Mamma Sandy Says
School Choices
This week I'm starting to look at various topics relating to raising kids. Starting with choices regarding schooling.
Your child has now turned 3 years of age. He or she is no longer a baby or toddler. They're a small person. The thought occurs "Soon it will be time for school. What do we do now?" Indeed, what is best for your child? Besides having survived the raising of my own children, I'm also a teacher with a fairly broad experience of different types of schools. So here are my opinions.
As a parent, your goal is to get the best possible education for your child. but what is best for your child? I'll look at various options, but first I want to challenge standard thinking a bit. I'm of the belief that what is best for your child should be examined every year. No one school type is perfect every year. A true story as an example. I knew a family who home schooled their two children. Mostly it worked well for them. As Christians they prayed every year about their children's education. When the daughter was nearing 5th grade they received guidance that the daughter (and not the son) should attend the local Christian private school for that year. She did so, but returned to home schooling after that. The mother admitted that the one teacher filled a need in her daughter that she herself couldn't.
Let's look at options:
Public schools - Where you live usually decided which public school your child is supposed to attend. Start checking early. Ask other parents whose children have already attended there. What is good and bad about that school? Also ask about specific teachers. Some will be better for your child than others. Remember, the teacher that was great for your first child may not be for your second. Can you transfer your child to a different (and better for your child) school in the district? Are there specialty schools in the district and what are the requirements?
Some school districts are ok with transfers. Others are not. If your local schools are bad, consider moving, it that's an option. I knew I didn't want my children attending public school at the middle and high school levels in the town they started elementary school in. We moved to a city with excellent schools before they started middle school. The schools were so good that I had parents (from the neighboring city) asking if they could use my address to get their kids registered for school.
Private schools - Private schools run the gamut. Do your research. They are not free. Schools based on religious beliefs are most common. Most Roman Catholic churches have ties to all levels of schools. Prices and quality vary. There are also academic schools. Think prep schools. They tend to be pricey. Students may or may not live on site (boarding school). Military schools are not as popular as they used to be, but they are still around. Again, pricey and may also be boarding schools.
Lots of things to look at with private schools. What is their focus? Beyond the focus, does the school provide a balanced education? Do their values mesh with theirs? Once you have a child in attendance there keep a close eye on some key things. Are they happy? Is your child making friends? How is the homework load? Is it appropriate? Is your child getting the education they need or are you having to suppliment?
Home schools - This is a tough topic. Home schooling has gotten a bad reputation in a lot of places. It tends to be popular with religious groups and in rural areas. I believe, if handled correctly, home schooling can be a good option. However, there are some specific problems.
1. The level of education. A lot depends on whether it's just one family educating their own children, or a group of families that have built their own home schooling district. A larger group is better, but there is a real problem with curriculum. They don't have the exposure to the variety of textbooks available. The materials they choose may not be what is best for their specific child. Especially if there are any special needs. Also, the teachers are not professionals.
2. Lack of socialization. I can always tell seeing groups of students on a field trip which ones are coming from a home school group. They aren't used to walking in lines. Home schooled kids don't generally learn how to survive recess. A good home school group I knew of insisted that the children in the group also be involved in outside activities such as sports. They also had group activities every week. A bad home school experience will keep the student isolated and impair social skills.
3. Inability to diagnose special needs. This is a serious problem. Many home school groups do annual testing (mostly to prove to the local public schools that the kids are learning what they're supposed to), but that doesn't spot problems. Parents aren't usually trained teachers. I know of a case where a home schooled student was not diagnosed with a learning disability. The student was smart, and was able to get around the problem until they tried to attend regular college. That student could have gotten a waver (or help) with the problem, but with no diagnosis, no proof and no help.
Charter schools - This is a new development in education. The format is still in formation. It seems to be a form of private school, so it's not free (unless it's government sponsored). Depending on the school, it can be with real teachers and classrooms, but it can also be packet and/or computer based, with little actual teacher contact. Buyer beware. Do your research! Charter schools seem to be springing up most often in areas where the public schools are not doing well. A good charter school also includes some activities and encourages students to take part in activities off campus. Smarter students seem to do well. There have been cases of substandard educations, especially in inner cities.
Continuation schools - To be frank, these are the places that public schools send the students that don't fit in to the standard schools. Usually only high school level only. It's a catch-all. And often just temporary. Often the goal is to get a student back up to level (or to demonstrate consistent proper behavior) so they can return to regular school. This is where you will find pregnant girls, discipline problems, kids with drug and/or alcohol problems, and kids with diagnosed or undiagnosed mental problems. And sometimes a student that just can't attend a regular high school. I knew a teen who was a guitarist in his older brother's rock band. The band was doing well, so the student was out very late with performances, recording, etc. Continuation school worked for him.
Each school district handles continuation slightly differently. The district I work for has two school sessions daily, morning and afternoon. The morning students get a mix of packet work and real classes. The afternoon classes are purely packet, with a supervising teacher, but no instruction.
A continuation student can get a high school diploma, or go for his GED. However, there are often no lab facilities, so no classes like chemistry. This is a problem if the student wants to go to a 4 year college. Without a lab science, college won't except them and they will have to attend a community college first. Some continuation schools will let college bound students take lab classes at a local high school.
A few thoughts from my own experiences. A good public school is a blessing. My son started out in public school in a city with a very large school district. He was correctly identified as being Gifted in the first grade. From then on, that district mismanaged his education. I ended up removing him from public school and placing him in a religious private school.
The private school was better. The level of education did not meet his needs and we had to supplement a lot, but they did correctly diagnose some learning problems, which the public school didn't. They worked with us. My daughter went straight to the private school. She fared better socially, but was also bored academically.
By the time my son reached middle school age we had moved to a town with excellent schools. We had him placed in the GATE (Gifted and Talented Education) program there, which consisted of GATE classes of English and social studies. It was a very good fit. He found kindred spirits that became his friends for many years. It was a good fit for my daughter as well.
The high school GATE program consisted of Advanced Placement classes only, which was not a good fit for either of my children. But again, every child is different.
I do like the GATE program, generally. Technically, any child who qualifies for GATE is a Special Education child and should have an IEP, but most school districts don't bother. District start their GATE programs at different times. Some as early as first grade. Do your research. Is your child happy and well rounded? Is he socializing well? Is he happy?
Good luck!
I want to mention that I will respond to questions, not only about the specific topic, but other topics as well.
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