You’ve chosen to send your child to a private versus public school. Now what? The process of choosing which private school is best for your child can be daunting. According to the Council for American Private Education, there are approximately 30,000 private schools in the U.S. In Houston alone, there are more than 80.
How do you decide which private school offers the most benefits for your child? Here are a few guidelines.
Small class sizes
As most parents looking for a private school know, one of the biggest benefits to a private education is small class size. According to the National Center for Education Statistics, the average class size at public elementary schools is 24 students. Most private schools average anywhere from 13 to 17 students. This means your child benefits from more one-on-one, individualized attention from teachers. Any private school you’re researching should be able to provide their class size data and should have smaller than average class sizes to fully take advantage of this benefit.
Diversity
Students graduating from high school today will go to college and eventually work in jobs all over the world. While public schools offer a chance for children to interact with other students they live near, a private school provides the opportunity for students to interact with and learn from students across the globe. This is invaluable education that comes from access to people from other ethnicities, cultures, schools of thought and perspectives. To fully prepare students for college, university and beyond, a private school should offer your child a global perspective and awareness he or she can carry with them for the rest of their lives.
Experiential learning
Experiential learning is a process in which students “learn by doing” and by reflecting on their experience. Experiential learning activities include hands-on laboratory experiments, internships, field exercises, trips abroad, undergraduate research and studio performances. Benefits of this learning process are immeasurable. According to the Association of Experiential Education (AEE), schools who provide experiential learning help their students gain a better grasp of concepts, more creativity, thirst for knowledge and greater reflection on experiences. As the future of education, experiential learning should be a key component of any private school’s curriculum you’re investigating.
Robust fine and visual arts programs
Increased emphasis on instruction and testing in math, science and language arts have caused many schools to reduce their fine arts programming greatly. But, research shows the benefits of fine and visual arts programs for children can be seen academically, along with improvements in behavior and attendance. In addition, fine arts education provides children benefits such as promoting self-esteem, motivation, aesthetic awareness, cultural exposure, creativity, improved emotional expression, as well as social harmony and appreciation of diversity. Whichever private school you’re looking into should have a robust and developed fine and visual arts program for students of all ages.
College/university prep
Private schools benefit from the ability to cater their curriculum and experiences to adequately prepare students for life after high school. But access to college and university counselors is key to ensuring students are prepared for the application processes each school requires. A private school should offer students the chance to regularly meet with experienced college advisors who know the ins and outs of the application process and university requirements for schools both nationally but also abroad. And this access shouldn’t just start in their junior year. Any worthwhile private school should offer your child access to college counselors and resources who have a proven process for acceptances into top universities beginning in at least their ninth grade year.
The Village School, a Pre-K through 12th grade private day and boarding school in Houston, delivers a global perspective, diversity of thought, and access to world-class teachers. Learn more about how our small class sizes, experiential learning curriculum and college counselling programs can help prepare your child for future success: thevillageschool.com.
Voted the No. 1 most diverse private school in Houston, Village is home to a collaborative global community. Learn more at: thevillageschool.com.
