"My tutorial was one of the most important classes I took at St. Andrew's, even though it was one of the shortest. The chance to experience one more teacher at St. Andrew's was invaluable to me, as each teacher has so much to give to their students. To explore a topic usually untouched also allowed seniors to glimpse the scope of academics in college, and begin to formulate ideas about what interests them. Also, the even smaller class size created a fascinating, intense dynamic." -VI Form student
VI Form students with a demonstrated commitment to independent work have the opportunity to take a spring tutorial. Comprised of three to four students, tutorials are offered in all disciplines, and provide a culminating academic experience for seniors as they work closely with a faculty member on a topic of their particular interest. Participation in a tutorial requires students to utilize the foundational skills and habits of mind—the ability to think and learn independently, engage in challenging discussions, remain open to feedback, and present their work to others—that are taught across all disciplines at St. Andrew's, and that students have acquired through their four years of learning here.
Tutorials meet slightly less frequently than regular classes, but are reading and writing-intensive. Students are required to write weekly essays which they read aloud, critique, and debate with their teachers and classmates, in the spirit of the Oxford tutorial system. The tutorial framework allows students a degree of academic independence that more closely approximates the collegiate experience, and an opportunity to further hone their analytical, problem-solving, and written and oral argumentation skills. More than 20 tutorials are offered each spring; for a full list of recent years' tutorials, visit standrews-de.org/tutorials.