Mentoring Academy
Community SubscriberMentoring Academy offers individualized student support by caring, professional mentors in a small-school setting
Many teens struggle with traditional classroom schooling. Does your student need a different learning environment than their school provides?
We mentor students, supporting their learning and growth in all aspects of their lives: academic, social, and psychological health. We recognize that students learn in unique ways, have individual needs and are quite capable. Students become committed to their own development and ultimately demonstrate profound success in college admissions, national testing, measures of happiness, and mastery of essential life skills.
We have a few openings for 8-12th grade students for the current school year and accepting applications for 2024-2025.
Parent Q&A
Parent Reviews
Parents, please Sign in to post a review on this page.Mentoring Academy High School in Berkeley has a "no homework" policy. They also have a 9am starting time. The only drawback is the school day ends at 5pm (3pm on Fri).
Our son goes there and is very happy with it. The "homework" assignments are handled in the afternoon (after tea time) with the staff present to assist.
Yes the day is long but once he is home the time is entirely his to game etc.
-- A.S.
I am a parent with a student in Mentoring Academy on Bonita and Berkeley Way in central Berkeley. The non-profit school is very small and specializes in meeting the student where they are at. My teen had a very difficult time in the more traditional private middle school setting. At Mentoring Academy, he has a mix of both individual and group classes. He really likes the flexibility the teachers have and the social aspects too. Please give them a try. Contact John Muster johnmuster [at] mentoringacademy.org 510-517-6609
Mentoring Academy was a great alternative high school for my son. The head of school, John Muster, really had a good sense of what he needed after a challenging freshman year at another HS. The school is located on University Avenue in Berkeley.
Mentoring Academy has moved to Berkeley, I found them through my nephew who is now at Midjourney doing AI Art! My son started 2 years ago after being traumatized in public schools, we even tried OSA charter school during Pandemic but it failed him again. He needed mentoring, one on one tutoring, 40 hours a week with no homework because they helped him at school which helped this single dad! Mentoring does groups trips to give them experience and helps develop their whole schooling. If you need to give them a possibility beyond the public schools that are under staffed and lack the ability to help our kids, then mentoring will give them hope they need.
I recommend Mentoring Academy in Berkeley. It is a private, and very small 8-12 grade school. The learning pace is based on the individual, which is great for my son. It is a very nurturing environment. On top of all these, Mentoring Academy is an accredited school that offers A-G courses, which is a UC Admission Requirement.
Hello there -
It's such a hard decision to make, especially when your kid needs a different learning environment than their classmates!
My son struggles with similar challenges as your kids, and he has found his safe haven at Mentoring Academy. It's a tiny hidden gem of a school near Rockridge BART.
He was bullied in a private middle school not just by his peers, but also by the teachers, who just didn't get him. At Mentoring the "we meet your kids where they are" - turned out to be true - for the first time ever. He's just finishing 9th grade, and has been more engaged and excited about learning than he was all throughout middle school.
These folks truly "get" our kids - and they do so with humor and kindness. They understand that our kids' brains need to be stimulated differently. So how about they all go to Mount Wilson Observatory for a week and workion the amazing telescopes that Hubble and Einstein worked with? ;-) But it also means cooking together, doing homework AT SCHOOL, and building your own desks. And all of that always with the eye on the prize - getting them into a good college.
I hope you will be able to experience the genuine community they have created - and your kids can come to visit, of course. To no fault of their own, they are currently looking for a new space. So if you decide to visit, please don't judge them by the building they are in currently.
All the best to you and your family - I hope Mentoring will be a revelation to all of you as it was to us. (To this day, most middle schools don't even know about them!)
