One of the most important decisions you will make as a parent is deciding which school you will send your kids to. If you choose the right school, you will be steering them toward a path of learning and success. On the contrary, the wrong school will make learning unstimulating, boring, and humdrum. Too many consequences for one decision, right?
However, there are so many kinds of schools you can choose from that it can be overwhelming. Do you enroll them in magnet schools, send them to international schools, or decide to homeschool them? With so many options, parents need to determine whether their child’s school is meeting his needs or there is a need to look for better alternatives.
Here we explore what traits you should be looking for in a school and evaluate whether they are the perfect fit for your child’s needs.
1 Set A Criteria
For this to work, you must know everything about how your child performs in school, their problem areas, and their learning curve. As parents, you will need to be fully involved in their learning process to evaluate what the best learning environment works for them.
In your criteria, include what specific subject matter you want them to improve in their understanding level. You cannot just base this off of their exam scores, you must know their learning style first and the hindrances that keep them from understanding their lessons. If you find that their current school is unable to address this area, then you can think about transferring them to a school that can.
Other than academic requirements, you must also check their social needs. Are they making friends? How are they in social interactions, especially with people they have just met? As well as extracurricular opportunities like clubs and organizations they can join and be active in.
Also, check whether the school schedules their exams and assignments in a way that does not overstress the kids. There must be room for wellness and play to keep them mentally balanced. Remember, a healthy social life is as important as their academic performance.
2 Find A Focus Area
We want holistic education for our kids. This means that the curriculum must be able to provide them with opportunities to learn all types of subjects, whether it is the sciences or the arts. However, if you have a focus area in mind, this will greatly narrow your list of schools to choose from. For instance, if you want your child to learn a different language to increase their skills, you may choose international schools like the one in Singapore, the Global Indian International School (GIIS), which offers the six working languages in the United Nations (Mandarin, Spanish, French, Arabic, English, and Russian). This particular school has various international campuses in different parts of the globe.
We want holistic education for our kids. This means that the curriculum must be able to provide them with opportunities to learn all types of subjects, whether it is the sciences or the arts. However, if you have a focus area in mind, this will greatly narrow your list of schools to choose from. For instance, if you want your child to learn a different language to increase their skills, you may select international schools like the one in Singapore, the Global Indian International School (GIIS), which offers the six working languages in the United Nations (Mandarin, Spanish, French, Arabic, English, and Russian). This particular school has various international campuses in different parts of the globe.
You may also want a school which offers a wide range of study material for the arts like theatre acting, production, screen and stage writing, and more.
Note that other aspects of learning must still be considered. But this will force you to look at your child’s talents and have discussions with them on what they want to do in the future.
3 Take A School Tour
Any place looks good on paper. So once you have a shortlist of schools, make sure to visit each one of them. Meet the faculty, not just the principal, and then ask if you can observe a class. Have a clear picture of what the learning environment is like.
While you are observing the discussions, take note of some key things. Part of holistic education is allowing the child to explore their understanding of the lesson by applying what they have learned and giving them a platform to discuss what they observed. You should see students who are confident in sharing their thoughts, and that teachers must listen attentively. In some schools like the Global Indian International School in Singapore, this is the core of their curriculum. Through application and synthesis, not just memorization and class discussion, a child can fully grasp a concept in any subject.
During your visit, ask all the questions you should ask like what training they provide for teachers, how the school monitors the child’s performance, behavior problems they have handled, extracurricular programs, and so on.
4 Talk to Parents
If you want a more unbiased opinion, it is best to ask the parents about the kind of education their kids get at school. Are they satisfied with the quality of education their kids receive? Is the school responsive when it comes to concerns? Are the kids given enough time for work and wellness?
Keep all of these tips in mind when you are choosing a school that best suits your kids. But do trust your intuition. You know how your kids learn, what they are capable of, and their potential. Use all of what you know to figure out the best learning environment for them.