In families with more than one child, parents usually assume—at least when the kids are very young—that they'll end up attending the same school. Often, parents move to an area specifically for the schools, planning their lives around the likely educational paths of all their children.
As kids get older, however, sometimes a school that seemed right for the first child isn't as good a fit for the second or third. The children may have very different personalities or learning styles; one child may thrive in a particular school while another seems to languish.
In such situations, carefully evaluating the educational needs of each child is crucial. Although sending everyone to the same school may be more convenient or desirable from other standpoints, doing so is not always the best decision.
Consider, for example, a family where the oldest child is quiet, introverted, and "bookish," while the youngest is highly social and very involved in sports and other school activities. The former may not do well in a large public high school where no one notices her and she feels too shy to approach teachers or other students. Her sibling, on the other hand, may be much happier and more successful in that environment than in a small, academically rigorous private school.
Financial considerations may also play a role in deciding whether or not to send kids to the same school. Although children from the same family might all do well at and be admitted to a nearby private school, their parents may only be able to afford to enroll one. This type of situation is particularly difficult, and because of the potential long-term ramifications of choosing one child over the other(s), keeping all the kids in public school may well be the best decision.
In sum, deciding whether or not your children should attend the same school isn't always easy. Sometimes the answer is clear, but more often, it isn't. Taking a close look at each child's educational needs, learning style, and personality—as well as the family's finances and any other relevant factors—is key to making a decision that will be in the best long- and short-term interests for as many family members as possible.
Showing posts with label Evaluating the Fit. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Evaluating the Fit. Show all posts
The Importance of Giving Teachers Time
The other day I was chatting with a parent, and the conversation turned to a comparison between private and public schools. The topic is common among parents, particularly those who send their children to private schools after having had them in public schools. Understandably, parents generalize from their own children's individual experiences in their attempts to assess the differences between private and public schools (and, perhaps, to justify their hard-earned tuition dollars).
Although some observations private-school parents make can be questionable—such as that the teachers are "better" or the kids more motivated—one that came up in my recent conversation was that teachers in private schools have more time available to devote to students (which, in turn, helps kids academically and enriches their educational experience).
In general, this perception is true. Because of inadequate funding, classes in public schools are often much larger, which means public school teachers have less time available per student than do their private school counterparts. Moreover, free time can be—and often is—built into the schedules of private school teachers, allowing them to spend more hours correcting papers, giving feedback, meeting with students, and developing creative ways of teaching their subject matter.
This doesn't mean that private school teachers are inherently better—many, in fact, have years of public school teaching under their belts, and plenty of public school teachers devote countless hours of their own time to their students and classes after school, in the evenings, and on weekends. It simply means that private school teachers have an important resource—more time—that teachers in public schools typically don't.
As with other aspects of K–12 education, however, this difference is more important for some kids than for others—and at certain points in their schooling than at others. In other words, not only is the teaching in private schools not intrinsically superior to that in public schools, it also may not affect a particular student's educational achievement one way or the other—there are individual differences in how students respond to varying educational environments. As always, what's important is to evaluate the needs of your particular child at his or her specific developmental stage and choose a school—public or private—that will be a good fit.
Although some observations private-school parents make can be questionable—such as that the teachers are "better" or the kids more motivated—one that came up in my recent conversation was that teachers in private schools have more time available to devote to students (which, in turn, helps kids academically and enriches their educational experience).
In general, this perception is true. Because of inadequate funding, classes in public schools are often much larger, which means public school teachers have less time available per student than do their private school counterparts. Moreover, free time can be—and often is—built into the schedules of private school teachers, allowing them to spend more hours correcting papers, giving feedback, meeting with students, and developing creative ways of teaching their subject matter.
This doesn't mean that private school teachers are inherently better—many, in fact, have years of public school teaching under their belts, and plenty of public school teachers devote countless hours of their own time to their students and classes after school, in the evenings, and on weekends. It simply means that private school teachers have an important resource—more time—that teachers in public schools typically don't.
As with other aspects of K–12 education, however, this difference is more important for some kids than for others—and at certain points in their schooling than at others. In other words, not only is the teaching in private schools not intrinsically superior to that in public schools, it also may not affect a particular student's educational achievement one way or the other—there are individual differences in how students respond to varying educational environments. As always, what's important is to evaluate the needs of your particular child at his or her specific developmental stage and choose a school—public or private—that will be a good fit.
The Problem with High School Rankings
U.S. News & World Report has just come out with its latest rankings of America's high schools, along with a description of the three-step process researchers used to arrive at the top-100 list. Schools were ranked according to whether:
Although this methodology has some problems, such as that state standardized test scores are often more reflective of parental educational level (and the degree to which parents operationalize the value they place on education) than of how good any particular school is, a bigger issue is the entire notion of ranking schools.
Regardless of methodology, when schools are ranked, it's easy to make the mistake of thinking that schools higher up on the list are "better" than ones lower down (or absent altogether). The problem is, the rankings are grossly oversimplified measures of schools' quality. Ranking processes differ, but all use only a limited number of variables (such as reading and math test scores) to arrive at their conclusions.