Hello, I think I know the best school for your child because my child is exactly what you describe, and he is thriving! And commuting from SF.....My son is going to Mentoring Academy in Oakland (https://www.mentoringacademy.org). The school is currently located a short walk from Rockridge BART. It is a very small school focusing on kids that have struggled in the conventional school setting and need more attention to achieve their potential. Classes are taught to mastery, not to deadlines. Small classes foster strong connections between the kids and their teachers. The school also does a lot of inter-cultural experiences with field trips, retreats and museum or theater visits. My son has been there for 3 years now and is a junior and is doing great. My other son graduated from Mentoring a couple of years ago and is successfully attending a 4-year college.
Unfortunately Mentoring has lost their lease and is looking for a new home. Due to some circumstances beyond the schools’ control the building they are in currently is not great but if you can see beyond this you will find an extraordinary school with a special community and learning environment that is unique
Hello!
We were in a similar boat - our kid has several learning differences, ADHD, and is on the spectrum. Middle school was a disaster, despite him being in a private school with an supposedly experienced learning specialist. He was bullied not only by the students, but also by the teachers.
Enter Mentoring Academy: if you are looking for a small school that truly focuses on your kid, this is it. www.mentoringacademy.org - near Rockridge BART in Oakland.
The school is tiny, and the teachers are very experienced both in academics as well as in working with neurodiverse kids. It's not a flashy school, and due to some unforeseen circumstances beyond their control (like water damage in their building that did not get fixed by the landlord), it might appear a bit scrappy. But my kid comes home bubbling over with facts he learned. And one true highlight this spring was a weeklong stay at Mount Wilson to work on the big telescopes there - just like Hubble and Einstein did. This is an opportunity of a lifetime for scientists .. made possible by John Muster's connections to the institution.
And people are kind - and work with you and your kid to provide a learning environment that works for the student.
And - a huge plus in my opinion - NO HOMEWORK!! Kids stay until 5 pm and do their homework with their teachers still around. So parents don't have to fight at home to get this done and teachers know exactly where your kid is academically and what they need to do to support them better.
As far as I know, two kids are commuting from SF to the school - so it might be good to hear from them how they structure their days.
IF you are open for a local school Mentoring Academy is a great school that help kids with learning challenges (https://www.mentoringacademy.org/). My son has been going there since 8th grade and is now a junior and he is thriving coming out of a very unhappy situation in public school. The school focuses on every kid and helps them achieve their best. They work on essential academics but also help them grow their social and emotional skills. The school is located close to Rockridge BART but will relocate for next year because they lost their lease. but the plan is to find a new site close where the school was before.
I can second the recommendation for Mentoring Academy. My son has been going there since 8th grade and is now a junior and he is thriving coming out of a very unhappy situation in public school. The school focuses on every kid and helps them achieve their best. They work on essential academics but also help them grow their social and emotional skills. The school is accepting kids on a rolling basis. As the other post said the school is looking for new home but the location will also be somewhere close to Rockridge and also close to BART. My son is commuting form San Francisco.
Hello -
Depending on what your kid's needs are, I would look into Mentoring Academy (www.mentoringacademy.org) in Oakland. They are near the Rockridge BART.
My son is a freshman there,and really loves the small, school, the personal attention, and that they focus on real-life experiences beyond academic learning. For example, they just got back from a 1-week stay at the Mount Wilson observatory, where they were able to work with the 60-inch and 100-inch telescopes - that is something Hubble and Einstein did, and even most distinguished scientists never get this chance. It was so inspiring and motivating for our kid - a once-in-a lifetime experience that we would have never been able to give him.
Due to some circumstances beyond their control, they are in a bit of a scrappy building right now (they are working on moving). But if you can see beyond that and grasp how truly caring and special this community and learning environment is, you found a gem for your kid.
