Does it really take a village to raise a child? Although there’s a number of important factors that help to shape children as they become adults, the answer to this question is a short, sweet, and simple yes. And a major part of the proverbial village it takes to raise a child is education, both in the home and at school.
Education plays a significant role in child’s overall development, and their school environment has a direct impact on their emotional, mental, and even physical health. This is especially true for middle schools and high schools, as students often struggle to navigate the inherent challenges that come with maturing into an adult.
As such, it’s easy to see how the benefits of private school education underscore the sentiment of a village raising a child. After all, the best schools can reinforce and support the education children are receiving at home. Although there are a number of excellent public schools, the educational, social, and personal benefits of private or day school are simply unparalleled and extend far beyond graduation.
Here are just a few out of many ways in which private or day schools help prepare students for a lifetime of success.
Students are never too cool for school
At many public schools, earning good grades and being considered smart is simply not cool. Academic excellence can leave many students feeling isolated, and they may even become targets for bullying. At day schools however, the complete opposite is true. High grades are celebrated by both teachers and students, and the overall environment is one that promotes academic excellence. High achieving students will feel accepted, secure, and right at home.
Smaller class sizes
Large class sizes make it difficult for students to receive the individual attention and instruction they need in order to earn good grades. This is especially true for students with a more hands-on learning style. Day schools are known for their small, manageable class sizes that encourage participation and make it possible for students to spend more one-on-one time with their teacher. This is especially beneficial for students who are shy or quiet, as these students can easily be overlooked in a larger class sizes.
More opportunities for experiential education
Experiential education is a philosophy that has taken modern education over by storm, and is revolutionizing the ways in which educators engage with students. Essentially, experiential education seeks to bridge the gap between the classroom and the real world by applying the lessons learned in a more practical setting.
For example, a foreign language class may travel to another country for a week in order to engage in language immersion. Or biology students may perform service work centered around the same environmental issues they are learning about in the classroom. Day schools understand the long term, practical benefits of experiential education, and incorporate it into their curricula.
State of the art resources
From librarians brimming with the best material, to computer labs with the latest-available technology, to Olympic sports and recreation facilities, day schools provide college-quality resources that help students succeed. With these resources at their disposal, students are in a better position to carry out both their academic and extracurricular activities. And because private and day schools don’t rely on government funding, they’re able to constantly improve upon their existing facilities without fear of exceeding their government budget.
Day schools go above and beyond the basics of “the three R’s” and help students prepare for impending reality of adulthood. A private school education empowers students for a lifetime of public success by emphasizing a sense of community enrichment and personal responsibility. By working closely with parents, day schools prove that it truly takes a village to raise a child that will go on to make a difference in the world.
