learn in a variety of ways, enhanced by the self-directed and community dynamics. The result is learning that is more meaningful and enduring and daily life that is more fulfilling. The bottom line is that children, like adults, are motivated to learn when something is meaningful and important to them and that is learning that sticks. When knowledge of reading, writing, math, or anything else becomes necessary for them to achieve their goals they will learn it…and no one can stop them.
1. Classes: Participating in exciting classes based on their interests, taught by people who are passionate about the topic. E.g. Apologetics, Speech, Debate, College Hacks, How to be creative, Basic Home Repairs, P.E., Nutrition, Entrepreneurship, Magic, Chemistry, Cooking, Gardening, Outdoor Survival Skills, 3D design, Coding, Drones, Foreign Language…
…or classes taught by teens themselves based on their own passions.

 

2. Tutoring: One-on-one tutoring in areas that they ask for support in or simply just want to know more about.
 
3. Meeting with Mentor: Once a week, members meet with their mentor to discuss how they have been spending their time, challenges they’ve encountered, ideas for personal projects, anxieties and excitements, and just about any part of a young person’s life. Together they also develop goals, track progress towards them, and facilitate connections with the wider world. 
 
4. Learning to be social…with everyone!
Most schools constantly tell students to “Sit down!”,  “Stop talking!”, or “Quit laughing!”
At Mariner, we encourage teens to interact with others through games, self-created projects, or just conversation.
One of the most valuable aspects of this environment is that students learn to interact with people of ALL ages in a safe, welcoming space.
Yes, but not a lot. In South Carolina, the legal way to leave the school system and control your own education is through “Option 3” homeschooling.
 
1. Enroll in a homeschool association that has at least 50 member families. 
 
2. State law requires homeschool associations to maintain the following minimum requirements for homeschooling parents:
  • Record of 180 days of instruction.
  • “Curriculum” must include reading, writing, math, science, social studies, and, in grades 7–12, composition and literature.
  • Documentation of subjects taught and activities; a portfolio of samples of your child’s academic work; and a semiannual progress report including attendance records and individualized documentation of your child’s academic progress in the required subjects.
At Mariner, we document each members’ days of “instruction” and learning when they are with us and make that available to parents but ultimately, parents are legally responsible for turning in all documentation to their chosen homeschool association. This documentation is all very simple to complete and we will support parents along the way.

According to SC law, homeschoolers have access to all “interscholastic” activities of the school for which they are zoned.

Ex: Athletics, Band, Clubs, etc.City Recreation Leagues

Check out an extensive list of FAQs from another center in the Liberated Learners network:
 
Here is another excellent FAQ list from a self-directed learning center: