One of the greatest things that parents have to decide is where they can send their child to school. In many cases in the U.S., the decision already is made for them as their financial situation dictates that they have to attend the local public school. But for a lot of middle America, there are choices of either public or private schools at the elementary, middle, and high school level.
This was the underlying question of the idea request on Idea Offer titled, “Private or Public School” .
The winning idea was an amazingly thoughtful response from dbauman:
There are a myriad of factors that must weigh into this type of a decision. These are my thoughts – not necessarily listed by priority and/or process of elimination:
1) What are the cost differentials? Are there financial means available? If not, is there financial assistance available?
2) Are the public schools in your area good – meaning safe, focused on preparing students for the future, high quality teachers, offerings relevant to your students interests, etc?
3) Where does your child want to attend? Why?
4) Where do you want your child to attend? Why?
The purpose of an educational journey is to learn how to study, analyze, process, and share information. To give our youth the tools needed to be successful in life and have the means to support themselves, and their families.
In such a decision, it is important to examine motives of all parties involved – looking at each with honestly and the intent of providing that child with the tools he/she needs to be successful adults. Is prestige or status a motive? Is the student not excelling in their current environment? Does the student adapt to change – so if a new school is chosen they will adapt within a reasonable amount of time?
These are a few of my thoughts. Hopefully it gets your juices flowing towards finding your answers.
Making the school decision is a difficult task for any parent. But know that if you think through it and understand your child, you will make the best decision for him or her.
Most parents would prefer private school for their children, since a child will get special attention from the teachers, unlike in public where you find the population ratio of students in a class being extremely bigger to the one of a teacher thus no specific or special attention to a child.