A Guide to Choosing the Right School Program For Your Child

We are so fortunate to live in a country where we have so many educational programs to choose from for our children. However fortunate we are there's no denying that so many programs can cause our heads to spin. As a parent of three grown boys, a home-school mom, charter school founder and now the CEO of a Colorado tutoring center, I'd like to offer some guidelines that may help make this process a little easier for you.

Before you get started choosing a school, apply these four components to your decision making process:

1. School Philosophy - Is it traditional, progressive or other?
2. School Achievement Record - Information can be found at your State Department of Education website.
3. Safety - Information on a school's safety record can be found at your State Department of Education website and through your local police department.
4. Family Cohesiveness - Will the program work for all family members and the family budget?

By applying these four components to your selection process you will be able to come to a decision that is not only best for your child but will ensure educational stability which is important for student achievement. I know from personal experience, kids do not like to move from school to school as it puts too much strain on their social experience.

You will find that all schools, even though they are supposed to be created equal, are not. Should you make a change, you may find the new school is teaching a new type of math that differs from your old school. This could put your child behind right when they arrive hindering your child's progress and hurting their overall educational experience. Before you do anything, visit the school. Some schools require an appointment so you might want to call ahead and check. I also recommend visiting the classrooms. It's a red flag if a school won't let you observe a classroom. When a school doesn't require an appointment and will let you observe a classroom that's a real plus in my book.

You may not be aware of all the school choices you have available to you. I know from speaking with many or our tutoring families they are surprised to learn about the many options they have when choosing a school for their child. So let's go over the main ones and keep in mind the area where you live may have other choices so visit your state's Department of Education website to learn all about the different programs in your area. Listed below is a breakdown of school options using pros and cons. You can add your own pros and cons so it fits your personal needs.

Public Schools - I am listing items that are generally offered at public schools. There will be some differences depending on your area. Of course, you may see a con that to you is a pro so it's just a matter of opinion. If it fits with your philosophy and your family's needs then that's all that matters.

Pros:

1. Usually close to home.
2. Most kids in the neighborhood will be going, so your child will know the students.
3. May have buses to take your child to school.
4. Before and after school care offered.
5. School cafeteria (free school lunch in some areas).
6. Generally speaking, public schools have better funding then charters and private schools.
7. Extra-curricular activities available (band, sports, art, etc.).
8. PTO support.
9. Special education programs.
10. Open enrollment programs in some districts which allows you to choose a school that fits your own educational philosophy.
11. Some areas have a Track Calendar which allows for 3 week breaks during the year.
12. Usually have up-to-date curriculum and technology (Generally speaking when compared to Charter Schools).

Cons:

1. One-size- fits-all teaching methods.
2. Large class sizes.
3. Over crowding.
4. Long bus rides to school.
5. Includes areas of study you may oppose.
6. Student discipline issues due to over crowding.
7. Teacher Tenure - hard to remove ineffective teachers.
8. Some areas have a Track Calendar but you can't always have all siblings on the same track.
9. Curriculum not as rigorous as you may like.
10. Too much testing.

Charter Schools - (Pubic schools that operate autonomously)

Pros:

1. Smaller class sizes.
2. School uniforms.
3. Operates autonomously from the school district.
4. Many volunteer opportunities.
5. Parent Council.
6. A defined philosophy - You will know if the school is more traditional or progressive. Some charters are designed to be delivered outdoors only. Charters tend to inform their parents of their expectations of you and your child so you will know if it's a good match.
7. Most charters have smaller school populations.
8. Statistics are showing that charter schools out perform public schools after they have been established for 5 years or more.
9. These schools usually have a stricter code of conduct.
10. Grading scale is usually more difficult.

Cons:

1. Limited enrollment and siblings may not get in.
2. Sometimes there is a waiting list and it could take years for your child to be accepted.
3. No bus service.
4. Limited supplies and curriculum - especially if a new charter.
5. Many new charters won't have cafeteria services for the first few years.
6. Parent councils can operate poorly.
7. Teacher continuity can take a few years.
8. May not have before and after care.
9. Your child may not see their neighborhood friends.
10. These schools usually have stricter codes of conduct.
11. Grading scale is usually more difficult.
12. Won't always be able to switch to another teacher if you don't like the one your child has as most charters only have 2 classes per grade.
13. Although it is mandatory, many charters will have limited Special Ed services.
14. New charters often suffer growing pains. You'll be expected to volunteer a lot and donate as much money and supplies as you can.