Unfortunately, many parents take these rankings very seriously and use them, sometimes exclusively, to choose their children's schools. Doing so, however, ignores or downplays many other factors that comprise a school's quality—and suitability.
A far better use of the rankings (if they're to be used at all) is as a starting point for researching schools. By viewing them in conjunction with academic offerings, teacher ratings on such sites as ratemyteachers.com, student and parent reviews on greatschools.net, college placement statistics, and in-person visits, parents can obtain a much fuller picture of a school than is revealed by its standing on a ranking of high schools. The most important factor, however, will always be one that no report or website can tell you, and that's which school will be a good fit for your particular child.
- Students performed "better than statistically expected for the average school in the state," based on the state's standardized tests for reading and math (and given the percentage of "economically disadvantaged" students);
- A school's "least advantaged" students performed better than similar students in the state;
- Students were "college ready," as measured by an index of Advanced Placement (AP) and International Baccalaureate (IB) test data.
Although this methodology has some problems, such as that state standardized test scores are often more reflective of parental educational level (and the degree to which parents operationalize the value they place on education) than of how good any particular school is, a bigger issue is the entire notion of ranking schools.
Regardless of methodology, when schools are ranked, it's easy to make the mistake of thinking that schools higher up on the list are "better" than ones lower down (or absent altogether). The problem is, the rankings are grossly oversimplified measures of schools' quality. Ranking processes differ, but all use only a limited number of variables (such as reading and math test scores) to arrive at their conclusions.
Unfortunately, many parents take these rankings very seriously and use them, sometimes exclusively, to choose their children's schools. Doing so, however, ignores or downplays many other factors that comprise a school's quality—and suitability.
A far better use of the rankings (if they're to be used at all) is as a starting point for researching schools. By viewing them in conjunction with academic offerings, teacher ratings on such sites as ratemyteachers.com, student and parent reviews on greatschools.net, college placement statistics, and in-person visits, parents can obtain a much fuller picture of a school than is revealed by its standing on a ranking of high schools. The most important factor, however, will always be one that no report or website can tell you, and that's which school will be a good fit for your particular child.
Is There Such a Thing As the "Right" Kindergarten?
For most parents and children, kindergarten marks the beginning of "real" school. Even though many kids have already spent two—or even three—years in preschool, most "graduate" to kindergarten either in their local public school or in a private school. Because going off to kindergarten is such a big step, parents often devote a great deal of time and energy to researching schools in an effort to find the "right" kindergarten for their child.
But is there such a thing as one right, or best, kindergarten? The short answer is no. Not only will different types of kindergartens be better suited to some kids than others, but every child has the potential to flourish in any number of different kindergartens. The key is figuring out what's important to you as a parent, both in the short and long terms, and then looking at programs that provide what you're looking for and also seem like good matches for your particular child's personality and needs.
It's important to keep in mind that kindergarten choice may affect your child's school placement later on—not because of educational factors per se, but because many private schools start in kindergarten and have only limited openings in subsequent years.
Similarly, in public school districts that allow school choice—that don't restrict attendance to students living only within particular neighborhood boundaries—enrolling in kindergarten is often easier because there are more openings. Moreover, once a student who resides elsewhere in the district attends such a school, he or she can usually (though not always) continue there, without having to return to the local school if an unusually large number of new children move into the neighborhood school's boundaries somewhere down the line.
Aside from such pragmatic longer-term considerations, though, finding a good kindergarten for your child really means relinquishing the notion that there is only one, best choice. Although some options truly will be better fits, both in terms of your child's personality and your educational goals and philosophy, no one kindergarten will be "perfect," even though sometimes it may seem that way. An open-minded and flexible attitude will go a long way toward ensuring that both you and your child end up happy with your kindergarten choice.
But is there such a thing as one right, or best, kindergarten? The short answer is no. Not only will different types of kindergartens be better suited to some kids than others, but every child has the potential to flourish in any number of different kindergartens. The key is figuring out what's important to you as a parent, both in the short and long terms, and then looking at programs that provide what you're looking for and also seem like good matches for your particular child's personality and needs.
It's important to keep in mind that kindergarten choice may affect your child's school placement later on—not because of educational factors per se, but because many private schools start in kindergarten and have only limited openings in subsequent years.
Similarly, in public school districts that allow school choice—that don't restrict attendance to students living only within particular neighborhood boundaries—enrolling in kindergarten is often easier because there are more openings. Moreover, once a student who resides elsewhere in the district attends such a school, he or she can usually (though not always) continue there, without having to return to the local school if an unusually large number of new children move into the neighborhood school's boundaries somewhere down the line.
Aside from such pragmatic longer-term considerations, though, finding a good kindergarten for your child really means relinquishing the notion that there is only one, best choice. Although some options truly will be better fits, both in terms of your child's personality and your educational goals and philosophy, no one kindergarten will be "perfect," even though sometimes it may seem that way. An open-minded and flexible attitude will go a long way toward ensuring that both you and your child end up happy with your kindergarten choice.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
