• 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 9:00 AM.

Tuition Fees for 2023-2024: 
 
Full-time (4 days/week) —–$8496
 
Part-time  (2 days/week) —$4968
 
Class Drop-in (one semester/18 week class) —$310
 
Tutoring (offered 3:00-5:00, M-Th by appointment only) —$35/hr
 
Mariner is committed to being an economically diverse community. We work with families of all financial backgrounds and offer need-based fee reductions to make Mariner widely accessible. We will never turn a family away based simply on their ability to pay the full membership fees.

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.

First of all, it is impossible to ensure that our children will learn everything they need to be successful. The world (and our children) are constantly changing. The knowledge and skills they “need” to be “successful” depends on each child and a future that has not been determined. Children and adults have a hunger to “succeed” at whatever they are passionate about or interested in. We then put in the work to learn whatever we need to pursue those passions and interests. 

For example, a member who loves raising rabbits will want to make sure that they are crafting a well-written email to another breeder about buying a doe. They will need to create a budget to make sure that they are selling their rabbits at a price that enables them to cover their costs.

A member who loves making YouTube videos will need to write scripts that engage their viewers to gain more subscribers. They will need to understand the math behind how ad revenue works if they want to make money from their channel.

Members who are interested in mechanical projects will need to be proficient with fractions, the metric system, calculating torque, and displacement, and understanding basic electricity.

If a member hates math but wants to go to college, they will be motivated to learn enough math to pass an entrance exam or score high enough on the SAT or ACT to get scholarships. 

In short, children will learn the things they need to succeed as they pursue their passions and interests and are supported by adults and peers.

Some members in self-directed centers sometimes spend long periods of time doing what looks like nothing. So do hunters. So do monks. So do most animals. The point is just that there are often invisible processes underway which are ultimately quite valuable to the kid’s development and well-being. Sometimes they are processing events, information, feelings, or thoughts. Sometimes they are resting. Sometimes they are just being. And sometimes they are “deschooling.” (Here is an article that explains more about “deschooling.” At Mariner, we give our members the space to “just be.” Rest assured, adolescence will not “do nothing” for long, their natural hunger to be stimulated, especially as they see their peers engaged in fun and interesting activities, will motivate them to start pursing their own interests. 

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.

Absolutely! Kids should be eating some vegetables, doing chores, honoring commitments, and speaking to the waitress at a restaurant. As parents, we encourage our children to do things that are uncomfortable because we can see the long term benefits, even if they can’t. At Mariner, we are helping kids see that in life you often have to do what you hate to do what you love. By helping them discover what they love, we light a fire in our members that motivates them to work through difficulties to achieve the goals they have set for themselves. Conventional schools try to force young people to learn things and complete assignments that hold no value for their life or simply don’t show the relevance to real life. That does not develop grit (perseverance). That only produces resentment. On the other hand, we have all probably seen our kids fail and try again and again if the activity is meaningful to them. (e.g. beating a video game, learning an instrument, or playing a sport). At Mariner, we help adolescents develop grit by offering support and encouragement as they persevere through difficulties to achieve their goals.

Yes. Currently, all members have three mandatory obligations:

1. Everyone must participate in the daily community clean up.

2. Everyone must attend and participate in the weekly Community Meeting if they are in the building on the day of the meeting.

3. Everyone must take part in the Resolution Committee’s processes when/if they find themselves involved with an infraction or a conflict that requires it. 

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: