Picking the right school for your kids can be hard. Parents have a lot of options today. Even within the realm of the best private schools, there are choices to be made. There are some things you should consider when you are looking at private elementary schools that can help make the decision making process easier.
- Ask the school about how they view family involvement. When you are talking to different private elementary schools, ask them how they view the role of the family in children’s education. You should find a school that welcomes input from parents and others in your family. Research shows that when the family is a more active participant in a child’s education, they do better.
- Ask about the philosophy of the schools. When you are looking at the best private education, you will find a large variety in the philosophical approaches they all have towards education and life. You should look for a school that has similar values and the same outlook that you do. This is for a few reasons. The most important is that it can be hard for children to hear one message at school and another one at home. You can eliminate that confusion by going with a school that shares your philosophy and values.
- Talk to the school about their relationship with their community. The best private elementary schools are active in their communities. This is a better situation than when they are often isolated and are more like islands on their own. There are a few reasons this is good. In the first place, this will help your child become a more active participant in the world but will make sure they have more experience with a wider variety of people.
- Look at the overall curriculum. When you are talking to private elementary schools, you should be able to safely assume that they are going to cover all of the basics but if your child has a specific interest, in say, theatre, language arts or sports, you should make sure the school you choose for your child will give them the chance to follow that passion. Students excel when they are able to pursue their interests.
- Look at the location but do not put all your eggs in that basket. You may find the best school for your child is in your town or maybe it is not. You should think and talk to your child about how they would feel about being close to you or how they would react to being farther away. This can be an important detail that cannot be overstated. This is one of the more difficult decisions that your family will have to make.
- Visit the schools. You can get a lot of information about the different private elementary schools online and from parents and kids who know the schools but the best thing you can do to see if your child will be happy at the school is to go and check them out in person. Go, walk around, get a tour, talk to the kids and kick the tires on the schools you are looking at.
- Listen to your gut. If you get a really good or bad feeling about a school, listen to that. A lot of people will try to ignore the little voice in their head that says, “this place is great!” or “this place is creepy!” The same holds true if your child has a gut reaction to the schools you are looking at. You want to get the best education for your child but you should not sacrifice their happiness and childhood.
- Make sure your religion or culture is respected. The best thing is to find a private school where your background or religion is represented. It can help your child learn alongside other kids who are share their religion and ethnicity. This can make a big difference in how they view themselves and the world and is something you should look into when you are looking at different private schools.
Finding the right private school for your child is an important decision for your family to make but can be a good experience.