My son is beginning his fourth year at Mentoring Academy this Fall and I couldn't be more thrilled with his experience. Since preschool, he's been enrolled in small, progressive, independent schools. Those programs have emphasized important developmental social/emotional topics, but usually at the detriment of academics. With Mentoring, you don't have to choose. My son follows the "twice exceptional" or 2E profile...he struggles with anxiety and executive functioning but is academically gifted. His small class sizes (3-6 students to one "mentor") enable a safe environment for learning and the teachers have the bandwidth to tailor the work to provide enough stretch or scaffolding. Sophomore year my son needed a bit of challenge in English 10. Hi teacher assigned him reading by Foucault (!!) with an report for extra credit. He loved every minute of it. He is supported, challenged and most of all SEEN at Mentoring Academy. We are so grateful for the individualized attention he has received. Our son is thriving...
Oh, and one more thing...they have an excellent college counselor who can dedicate ample one-on-one with your child to work on school selections, applications, essay, etc. Try that with a senior class of 400 kids!
#giftwithpurchase
Mentoring academy is very one-on-one and supportive, my son was very drawn to that community and a friend of ours has a daughter who goes there. Maybe it will click for her? I hope she feels better soon!
Also, I second the suggestion of group activities, exercise. There are great online communities, e.g. I go to makingwavesstudio.com (a zumba class that moved to online, lots of love and encouragement, if she likes to dance!).
Bentley and Mentoring Academy!
Bentley was very supportive for my anxious son, and had a wide range of super nice kids. Mentoring Academy was the other place that he almost went, and we have a friend with a kid there now. It is very one on one, perhaps there is a way to get the vibe of the place--some of my son's friends went to a one week summer session there and got a lot out of it, but didn't "click" the way my son did (he didn't want to go to the open house, and then we couldn't get him to leave). Both will give your daughter a chance to go as far as she wants academically, but also will focus on a supportive community. One caveat about Bentley is that one of the learning specialists who helped my son a lot is no longer there, having set up private practice, and she was key to his thriving there. But her replacement might be excellent, too, I simply don't know. Bentley has a bus from Orinda BART and Mentoring is at Rockridge BART.
I'd highly recommend Mentoring Academy in Oakland. It's a tiny school right near Rockridge BART. My teen, who has had similar struggles, has been successful at the school. The high teacher / student ratio is awesome, the school has been flexible with special needs, and the entire community is very welcoming of differences.
We cannot say enough good things about our experience with Mentoring Academy. Our son is starting his 4th year as a senior. He has always had a thirst for knowledge. He has done well in school, but has gotten bogged down by rote learning. For high school he had a number of options and chose Mentoring over more "traditional" high schools. Looking back it is clear that Mentoring was the right choice for him.
Our son is thriving at Mentoring Academy. The Head of school, John Muster, is a "teen whisperer" who is focused on helping each student reach their full potential. Our son has had teachers/Mentors who have supported and inspired him. The college counseling with Jean is thorough and thoughtful, and starts from day one at Mentoring. The school is small enough to work with students on an individual level, but has a strong sense of community. This really distinguishes Mentoring from other more individualized programs like Tilden or Fusion. The sense of community is normally supported by retreats at the beginning and end of the year, Community dinners, an international trip in the spring, and tea time discussions. With the pandemic this year that was all cut short, but there is still great communication with parents through community meetings, and there are on line tea times, and efforts to increase student interaction. The school day is long, from 9 to 5:30, but it allows students to complete their homework at school, leaving their evenings free for other activities and family. Because the school is small, it is very flexible, and was able to respond effectively and quickly to the need for distance learning.
In the 3 years he has been at Mentoring we have seen how much our son has grown, matured, become more self-confident, and overall happy.We have no doubt he will be well prepared for college and life beyond high school.We are thrilled that we discovered Mentoring Academy and that our son has been able to have this amazing high school experience.
Mentoring Academy has been a school where our daughter has thrived after transferring from a much larger school after her freshman year.
The head of school, John Muster, has a distinguished career in education and has established a school that fills a need not served by other area schools. The model is based upon individualized mentoring (class sizes are from 1 to 10) and developing mastery of the material. He hand picks the teachers and hand picks each of the students.