Home Schools - Be sure to check with your Department of Education before you start a home school program. You usually are required to complete a form of notification and there are state guidelines and testing that must be followed as well.

Pros:

1. Freedom to choose your own curriculum and teaching methods.
2. Set your own schedule and calendar. You can hold classes 3 days a week or 6 days, whichever you prefer. Along with choosing your own curriculum this has got to be the best part of homeschooling. (180-185 days of school are usually required but you can choose to hold class in the mornings, stop at 12:00, and then come back at 3:00 and work another few hours.
3. Classes can be anywhere - at home, church, and on field trips with friends.
4. In many states your child can participate in specials (art, computer, music classes) at your local public school at no charge.
5. The joy of having more time with your kids.
6. Can establish outside playgroups and activities with other home-school moms.
7. You can join Home School Associations in your area for resources and assistance.
8. Depending on your school district, there are now online programs available free of charge that provides you with a computer, printer, curriculum and teacher contact. Your child is part of a school district program but they learn from home.

Cons:

1. Time commitment is sometimes overwhelming.
2. The cost can be underestimated. Some home school parents start from scratch and others purchase lesson plans and curriculum kits. There are so many resources now to choose from but there will be out of pocket expense.
3. Turning your home into a classroom - you may have limited space.
4. Time management.
5. Student management - your child may not always want to work with you.
6. Negative feedback from other parents. Let's face it, if you are thin skinned this may not be for you. Many parents tend to think you are doing your child a disservice by not allowing your child to go to school and have the social benefits of public school. Others will say you are trying to shelter them from the real world.

Private Schools: There are so many private schools with different programs that for me to try and list the pros and cons would not be helpful. This is one area that you really need to do your homework on to make sure the value given is worth the cost.

Hopefully you have gathered some useful information and ideas that will make your selection process easier. If you're like me there is nothing more important than a powerful education. Good, just isn't good enough!

Diane Kulback is CEO of Step to Success Community Learning Center in Parker, CO. You can visit their website at http://www.steptosuccesstutoring.com or call 1-877-744-4771.

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Is Boarding School Right For Your Child?

As a parent, making the decision to send your child to boarding school is very difficult. The first step is deciding if your child will thrive at one of these types of schools. To do this, you must first understand the differences between the two types of boarding schools: traditional and therapeutic.

Boarding School Options

A traditional boarding school is a good option for children who are already motivated to learn. Some of these schools have a specific subject focus, such as math or music.

A therapeutic boarding school is a good option for children who have behavior problems, such as skipping school or being disruptive in class. Most of these schools have classes every day about dealing with emotions. These classes are held in addition to regular school classes.

Understand that there is a big difference between therapeutic boarding schools and military schools. At a military school, the focus is on changing a child's attitude through rigid rules and discipline. At a behavior-focused boarding school, the focus is on teaching the child how to control his actions and deal with his emotions in a positive way. The one thing that both types of boarding schools have in common is that there are trained professionals who help children with their academic pursuits as well as their emotions. Many schools have adults on hand around the clock to help students.

The Pros and Cons of Boarding Schools

One of the main benefits of sending a child to boarding school is the quality of education that child will receive. Boarding schools, especially private boarding schools, focus on small class sizes so that the students can learn with the aid of the teacher instead of the teacher expecting the students to learn independently.

Students at boarding schools are often more challenged academically than students at traditional schools. This is something that most colleges and universities smile upon when they are considering applicants. Sending your child to a boarding school is a wonderful idea if she is ahead of her class, especially if she is in honors or advanced placement classes.

Subject-focused traditional boarding schools are a good choice for children who already know what they want to do with their lives. For example, a child who wants to become a doctor will thrive at a boarding school that focuses on science. Likewise, a child who wants to be a Broadway performer will be a good fit at a boarding school specializing in the arts.

One of the cons of sending your child to a boarding school is the guilt that you will probably feel when he leaves for school. This will be worsened if he does not want to go. When this happens, just remember the reasons you are sending him there in the first place. At most boarding schools, your child will come home for the holidays and other school vacations. Plus, most of the time you can go see him or bring him home for a weekend.

Is Your Child Ready?

