A private school does not guarantee a “better” education
A first, longstanding question for parents in the search for the right school is: Public or Private. The answers to this question are not straightforward. A private school does not automatically ensure a "better" education. There are good reasons for choosing both types of schools. In a previous article I wrote, I outline the reasons for choosing both public and private schools.
It is commonly believed that choosing a private school; especially these days when many people feel like public schools are not keeping to their promise of providing quality education, ensures a "better" education. Even in the face of the hardships faced by many public schools, choosing a private school is not a guarantee of a specific type of success. For the sake of this discussion, I focused on the notion of academic excellence as the basis for defining success.
Academic excellence depends on many nuanced factors including:
Curriclum: Curriculum forms the architectural foundation of "what" is taught at a school. A well-considered curriculum is developmentally responsive. It engages and challenges learners of diverse backgrounds. It lays out clear goals and expectations and leaves room for innovation by teachers. Public schools adhere to state standards and now the Common Core Standards that teachers use to develop curricular content. Depending on the level of support teachers receive from administrators, public school teachers innovate, adapt and respond to children based on these standards. Private schools have their own curricular goals that are often connected to state and/or the Common Core Standards. They too allow innovation and freedom for teachers.
Teaching: Strong teaching relies on the personality, inclinations, experience, expertise of teachers. But more importantly, it relies on the support teachers receive in the classrom, in the form of professional development and opportunities to collaborate with other teachers. Strong teaching, in its best form manifests in the form of a strong connection between teacher and child. This connection is the heart of learning experienced by a child. Individual public and private schools support teachers in a variety of ways. Really, which teacher your child ends up with is a toss up and the level of support she receives to remain a high quality educator depends on factors that are equally likely at both public and private schools.
Class size: On average private school classrooms are smaller, with 16-20 children in each class, often with 1-2 teachers. That said, public school classrooms often have parent volunteers and/or aids in the classroom. An absolute class size is not a measure of attention your child might receive. Instead, the student-teacher ratio and the presence of that ratio at critical times is a more accurate representation of the kind of attention a child might receive. This is further nuanced by the fact that some children need a greater level of attention while others don't. Some children need a larger pool of children to interact with while yet others desire a tighter knit classroom.
Child's needs: A child's disposition, temperament and learning needs and how these align with the learning experience at a school determines academic success. This alignment is eually possible in both public and private school settings, depending on the child's needs. This is a significant factor to consider. In a class of twenty students, some thrive and yet others don't even though they might all be presented with similar teaching. The variability comes in large part from the child's own learning disposition and how that aligns with the teaching-learning methods in the classroom.
Family support: Involved, caring families that build strong, supportive structures for their children guarantee a higher level of academic success. Again, this is equally possible at both a public and a private school.
In considering other ideas of success including but not limited to sociability, exposure to greater diversity, sense of community, collaborative skills, these too are not guaranteed in one or another setting. Really, what it comes down to is this — A child's educational experience is unique and specific to her. It is a result of a delicate balance between her own needs, family values and the school's offering. A continued, mindful effort to create this balance results in success for each child; a success whose definition is also unique to each child.