Initially, we had not considered very small schools when looking for high schools, thinking they don't have the breadth of opportunities for both activities and friendships of larger schools. For our daughter, what has been more important has not been this breadth of opportunity, but the depth of understanding and support.
Many of the students at Mentoring followed their own, unique paths before finding this school. For our daughter, it was withdrawing from another school for medical reasons before finishing her freshman year, and not seeing a good path to get back on track. For other kids, it may have been anxieties in other school environments, or gender issues, or how to balance school with extracurriculars, or any number of other reasons. Maybe some parents already appreciated the benefits of a small school, or had already sent siblings through Mentoring. Anyway, in our case, our daughter was able to finish some freshman-year coursework at Mentoring during the summer, which gave us a view of the school before enrolling for the school year.
Mentoring has been able to adapt to the challenges of COVID-19 fairly easily given the structure of their program. One-on-one zoom rooms for electives like language and art worked very well. Other classes are still small enough to engage the students even through zoom, and the students stay in touch after-hours through social media.
Our daughter has been very happy with her new group of friends at Mentoring. The school is small enough (40 students) that there aren’t cliques, and they all have to learn to get along like an extended family. Her schoolwork does appear to be more focused on learning than previously, with less focus on grades or one-upping classmates. The school’s approach really does appear to be motivating for the students.
What will you not find at Mentoring Academy? The school invests mostly in the mentors (teachers), not facilities. That said, there is plenty of space at the school, and in non-COVID times, they have all of Rockridge right outside the front door.
I'd like to give a shout out for an amazing school that gave us our kid back. During 8th and 9th grade, our son, who attended a well-regarded public school, was refusing to attend on a frequent basis... laying in bed, too overwhelmed, uninspired, depressed, and anxious to go. It was extremely stressful for everyone and we knew we had to find another option. Within 15 minutes of meeting John Muster, the Mentoring Academy headmaster, our son said, "I want to go here." John has a way of making teens feel heard, trusted, inspired, smart, and unique. And all of Mentoring's teachers/mentors strive for that as well and do an excellent job. The small classroom size and school size made it easier for our son, who has multiple sensitivities, to cope. He was suddenly excited about science again and would come home saying, "We're doing real experiments with real chemicals." The other big bonus is that Mentoring takes away the homework battles. School hours are long because homework is built into the school day. But for kids who struggle to get it done on their own, it's a huge relief. Another wonderful aspect of the school are the retreats and the Extraordinary Trip. The mini retreats bookend the year, serving as a way for the kids to get to know each other at the start of the year, and reflect on their experiences at the end of the year. The Extraordinary Trip comes in the spring time and is usually out of state or overseas. Not this year, because of Covid-19, but hopefully something that will resume when safe, and a wonderful learning experience on so many levels. For the first time in a long time, I have hope that our son will attend college. The intelligence is there, but the inspiration wasn't. Mentoring has brought that back and given him focus. The school is helping our son hone in on some college options, navigate the essays, applications and testing process. Another huge relief because our son won't accept parental help on any of these steps. Finally, the school is handling online teaching as deftly as possible (during Covid SIP), and because the teacher to student ratio is small, there's still a considerable amount of student participation.
You should check out Mentoring Academy in Rockridge. It is a very small and individualized college-prep high school, but they will take students in 8th grade if they feel like they can serve them. They pride themselves on really getting to know each student (the entire school is 30 students) and figuring out what motivates each one. My son has been really happy there. www.mentoringacademy.org
Mentoring Academy in Oakland provides a strong emphasis on community building and may be a good fit for your child.
Hi,
We recommend Mentoring Academy, near Rockridge Bart. They are also an excellent high school, but have a summer bridge program. Enjoy!
Look into Mentoring Academy on College Avenue in Oakland. My son is a student there, and we had a similar experience at his public school (Not BH). But, I know of a few students at Mentoring that came from Berkeley High.
Mentoring is a small high school that has helped a lot of kids for whom school wasn't working. John Muster the head of school has created a wonderful and caring environment that meets the needs of students. Our family has been very happy here.