When you decide that your child should go to a boarding school, you need to consider that child's maturity level. A child who is good at managing time and money will often thrive in an independent environment. Although there is a lot of supervision for children at boarding schools, the students are responsible for caring for their own possessions and managing their own money and time. The exception to this rule is military schools and some therapeutic schools, where free time and other privileges must be earned through good behavior.

A child who makes friends easily and gets along with a variety of people will usually thrive at a boarding school. A shy child will probably be miserable unless he already knows at least one child there.

Choosing a School

Plan to visit at least three schools before you make your choice. When you tour each school, bring a notebook for you and your child to take notes about the campus, the staff, the dormitories and any other notable features. Ask questions about the school's approach to education, what facilities are available and how their programs can benefit your child.

Find out what the graduation and college acceptance rates are. Some schools have earned a reputation for placing their graduates at prestigious colleges. Be sure that reputation is backed up with placements from the last graduating class.

Involve your child as much as possible in the decision-making process. This might not work if you're considering a military school, but it's essential for academic or therapeutic schools. Both you and your child should be as comfortable as possible with your choice.

If finances are a consideration, keep in mind that many boarding schools have scholarships for children who meet certain requirements. Excellence in academics or athletics could earn your child a free ride. There are also low-interest loans available to help parents pay boarding school costs.

For more information on boarding schools, visit the parenting section of Life123.com.

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Philadelphia School Districts - Offering a No Child is Left Behind Program

The School District of Philadelphia is dedicated to creating a positive and safe environment to all the students, parents, staff, teachers and community partners. Their core beliefs gave a strong foundation to the continued success of the district.

They prioritize the children first of all, along with parents as their partners. They also believe that the success of a classroom relies on a teacher with strong leadership and accountability.

The No Child Left Behind Program is one of their main thrusts in achieving high levels of improvement and progress in all students. This program honors public and private elementary, middle and high schools that can demonstrate superior academic achievement.

A few educational institutions in Philadelphia already received the 2008 No Child Left Behind-Blue Ribbon Schools. Among the selected schools are George Washington Carver High School of Engineering, Philadelphia's Russell Conwell Middle School and Science High School. The continuing support of the governing body of Philadelphia's School District gave a new face on good reforms on the overall situation of the schools.

The school board of Philadelphia was created in 1850 to supervise schools in the vicinity. During 1867 the Act of Assembly appointed the judges as controllers of the public schools to eliminate politics from the management. The state took over the district and the governor appointed five members for the new school reform commission. In spite of the funding problems and the threat to shut down the schools, the government of Philadelphia still managed to have a new management structure.

In the end, district-managed schools are given additional resources and restructured interventions to gain larger achievements for the children's future.

The School District of Philadelphia has 8 school types namely; the preschool, elementary school, middle school, high school, technical/vocational school, programs, special school and charter school.

The African-American was among the most student-enrolled sector by ethnicity for public and charter schools. Second is the Hispanic, and third are the white Americans. Among the fourth and fifth on standing are Asian and Native American.

There are 291 public schools and 55 charter schools in Philadelphia. Students enrolled as of mid-October 2005 were about 184,560. Now, more students rely upon the good governance and success of its plans for the near future.

The District offers three main options for the improvement of student achievement. First is to implement a system-wide academic initiative within the programs. Second is to select a number of schools for immediate intervention. Third is the implementation of academic initiatives throughout the schools in the district.

The district is governed by the five-member School Reform Commissions. The success and failure of the district governance has not been driven that much by what the last governing body did. The new structure of Philadelphia School Districts refocuses on making policies and monitoring performance, as well as balancing the academic and financial goals. It also listens to the concerns of parents. This situation creates a governing support for improvement.

The School District provides free school bus service and free student tokens to their students to meet eligibility requirements. There are reduced fair tokens to students who do not meet the requirements.

The district serves about 117,000 lunches and 52,000 breakfasts, 4,200 for snacks and 5 to 10 thousand for dinner meals. About 76 percent of the students are eligible for free and reduced-price meals. High school students are given job opportunities in the federal government.

The district plans to give every student a kind of world-class education, equitable resource allocation for the students' needs and accountability for all adults in the District base.

The 45-Day action plan is the first initiative in support of empowering different schools. Schools will receive professional development, quarterly assessment in math and reading, assistance to response team and monthly walk-through. Other supports include instructional specialists, full-time and substitute teachers, increased nursing services and social service liaisons.

