by Julie Reynolds, Director of Instruction for Middle and Upper School
Where does your family fit when it comes to education? This important question must ultimately be answered by you. Educational philosophy, Christian influence, financial considerations, parental job constraints, location – all these flavors stir the pot of factors in your family’s school decision. Of course, no school is perfect. In fact, if you find the perfect school, beware. You will soon be complaining about something.
When approaching school choice, think through your goals for the education of your children. Are you concerned that they are “socialized” to a particular lifestyle or group of people? Do you hope they have the same “experience” you had? Perhaps playing sports is an important requirement. Hopefully you have considered the rigor of the classroom and quality of the learning as well.
In her new book, The Smartest Kids in the World, Amanda Ripley details why students in Finland, Poland and Korea top the charts in all subjects, while the US lags embarrassingly behind. One reason these countries come out on top is that neither sports, nor technology, nor an abundance of extracurricular activities distract families from the purpose of attending school to get an education. World class teachers in these countries deliver the goods!
What is your goal for your child’s education?