My 2E son was not being successful in a typical school setting so when a respected doctor mentioned John Muster and Mentoring Academy we thought we'd check it out. This was a very big deal for us. I hadn't worked in 18 years, and would need to go back to work to make this work for our family. Because we live in the East Bay, our 15 y/o son would have to take the bus, then BART to get there every day. We in the East Bay are not used to giving our kids that long a leash.
I'm so happy we made that decision. Almost immediately, the entire family saw a huge change. He is a happier person and treats everyone in the family much better. The parent child relationship also grew as we no longer had to be on him to get his homework done. The mentors/educators designed his curriculum so that it would be a good fit for him and let him go at his pace. They made sure he met the requirements to get into good colleges and helped him with the application process.
They do so many different things. They go on on field trips close to home as well as really great trips each year where the students learn so much more than academics. In the 2 1/2 years my son was there, they went to DC, Poland and Costa Rica. It is an all around education at Mentoring.
I credit Mentoring Academy and the staff there for my son being able to attend college out of state in a setting that fits him. Go see for yourself the magic of Mentoring and see if it is a good fit for your child. Hands down the best decision we've made as a family, worth every penny!
We love Mentoring Academy. It's truly amazing what it's done for my son & our family. My son is now a senior, engaged in school, friends, family & sports; and will be going off to college next fall.
But for the last 3 years - the dark days - we didn't know if he was going to finish high school, let alone go to college. Pre-dark days, my son was a sweet, smart, active normal kid. He had a stellar time in middle school, did well academically, socially, was playing on 6 sports teams. But the moment he started HS, he became a dark sullen kid who couldn't be trusted. Some of the behavior was normal adolescence. I have an older child, so was prepared. The transition from childhood to adulthood is a completely wacky, wild, bumpy, funny, smelly, mind alternating time.
After my son's disastrous freshman year, I was ready to change schools & talked to every school in the 50 mile radius. After I talked to John at Mentoring, I knew it was the place.
Getting my son to agree (& my ex-husband) was a different matter. My son didn't want to change schools, let alone visit. This first time we planned a visit, he refused to get out of the car. He said "I don't have anything in common with the kids at Mentoring. They're all those super smart nerdy kids & they don't have any sports." But with failing classes and lying, the current situation/school wasn't working. After a long (almost 2 yr) complicated process, my son started Mentoring mid-year junior year.
The first 2 weeks at Mentoring it was a struggle to get my son to the school. John was there every step & mis-step. After the first month, something clicked. It was shocking how quickly things improved. My son started talking about school, he started playing sports again. He went from a 1.7 GPA to 3.0 after the first semester. But grades are only part of the story. He feels good about himself & enjoys learning/school again. Mentoring is a special safe place. Each student is seen, heard & supported. And according to my son, "the have amazing smart teachers." He has great respect for John & his teachers. The need for trusted respected adults (besides parents) during adolescence can not be underestimate. It's an important component for their development. My son is still very close & hangs with friends from his former HS AND he enjoys his time at Mentoring.
Mentoring is doing something right, not just for the super smart student, or the student who doesn't fit in. It's a great school (period). My son is a typical teen who plays sports & has a large circle of friends. But a large HS was distracting. At Mentoring, there's not discipline for students not doing work. Because the students are ALL engaged learners. There's a deep connection between teacher/staff and students. It's more than a school, it's a community.
Other very important pluses: 1) Homework is done at Mentoring. No more nagging to do homework. Now I talk with my son about other things besides homework. 2) A college advisor works with students on the entire college application process. Parent participation is minimal. She helps with the selection process, personal statements, financial options, everything! This is worth the price of admission alone. Trust me. The process is completely differently from our college days. Friends of mine have hired college advisors to work with their children, costing several thousands of dollar.
