Education

Advantages of Private Schools

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Published February 23rd 2010, in Education, Private Schools

Many parents are faced with making a choice between placing your child in a private school or a public school.  The debate is ongoing, but from my point of view there are certain advantages of placing your child in a private school.

* The first advantage is the lower student – teacher ratio.  There are less students that require the teacher’s attention, therefore your child is ensured of individual time with the teacher.
* Unlike public schools, private schools have the right to expel students who do not adhere to regulations or are under-achieving.  This creates a school with higher standards and a better reputation.

* In private schooling, parents have a say in the running of the school.  They are seen as partners in the educational process.  Usually parents, because of the financial input they give, become more involved in their children’s education.

* As a result of the higher tuition paid by parents, the schools are able to buy better equipment and can maintain the grounds more effectively.  Latest technologies are affordable and give learners an academic advantage.

* Personal attention to the learner’s progress means that accelerated learning can be achieved.

* Private schools usually expect their students to wear uniforms, which gives children the opportunity to have a sense of group coherence and belonging.

* Private schools tend to attract better or more qualified teachers, because they can afford higher salaries.

* The social advantages of private schools include the possibility of students to form deeper personal relationships with their peers and teachers due to the smaller class size.

* It has been shown that there are less violence and drug abuse in private schools, because it can be recognized and dealt with at the onset.

* Private schools have fewer disciplinary issues and a lower drop-out rate.

* A higher percentage of private school students graduate to go on to tertiary institutions than children from public schools.

* Communication seems to be better in private schools between the parents and the faculty members, between teachers and students and between peers.

* Students get the opportunity due to smaller class sizes to speak up easier in class.  This in turns build self-confidence and self-esteem.

Mentioning these advantages does not mean that I think all public schools are bad.  You will find that schools in smaller towns and more rural areas sometimes are on par with private schools as a result of a lower population density. Many parents cannot afford the tuition of private schools and therefore are forced into public education for their children – parents who are uncomfortable with that option should consider the possibility of magnet and charter schools in their area.

Helping Your Child Decide on the Right School Subjects

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Published February 23rd 2010, in Education, High School

Around grade 9, 10 and 11 children are confronted with choices regarding subject which might affect their future career path positively or negatively.  It is our role as parents to guide our children as best as possible through this maze, taking into consideration all the different factors affecting the decision making process.

Yes, it is a daunting process which should not be undertaken in isolation.  Luckily there are qualified people around to provide assistance in the decision making process.  First, of course, is your child who has to commit to the subject choice and possible career field – he is the expert on his own motivation, likes, dislikes, ambition, ability and eagerness.  Secondly, you as parent, probably know your child very well and see him objectively in a type of career and know what his interests are (except for girls and cars…)  The school should have a guidance counsellor on staff who would be able to inform you of the different subject requirements for tertiary courses and careers.  He should also be able to point out general trends in the market place – showing where the market will be saturated and where there will be a shortage of manpower.

The guidance counsellor will have a record of previously done interest questionaires and intelligence questionaires completed by your child.  This will be reviewed with you to marry your child’s interests with his abilities.

Other people who might be consulted in this process are:  subject teachers at the school, some parents in certain positions, knowledgable friends, lecturers at the local university in a particular field of interest, placement organizations, training providers, role models or successful people in the field of interest.

When the decision is being made it is important to keep in mind the child’s academic or practical strengths – seeing that this would normally be where his interest would also be centered.  The subjects chosen should not just be the easiest subjects, but rather those that pose a challenge to the child.  It is important the chosen subject would be a building block in his future career path.  This subject should be enjoyable for the student to study and not bore him to tears or cause excessive procrastination.  The combination of the subjects selected should still be manageable to master at exam time.  Lastly it is very important that the choice at the end of the day can be owned by the child and not be seen as forced down by the parents or teachers.  A sense of ownership leads to a sense of responsibility.

There are three groups of subjects:

  • Compulsory :  These subjects cover essential information, knowledge and skills that we all require.  They do differ from country to country, but mostly include:  English, Maths and Science.
  • Other subjects you have to study, but no exams are set on the information :  For example:  Career education, Citizenship, Information and Communication Technology, Physical Education, Religious Studies, Sex and Relationship Education, Work-related Learning.  In a manner of speaking, these subjects are therefore also compulsory.
  • Optional : These are the subjects students make their choices between.  They vary from school to school, but have to include at least 4 of the following: (Their names may differ)  Arts,  Engineering, Health and Social Care,  Leisure and Tourism, Skills for Working Life and Life Skills, Manufacturing, Social Sciences.

As mentioned before,  this can be a very daunting task for parent and child.  Help build your child’s self-confidence by working together to find the right subjects that will be challenging, but also within his range of abilities in order to provide a sense of achievement.

Does my Child have a Learning Disability?

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Published October 12th 2009, in Education, Emotional problems, Learning Disabilities

Hearing the words “Learning Disability” would scare any parent.  Parents have irrational thoughts that their child is defective or not as smart as her peers. Parents believe their child is doomed and will never live up to what will be expected from her in society.

A learning disability is on the contrary, not related to your child’s intellect at all.  Some children with learning disabilities grow up to accomplish great things in life – it is thought that even Einstein had learning disabilities as a child. Children with a learning disability differ from their friends in the way that their brains receive, process, analyze and store information.  It is usually shown as problems with maths, reading and written expression.  In other words these children hear, see or understand things differently than most of us.  About 4 million children in the US are currently thought to have some or the other learning disability.

Possible signs of a Learning Disability:

  • Difficulty speaking or vocalizing
  • Problems with reading
  • Problems with writing
  • Difficulty in solving mathematical problems
  • Problems with communication
  • Short attention span, or concentration problems
  • Struggling to follow instructions
  • Struggling with work that you would expect that she should me able to master.

Before any diagnosis of a learning disability can be made, a professional physician should rule out any possibility of a vision or hearing problem. In the absence of any physical problems, we can differentiate between the following three learning disabilities:

  1. Reading Disorder: Children with this learning disability struggle with reading accuracy, reading speed or understanding the meaning of what they have read.
  2. Mathematics Disorder: These children struggle with calculation or mathematical reasoning.
  3. Disorder of Written Expression: There is generally a combination of difficulties in the child’s ability to compose written texts as shown by grammatical or punctuation errors in sentences, poor paragraph organization, multiple spelling errors, and extremely bad handwriting.

What You as a Parent can do to Help your Child:

Your behavior as a parent will impact on your child’s ability to deal with this disability and ultimately your child’s success.  Parents should assure your child of your constant unconditional love and support. A good attitude will boost your child’s confidence and give her hope for the future.  As a parent, you should keep this problem in perspective and remember that it is only one aspect of your child – a learning disability does not define your child. Keep on researching your child’s disability and become an expert in the field.  You have to be an advocate for your child to protect their rights and get the best possible education for your child.  Your influence socially and also intimately in your child’s life is the key factor in success.

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