The success of the new structures and services made a confident move in making the School District of Philadelphia gain awards in their No Child Left Behind Program. Today, more and more nomination to Pennsylvania schools is being submitted for possible recognition of the No Child Left Behind-Blue Ribbon Schools.

For more information on School District In USA and School District please visit our website.

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5 Tips to Finding the Right School for Your Child

If you are like me you probably lost sleep over what school to enroll your child in. This is especially the case with people who move to new school districts or moving people moving their pre-schooler to kindergarten.

Choosing the right school is one of the most critical decisions in your child's development. As hard as it is to admit, your child will spend more time at school with teachers and classmates then at home.

After making my way through the school search I would like to share my hard-earned tips to making your search easier.

First you will need to decide Public or Private School

Some districts have highly rated public schools and others do not. Private schooling does not necessarily mean religious based school. There are of course plenty of religious based schools but there are also non-sequitarian private schools to choose from.

There are many things to consider when deciding "public or private":

1 - Consider both Public and Private School Options

Public School Option

The state education system is always under fire. That doesn't mean all public schools are bad. Do some simple research and see what you think about the school(s) in your area.

- What is the local public school like?

Tour the public school during school hours. This can be arranged with the admissions office. Look at the children who attend. Are these the friends you would like for your child? Peek in the class room(s), if allowed. Does it seem organized? Meet the teacher who would be teaching your child. Ask about schedule for school and class room size.

You can find out the statistics for your local public school at http://www.publicschoolreview.com This site will give you information on the school's performance for statewide testing, student to teacher ratio compared to state average, ethnicity of students attending, etc. It will give you great information on the school.

Private School Option

Your can find out what private schools are in your area by visiting http://www.privateschoolreview.com/ This site will give you detailed information on number of students who attend, class size, student to teach ratio, etc.

When choosing a private school a couple things to consider are:

- Does the schools religious or ethics and moral instruction fall in line with how you want your child to be raised.

- Is it within reasonable commuting distance from your home

- Can you afford it?

Although this is definitely not the most important point, it must be evaluated. Private schooling is not cheap. Prices normally range from $3500-$8000 per child per year. Most schools offer payment options generally structured to include an enrollment fee and then 6-12 month payment plans. Some private schools offer scholarships based on the child's academic performance and/or the parent's income. If you decide to enroll your child in a private school long term affordability is important. You do not want to have your child transferred due to lack of tuition payment.

2 - Do Your Homework on the School(s)

Before deciding on a school you should do the following:

- Call the school and ask for a brochure or packet on the school

- Tour the school(s) you are considering

- Meet the teacher(s) that will be teaching your child

- If possible, view a class while in session

- Ask questions, any and all questions you may have

- Find out about class size

- Know about the school schedule. Does it work with your life schedule?

Once you have narrowed the search down to one or two schools have your spouse (if applicable) and child tour the school(s). Often you can schedule a tour with the school or attend an open house or parent meeting night.

Talk to your child and spouse about the school:

1 - Do you like the school? Do you feel comfortable there?

2 - Does your child like the school and feel comfortable there?

3 - Was the curriculum up to your standards?

4 - What was the education level of the students in the class?

5 - Was it clean?

3 - ENROLL

Once you have made your decision enroll your child. This is particularly important with private school. Space is limited and will fill up. Kindergarten classes are notorious for this. You can enroll your child as early as a year ahead of time to ensure they get in to the school of our choice.

4 - Waiting Lists for Private Schools

Waiting lists exist at private schools that are full, meaning the class you are trying to enroll your child in has reach maximum enrollment. You can put your child's name on a waiting list. They will call you if a space becomes available. Make sure to ask what number you are on the waiting list. You may have a chance is you are #1-5, but even then it is only a chance. Do not rely on this waiting list. Find an alternative school and if they call in the meantime, GREAT!

5 - Talk with Your Child

Once school has started talk to your child. Ask him how school is going? Do you like the teachers? Have you made friends? Your child's responses will give you an indication of how the school is working out. Also, watch your child's behavior. Sometimes a child's behavior changes mildly after being introduced into a new group of children and environment. This is nothing that a good home life and parenting can't handle quickly though. The only cause for concern is drastic negative behavior changes. If this is the case you may want to talk to your child more seriously about what has been going on at school and have a consultation with the teacher. Normally children are good with change and adapt easily.