The Mentoring Academy has been a blessing for my son. He's a young man who is very bright but learns differently than most. Because he is 'outside of the box', the traditional method used by most schools (especially public) caused him to fall behind. Fortunately my wife, after an exhaustive search, found The Mentoring Academy. From the Headmaster, John Muster, to all of the Mentors (they are not just teachers), this High School has allowed my son to learn in a way that suits his unique needs. Most importantly, the low ratio of 'mentors' to students helps to insure each student gets the individualized attention they require. I would recommend this school to any parent who has a student struggling to learn via a traditional approach. It may not be for everyone but it is certainly worth exploring (try a 'shadow day' for your child and have them help you decide). As an amazing added bonus, the school takes a yearly field trip (the last two years trips have been to Costa Rica and Poland), which provides a unique opportunity to learn from a more worldly perspective outside of the classroom.
Archived Q&A and Reviews
Dec 2015
Re: Unmotivated, unfocused bright 16 yr old boy who hates cookie-cutter school
Hi, have you considered alternative schools? In particular, Mentoring academy is great for bright intense kids. Very warm environment, engaged teachers and students. My son desperately wanted to go there (we didn't send him there because we thought he should try a more standard school--however, Mentoring works at teaching students to thrive in standard schools as well, so maybe we were wrong about that!). We love the school. Maybe go to an open house, if they are still having any, and see if your son likes it? I had to drag my son to the open house and then I couldn't get him to leave....it's a wonderful place. My impression is that people either find it a good match or not rather quickly. He could likely start right away too as they have the kids working at their own speeds (which is why some of the kids are working well into college level). I hope it works out for you!! another parent of a different sort of kid
After two years at a very stressful public high school where our son was putting in decent effort but not succeeding, we moved him to the Mentoring Academy in Rockridge. He loves it - It’s ''200% better'' according to him. It is a game changer and is inspiring him in many areas of learning. They have a longer school day and mostly zero homework as a tradeoff for the longer day. The no homework policy was something my family needed in our life as the homework battle was damaging our relationships. He has only been there a few months, and it may not be as academic as where he was, but we feel thankful to have found him a school that is the right fit for him. Kim
Oct 2013
Re: Private high school for disorganized smart kid
We had a great experience with the Mentoring Academy after a disastrous experience with a small private school. Mentoring provides a self-paced, individualized learning experience. The director, John Muster, is a caring and engaged individual. He will spend significant time and energy getting to know your child and designing a program that is a good fit. He looks at the whole child - not just the academic piece. Mentoring is an all-day school with little to no homework (schoolwork is done during school hours, 9-5). This is a wonderful relief if you and your child are tired of homework dance. Hope this helps. MM
Dec 2012
Mentoring Academy is a new school, headed by John Muster, the former head at Maybeck High School. Our son has been very happy there this year. He is able to pursue classes that really engage him -- he is taking accredited high school classes as well as two college classes. The classes at Mentoring are a combination of on-line classes and classes taught at school. The students are at school from 9-5:30, and do all their work at school and have evenings and weekends without any homework, which we find to work really well. We have known John Muster for five years (both our children were students at Maybeck). He has a great rapport with students and encourages their intellectual curiosity and enthusiasm for learning. I think this school would work well for a lot of different kinds of students--certainly for bright, outside of the box kids, but also for students who are still figuring out what their passions are. The Mentoring environment encourages students to take the good kinds of risks--to try new kinds of classes and to learn about new things, in a supportive environment. Parent of a Mentoring Academy Student
Dec 2012
John Muster created Mentoring Academy with a vision of "providing the most effective, vibrant, human, compelling, and engaging learning environment possible." This vision exactly reflects what John provided to our son as his mentor/independent study English teacher in the year leading up to the launch of Mentoring Academy in the fall of 2012. John is an amazing educator. I highly recommend that you check out Mentoring Academy for your child's High School education. It is conveniently located near Rockridge BART on College Avenue.
