It’s okay to worry when selecting a school for your child. As Parents, we always want our children to have the best experience possible and it’s not different when you are considering what school is best for them as you want a school that will make the educational experience as rewarding as possible.
So how do you pick the best school for your child? Whether you are choosing a public or private school or homeschooling, whether or not you are paying tuition, careful planning is a must.
Here are things to consider
1. Your child’s needs
What does your child need? Individual attention? A structured environment? Does your child have any special learning needs? An environment that fosters creativity? How does the school match up? Weigh your options before you settle.
2. Your location
How close is the school from home? How far are you willing to have your child bused? How far are you willing to drive your child to school? Do you want your child to go to a school near your after-school care? Near where you work? Near a close relative? Put all of these into consideration.
3. Consider resources
Affordability is relative. How affordable a school is will differ from family to family. Put your available finances into consideration while selecting a school for your kids. Remember, it’s a recurring bill not a one-off.
4. What are the teachers like?
Good teachers can accelerate the rate of learning among their students. How qualified are the teachers in the school? How approachable are they? What policies are in place to protect your champ?
5. Does the school offer the academic and extracurricular programs that your child wants?
Ask if the school offers extracurricular activities and if they do, do they match with what your child needs/wants? Is there a middle ground?
6. Make a list of schools and visit them
I can’t emphasize this enough! It’s not all in the name or rates. You can’t measure quality by popularity. Visit the schools and see for yourself. Attend PTA meetings, sports day, open day. Whatever you can to have a closer look at how they operate.
7. Be realistic
Chances are you won’t find a school that has every single quality you want. Itemize the most important ones that you can’t compromise on and work with those.
Do you have other tips? Please comment.
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