I am not a doctor, psychiatrist, or psychologist. I am a child care giver, a child counselor, a mentor, child advisor and an expert on my child, which is simply means I am a MOM! I hope this information will help you find the right school for your child. I didn't know where to start and since I write articles for work I thought it would be great to share what I have learned through this process in the hopes of helping the fellow parents in their quest for the right school for their child.

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San Diego Schools Embrace the No Child Left Behind Program

The No Child Left Behind (NCLB) program is a federal law that governs elementary and secondary education and is funded by Federal Title I. Under the NCLB, school boards must ensure that their high poverty schools meet the educational needs of low-achieving students. The goal is to close the achievement gap between the high and low-performing students.

San Diego Schools are committed to delivering strong standards-based education with programs that are designed to improve student achievement in the gateway skills of reading, writing and mathematics. Along with this commitment, they have embraced the NCLB program, which benefits the San Diego schools and its students as follows:

o San Diego schools must provide greater accountability for results, which means an even better school district with higher scholastic achievement from its students;

o The district gains greater flexibility for spending federal money, allowing them to decide where the money best serves to improve student achievement;

o Parents have more options over their children, allowing them to choose a non-participating school over a NCLB school; and

o San Diego schools gain an increased emphasis on teaching methods that have been proven to work.

Of the 202 San Diego schools, 138 are eligible for the NCLB program. Schools are selected for the program if they have not made adequate annual progress for two or more consecutive years and serve students from high-poverty backgrounds. Annual state-required student achievement targets measure the progress of each of the 138 San Diego schools. There are currently 37 schools participating in the NCLB five-year program and designated as Program Improvement schools.

The following seven schools are in their first year of the program -- Clairemont High, Creative, Performing and Media Arts Middle; Knox; Pershing Middle; Rosa Parks Elementary; Wangenheim Middle; and Washington.

In their second year are ALBA, Bayview Terrace, Correia Middle, Dana (5-6), Emerson/Bandini, Encanto, Garfield High, Logan, Madison, Montgomery Middle, Muir (K-12), and Twain.

The third-year San Diego schools are Garfield, Marston Middle, and Pacific Beach Middle.

Baker, Bell Middle, Clark Middle, Farb Middle, Hoover High, Kroc Middle, Morse High, O'Farrell Charter, Roosevelt Middle, Taft Middle, and Tubman Village Charter are in their fourth year.

Four San Diego schools are in their fifth year. They are Balboa, Gompers Secondary, Memorial Charter, and Wilson Middle.

Those schools highlighted above met their adequate yearly progress targets in 2005, showing remarkable improvement in student achievement.

During all years of the program, parents may choose to send their children to a designated non-participating school and receive transportation at San Diego schools expense.

During years two through five, free tutoring is provided to eligible students after school, based on academic need. Parents select from a state-approved list of service providers.

In year three of the program, the district will intervene, making additional options and services available.

The district develops plans for restructuring the San Diego schools that are in year four of the program. The plans include major reorganizations and fundamental reforms that affect the staffing and administration of the schools.

Any school still in the program in year five is restructured, according to the plan developed for the school in year four.

San Diego schools provide parents of children attending Program Improvement schools with information on a variety of education-related issues. Additionally, parents may request information on the professional qualifications of teachers and paraprofessionals associated with their children.

Parents are asked to partner in their children's education by participating in school events, volunteering on school administrative committees, volunteering in the classroom, and providing home support to further enable their children to learn.

San Diego schools serve nearly 136,000 students. The district is the second largest in California. They are committed to improving student achievement through modernized facilities and resources, enhanced classroom learning through challenging and proven teaching methods, and involving the community in the educational process. The NCLB is just one of the many programs instituted by the San Diego schools to serve and benefit the students educational needs.

Patricia Hawke is a staff writer for Schools K-12, providing free, in-depth reports on all U.S. public and private K-12 schools. Patricia has a nose for research and writes stimulating news and views on school issues. For more information visit San Diego School Rankings and Public School Rankings

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Homeschooling Takes Your Child Out of Public School --- A Unique Benefit

Home-schooling removes children from public school. That alone makes home-schooling worthwhile. Unlike public-school children, home-schooled kids are not prisoners of a system that can wreck their self-esteem, ability to read, and love of learning.