Our Story: John Muster was head teacher at Maybeck High School when we first met him several years ago. We were looking for a High School in the Berkeley area that would appropriately accommodate our very bright, but extremely dyslexic son. John and our son really hit it off when they met, and though our son was not a good fit for Maybeck, John became his private tutor (for lack of a better word) for over a year as a result of their meeting. I would describe John's approach to teaching as diagnostic (what mastery is needed?), compassionate and inspiring. Our son was especially struggling with his tenth grade English class, so John helped us arrange for our son to complete the year long course with him as independent study. John was able to capture our son's interest by identifying topics he'd be excited to read and write about, and help him master a process for writing academic papers that he could carry forward to all his classes. John ultimately had our son give presentations at his school based on his papers to build other teachers' awareness of his capabilities, as well as his self esteem.
Working with John has truly transformed our son's academic life. With the launch of Mentoring Academy, your High School student now has the awesome possibility of working with John and his colleagues themselves. Rosanne
Dec 2012
I have a son who is in the 11th grade and who is both dyslexic and dysgraphic. Over the years he has had extensive tutoring for language based skills. John Muster the head of Mentoring academy worked with my son for several months and the results of his tutoring have been astonishing. Previously, my son struggled to complete his writing assignments and he can now complete them without significant help. His writing grades have significantly improved from a D to a B. I know that my sons improvement is due to the help that was provided to him by John. From talking with John, I know he has a very special approach to teaching. I believe it starts with getting to know the student as a person and trying to identify the students strengths and weaknesses. John then puts together a tutoring program for that student. In my conversations with John, I also know that he is continually thinking about the student and what can be done to better serve the student. John is very personable and is very good at engaging the student in the work. If my son was just starting high school, the Mentoring Academy and John Muster would be the first on my list of schools. wjb
Nov 2012
We have a middle schooler who will be applying to high school in a few years, and we are wondering what schools might be a good fit for him down the line. We're not convinced a hard core college prep school is the best route, but we might be wrong. We're guessing he'll be an engineering or designing sort of person eventually, he's definitely geek/nerd type and creative (and perhaps alternative), but not a model student! We are interested in hearing from parents who have kids like this who are in high school now--what schools work or don't work (and why), and perhaps a bit about your kid(s) to get a sense if their experiences might be something we might encounter as well. Thank you very much. anon
My son is a first year student at the Mentoring Academy, a new high school in Rockridge. Coursework is individualized and self-paced, with plenty of opportunity to work one on one with mentor-teachers. It's new, but I'd encourage you to check it out. Students there are the kind of kids who build things in their spare time--and they have spare time b/c there is a long school day but no homework. Definitely a good place for bright, creative kids who may not do as well in more traditional classroom settings. Mentoring Academy is college preparatory, but there's far less pressure than at most high schools. Happy Mentoring Academy Parent
Nov 2012
Re: Highly gifted ADHD student - which high school?
We have experience with both Tilden Prep and Mentoring Academy. Both schools are good at what they do but they work on very different models.
Our oldest child attended Tilden for one year, getting individual instruction from teachers. The directors are both knowledgeable in the education field, and we found the teachers to mostly be good. They are well-prepared in the topics they teach but they are not necessarily trained as teachers. The school seems to work well for students who are motivated and are able to get work done independently. It also allows students who are struggling with a subject to go at a slower pace. Because the classes are one-on-one it can get expensive.
