My daughter is only a toddler but I’m already stressed trying to figure out what the best educational space is for her.
Weighing the options between private, public, charter, religious-based, Montessori, homeschooling, and other alternative educational programs has been challenging.
I believe that for most parents education is of paramount importance. We want our children to have better options and opportunities than we had growing up. We pray and hope that we make the right choices in order to give our children the opportunity to flourish and live to their potential.
You may be in my shoes or your child may already be in school, but perhaps you are not completely happy with their progress or with the school itself and want to look into other options.
So how do you go about choosing an educational facility? I can tell you what I’ve been doing and maybe this will help you.
Daniel Witowski
Rosa Allison-Medford and her husband, Darrel Medford, and daughter, Maya, age 2, love spending family time at Wickham Farms in Penfield. With Rosa’s background in education, she is already searching for the best pre-school and elementary school for her toddler.
First
Know your child and identify what kind of space would be best suited for his or her learning style. I acknowledge that my daughter is rambunctious, full of energy, very aware of her surroundings, and extremely inquisitive. I’ve determined the best space for her will be one that allows her some independence and the ability to move about and explore her surroundings.
Second
Figure out what type of school is appropriate based on your philosophies and beliefs.
It’s also important to know which systems are having results where children are learning and progressing appropriately. If you find your local public education system is not producing adequate results, don’t feel like you’re stuck.
There are other options if you’re willing to take the time to research and explore what else is available for your child. Remember that there are few things more important than your child’s education. This is going to be the foundation for the rest of her life, with a hope and plan for a bright future.
Third
Peruse the websites of schools that interest you and be sure to check their mission statement and philosophy. Other areas to look at should be curriculum, extracurricular activities, faculty/staff, and tuition. Keep in mind that public and charter school will have free tuition but private, religious-based, and other private organizations like Montessori will have a cost involved. Also take note if the school provides need-based financial aid, grants, or scholarships. The website should list application deadlines and other requirements for admission.
Fourth
Find some worthy options and create a spreadsheet to keep your choices organized, populating
it with the pertinent information for about eight to 10 schools. Now is the time to call them and set up a visit or attend an open house. Tour the school, observe a class, and have questions ready for the principal or head administration. I would even suggest speaking with parents of kids who recently graduated from the grade your child is going to attend. Take notes on pros and cons for each school to add to your spreadsheet.
Fifth
After visiting the schools narrow down the top three to five schools. Add to your spreadsheet any deadlines, necessary documents, and any other pertinent information for the application process that you may have learned while on your visit. You are now ready to apply and feel good that you have done your due diligence. If your child is old enough to form an opinion, let him or her be a part of the process of choosing and narrowing down schools. This will give your child confidence and make her feel good about the new school she will be attending.
Happy school hunting!
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