Home-schooled kids don't have to read dumb-downed text-books, study subjects they hate, or endure meaningless classes six to eight hours a day. Home-schooled kids won't be subject to drugs, bullies, violence, or peer pressure, as they are in public schools. Home-schooled children who are "different" in any way won't have to endure cruel jokes and taunts from other children in their classes.

Slow-learning or "special-needs" children won't be humiliated by their peers if they are put in regular classes, or further humiliated if the teacher puts them in so-called spe-cial-education classes. Faster-learning home-schooled kids won't have to sit through mind-numbing classes that are geared to the slowest-learning students in a class. They won't have to "learn" in cooperative groups where other kids in the group do nothing or are not cooperative. Home-schooled children do not have to waste their time memorizing meaningless facts about subjects that bore them, just so they can pass the next dumbed-down test to obey and please school authorities.

Home-schooled kids don't have to endure twelve years of a third-rate, public-school education that leaves many students barely able to read their own diplomas. The notion that tests tell teachers and parents what children have learned turns out to false. John Holt, teacher and author of "How Children Fail," pointed out that most children soon forget what they memorized for a test as soon as the test is over, so the entire test-taking process is usually worthless. Facts or ideas that are not useful or relevant to children pass through them like a sieve and are soon forgotten.

Home-schooled kids don't have to study an arbitrary, meaningless curriculum of subjects imposed on them by public-school authorities. They don't have to be treated like little mindless, spiritless robots that have to learn the same subjects at the same time and in the same sequence as their classmates.

Home-schooled children don't have to sit quietly in a class of twenty-five other students and pretend they like being in this mini-prison called public school, just to avoid being punished by a teacher for "acting-out" or fidgeting in their seats.

Any adult's mind would wander if they were forced to sit through a boring lecture for just one hour. Yet public schools expect children to sit still for boring lectures on subjects that are meaningless to them, for six to eight hours a day.

Home-schooled children do not have to be fearful of displeasing a teacher because they get the wrong answers on meaningless tests. They therefore do not have to be fearful of learning and have their natural joy in learning crippled as a result of this fear.

Infants and very young children embrace life and learning with a passion, which is why they learn so fast. Yet, as John Holt found out, by the time these same children have progressed to the fifth grade in school, most are listless, bored, apathetic, and often fearful in class.

Home-schooled children won't be terrorized by test grades and comparisons to their classmates, and associate learning with this terror. They won't associate learning with always having to get the right answer that school authorities insist on. They won't be made to feel that learning means passing an arbitrary test, and that failing a test is a shame or disgrace.

Home-schooling also gives parents control over the values their kids learn. It prevents school authorities from indoctrinating their children with warped values, pagan religions, or politically-correct ideas.

Unlike public-school students, home-schooled children are not forced to sit through explicit or shocking sex-education classes. School authorities also can't pressure home-schooling parents to give their kids mind-altering drugs like Ritalin.

So keeping a child out of public school is an enormous benefit in itself. Other positive benefits of home-schooling are:

1. Home-schooling lets parents give children a custom-made curriculum that makes learning a joy. Parents can expose their children to many different subjects and ultimately focus on subjects that their children enjoy and benefit from.

Children can also learn about subjects that are not taught in any school, and have time for non-academic subjects like art and music. Parents can choose from a wide range of teaching materials that not only engage and delight their kids, but bring real results.

2. Home-schooled children can learn at their own pace. Slower-learning kids will benefit by their parent's love and attention. Bright children will progress as fast as they want to. Children will learn to read or learn any other subject when they are ready, not according to a prescribed time-table.

Unlike public schools, home-schooling parents treat each child as a unique individual with his or her own special interests, talents, strengths and weaknesses. Parents can also tailor-make the instruction to each child's personality and learning style.

3. Home-schooling parents can give their kids a one-to-one teacher-student ratio. This insures that children get individualized attention from a loving, attentive parent-teacher.

In "Public Schools, Public Menace," author Joel Turtel explains 15 unique benefits of homeschooling your children.

Joel Turtel is an education policy analyst, and author of ?Public Schools, Public Menace: How Public Schools Lie To Parents and Betray Our Children."

Contact Information:
Website: http://www.mykidsdeservebetter.com,
Email: lbooksusa@aol.com,
Phone: 718-447-7348.