Our younger child attends the new Mentoring Academy. The students take a mix of Mentoring classes and on-line classes. The classes are accredited and meet UC requirements. A wide range of classes is available and students who are ready for more challenging classes take college-level classes. They are at school from 9-5:30, working on their classes, getting individual tutoring, or working with other students on projects. They also participate in various social events. They complete all their work at school and don't have homework. Our child attended a private high school for two years and was a good student, but somewhat bored. At Mentoring he is taking classes that really interest him. The director, John Muster, is a gifted educator. He was well-respected by parents and students as the head of Maybeck High School. He has an amazing rapport with the students. At Mentoring he works closely with the students to make sure that they get the right classes and are actively engaged in their own educations. Mentoring Academy is new and still very small, but I imagine it will grow quickly as the word gets out, and there are plans to add art and other classes. It has been exciting to see our son so engaged in his classes. Even though he does not have homework he sometimes works at home because he is so interested in what he is doing. A Berkeley Parent
Each of the three schools mentioned has strong and effective solutions to meeting the needs of students. All three provide self-paced instruction. This posting is a brief explanation of the features of Mentoring Academy because there are some important differences. Students are expected to be at Mentoring Academy from 9 to 5:30 each day to meet with teacher-mentors, engage in projects with other students, participate in discussions and to complete their individual work. We do not send students home with homework, rather expect them to complete all work with the support and guidance of the mentors on staff and engaged with them during the school day. Evenings are for families, following personal interests, and resting in preparation for the next day. Social, travel, all school and joint events provide for a rich interpersonal life as well as a strong academic environment. Every student is placed at their appropriate level whether it be Advanced Calculus, AP courses, or modules that assist in mastering skills missed in earlier schooling. All courses are mastery, project, self-paced, mentored and engaging. A-G approved courses. The approach is to support individual student mastery, accepting the fact that no two students are alike. John Muster, Director of Mentoring Acadcemy
Thanks to all respondents. Our conclusions: about Mentoring Academy, John Muster: the program is small and new. We visited and met twice with John. Significantly, my son wanted to transfer there after meeting and feeling extremely comfortable with John and the students. I found John's engagement with my son and the other kids to be excellent -- respectful, insightful, and encouraging a reflective and investigative attitude. Different than Tilden in that although each studies on his own, students are on site all day, interacting during breaks, with John and the tutors. We decided not to enroll there, and not for reasons of cost -- it is actually sliding scale. We decided for BISP instead to facilitate our kid's sustained participation in BHS classes and groups he is already involved in.
Aug 2012
I have two older teenagers, both of whom are gifted, yet each with rather different learning styles and both of whom have had John Muster, the founder of the Mentoring Academy, as both a teacher and advisor. I can easily say that he is an exceptional educator who truly knows and connects with young people and is a brilliant and caring man as well. (Believe me, the kids can tell!) Had this school been available a few years back, I would have loved to have sent my kids to Mentoring Academy for their high school education! Julie '
Hi,
I feel extremely fortunate to have found and was able to have my daughter enrolled at Mentoring Academy. She started attending last January 2016 as a 9th grader. She does not have a learning disability but was extremely challenged with large public school settings and offerings. She was falling between the cracks and was finding it difficult to excel and enjoy her school experience. Mentoring to me is a glorified home schooling opportunity. The staff are incredible, they amaze me on a regular basis on the extent of involvement and attention that they provide to my daughter, I feel blessed to have them working with her. There are some social issues but the social issues at her previous schools were substantially far worse in different aspects. These kids are all there wanting to learn which was such a relief to my daughter and obviously for me as well. Happy to share out further if you have other thoughts or concerns.
Take care,
Nancy
Mentoring Academy was a lifesaver for our family. Our son had difficulties as a sophomore at a large public school and attended Mentoring for his last two years of High School and it worked out brilliantly. He was among a group of talented students who required a little bit of personal direction which MA staff provided to each and every one of them. Our son is now in his third year of College and will do a double honors program in his final year. I can't speak highly enough of the headmaster who has an extraordinary capacity to bring out the best in everyone and is very experienced, as are his staff. The school takes a holistic approach, in and out of the class room and ensures that no student is left behind. I would strongly recommend that you enroll your child and give it a go. He and you will work out very quickly, with the staff, a suitable approach to help him achieve his goals.
pb
Thank you all for your insight! I appreciate it.
PS. I work for an organization where we provide employment to people with developmental and intellectual disabilities and I teach job skills to them so I am always surrounded with a population who has LD's and they are lovely people!
YY