43rd State Blues

The Benefits of a Private School Education

So you’re wondering if you should send your child to a private school. Of course regular public schools will suffice – will most likely provide your children with enough education to get through the regular ups and downs of life, but will it take their educational experience to a higher level? That’s the kind of questions you should be asking yourself. What really are the benefits of a private school education?

The Most Common Benefit Of A Private School Education

One of the commonly known benefits of a private school education is that its community atmosphere is smaller. In other words, there are much fewer students per teacher. This type of environment allows teacher to pay more attention to the individual students and get to know them more personally.

Knowing and understanding each child’s differing educational needs more intimately – especially over the span of a number of years – is obvious to only benefit them akin to having a personal tutor. Simply put, smaller classes help teachers have much more time to give each student their undivided attention.

Fewer Disciplinary Problems In Private Schools

No one like trouble and a troubled child is sometime most parent hope they never have to deal with, themselves and neither their children. As parents we hope our children will grow up strong and confident and mentally stable and if that works, we want them to associate with the like. This applies in a school environment as well. Whether your child is a toddler or an over 18 year old adult, we hope their associations are decent people with a good head on their shoulders.

Statistics have shown that at private schools, there are far fewer disciplinary problems than there are in public schools. With smaller classes, teachers and principles build stronger and more respectful relationships – not built on authority but built on mutual friendships. This type of relationship is conducive to building self reflection in children by compelling them to look at themselves and their behaviour and analyzing such rather than doing so through force or disciplinary actions.

This environment is more effective than using disciplinary measures that are used in public schools, such as giving entire classes detentions or suspensions.

Children that behave, and are praised for that behavior always seem to want to continue that behavior.

But don’t get me wrong. Private schools are strict. Students are expected to act in a higher order, give the right amount of respect to authority and complete their work in the allotted times. Private schools also believe in expelling students whom seem hopeless to the schools aim. On the other side of the spectrum public schools don’t tend to resort to expulsions as much. Public schools are virtually mandated as a right and not a privilege which is exactly what a student that attends a private school is – privileged. Simply put, the likelihood of a student getting expelled cause both the parents and the child to understand the need to behave.

Private Summer School Programs

When the summer months come our way, we as parents have the very same concerns about a children’s mental well being as we do during the school year. Although we’re working we start considering ways we can occupy our children’s days, and in the most beneficial way. Well if you have the money to afford it, this is where private summer school programs come into play.

Why are private summer schools better for your child? For the exact same reasons mentioned above – smaller classes and groups of children mean much closer and better attention to their educational needs. Yes at private summer schools children are expected to learn but they always seem to love doing so. 

Those same benefits we keep referring to not only apply to summer schools either – you can fit before and after school programs too. 

The Operations Of A Private School And A Parent’s Input

With some private schools parents are to contribute to decisions made on curriculum and policy. This is because they contribute to the success of the education system their children are enrolled in and it’s like an investment. Private school owners understand this perspective and so act accordingly with parents. A simple contemplation of this fact will bring to light the extreme benefits of this kind of setup – unanimous voting on policies, formats, holiday and special days and curriculum helps keep the school up-to-date, in line with the times and ensures change and growth.

With private schools the tuition helps to maintain the school grounds and helps in the purchasing of various learning materials – all under the open eye of the contributors of those monies – the parents.

The contrast in public schools is in the fact that years of legislation and investigation has to take place before any kind of serious or wanted changes need to be made – all made without input from the parents. The parents may lose and of course so can the students.

Going From Private To Public

Interestingly enough, there are times when parents put a stop to their child’s private school education and send off to the public board. When this happens, many students tell of feeling far brighter and intelligent than their counter parts. Some students are compelled to skip grades due to the fact that they have already accomplished the goals that the public school students are currently achieving. This is an interesting side note as it seems that even a few years of education at a private school could propel your child into honour scholarship programs in the public school system.

Some Statistics

Besides the listed above, another side-benefit of a private education is that children who attend them are less violent, have fewer drug problems and have a much lower dropout rate.

Private school students generally have higher scores on college entrance and standardized exams and a larger percent of their students go to college and university. They get higher scores on SAT exams and more graduate with honours of some kind.

If you look into your pocket and find you can afford a private education for your children, don’t  think twice because one day you may regret your choice if you made the wrong one.