Article Copyrighted c 2005 by Joel Turtel
NOTE: You may post this Article on another website only if you set up a hyperlink to Joel Turtel?s email address and website URL, http://www.mykidsdeservebetter.com

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Choosing a Primary School for Your Child

Where do our children spend six hours a day, five days a week and 35 weeks a year between the ages of three or four and eleven - that's about 8000 hours? At their primary school!

What happens in this school matters. The adults they meet play a significant role in their lives. If our children are in the wrong school, there is unhappiness, poor achievement, worry and even bad feeling. We blame the school, ourselves or our children. They are unhappy - not just in the school but also in the evening worrying about tomorrow and feeling wretched on the journey to school. This is not the recipe for the best learning and growing into a confident, healthy person. We waste precious time visiting the school in unhappy circumstances instead of feeling proud and pleased.

With a bit of care you can set the scene to avoid this and help to give your child a good school career.

Plan of action

Think: what do you want for your child? The more detailed you can be the better. Consider your own values. Yes you want the best - but what does that mean? There are three key areas you might consider:

1. you want your child to be happy

2. you want a good education for your child

3. you want to be able to trust the school

Happiness

Happy children learn quickly and grow confidently. They are happier to participate and get the most out of the educational and social opportunities in a school. Children are happy if they feel purposeful and appreciated; praised for their successes; encouraged through their mistakes; and treated fairly along with their school-mates.

Visit the school and watch the children. Do they look busy, interested and happy? Is there an air of purposefulness? Watch them at playtime. Are children playing happily together in groups? Watch the oldest children - the ones who have been in the school the longest. How well behaved are they? How many isolated children can you see? Is there a sufficient number of adults supervising and are they engaged in conversation or activities with the children? You know your child. Consider how your child will fit into this.

Education

Check the school's test and assessment results. Are they average or better than average? Are the results improving over time?

The subjects that are tested or assessed at the age of seven are reading, writing and maths; English, maths and science at age eleven. These are vital to success in schools - but does the school promote good learning in the other subjects? Is your child going to be able to enjoy physical activity through organised games, dance and gymnastics? How important does the school consider creative activities such as art and music? Will your child learn about the world and what happened in the past? What about a foreign language?

Will your child be taught effectively and treated fairly? How well does the school support those pupils with special educational, physical or emotional needs? Do pupils have the chance to achieve to their fullest ability?

Read the most recent inspection report. It will tell you about standards and whether the pupils make good progress. Read the most recent governors' report which should include test results as well as tell you something about the school's broader activities and recent improvements. Read the prospectus. What does it tell you about its character and values?

Trust

How can you recognise a good school that you can trust? Visit the school; be friendly and open. Many teachers can be very sensitive so do your probing in a non-confrontational way otherwise you'll learn nothing.

Do you feel welcomed by the secretary and the headteacher? Has the school made an effort to look bright and cheerful? Are there attractive displays showing off the pupils' work?

As they show you round the school, ask if you can look in the toilets. You can often see how much the school values its children by the quality and cleanliness of the toilets.

What do the classrooms look like? How do they feel? Is there a nice working buzz? How do the teachers talk to the pupils? Are there after school activities?

Does the school have a clear policy on responding with parental complaints? Is the school a safe place for children to be in? What does the school do about bullying?

Are children given responsibilities around the school? The best schools get pupils involved thoroughly. Some have a "school council". Others have different ways of knowing how the children are feeling.

Talk to as many other parents as possible - especially those whose children have been there a long time. Ten minutes before the end of school is a good time. How do they feel about the school? What are its strengths and weaknesses?

Don't forget practical issues

Is the distance from home convenient? What will the daily journey to and from school be like? Will it create difficult strains in the family?

Make sure you have all the information you need from the local authority so you can make your application to the school before the deadline - otherwise you may be disappointed. The school you have your eye on may be over-subscribed.

Taking this care will give your child the best opportunities. It will then be up to him to make the most of them ... with your continuing encouragement and support. But that is another story.

If you want to know more about this subject, contact Clive who has worked with children in primary schools for over 30 years as teacher, headteacher, coach and mentor. He now applies his knowledge, skills and understanding to helping others fulfil their dreams. You can find out more at: [http://www.clivegrahamcoaching.com] If you want to share your thoughts or ask any questions, he would be very happy to hear from you. Contact him: info@clivegrahamcoaching.com

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