Private school can provide your child with a number of unique benefits. The options available from private schools are more varied than you will find in public programs. Private programs have the freedom and flexibility to control class size, provide individualized instruction, and design the program around a specific educational philosophy. You can choose a private school that offers each of these benefits to your child.

Small student to teacher ratio

Student to teacher ratio is a topic that has been a subject of debate in the past. What is the ideal ratio? How can schools control the student to teacher ratio and ensure it stays within the optimal range? Public schools have limited control over class size especially when a district is growing quickly. The school cannot limit admission in order to maintain control over class size. Instead, public programs must figure out a way to accommodate the students. This can mean increasing class size beyond what is optimal. Private school can provide your child with a classroom that has the ideal student to teacher ratio. Admission to private school is not automatic which means that the programs can stop accepting new students to ensure that the student to teacher ratio stays low. Being in a classroom with a low student to teacher ratio means that your child will get the attention and individualized instruction he or she needs.

Individualized learning plans

Another unique benefit private school can provide your child is an individualized learning plan. In Montessori school, for example, the teacher creates an individualized learning plan for each student. The teacher observes and interacts with each student in the classroom and creates the learning plan based on those observations and interactions. Individualized learning plans allow the teacher to provide each student with the resources he or she needs. Your child can move at his or her own pace and be allowed to fully master a concept before having to move on. Individualized learning plans are not part of public education partially because of the logistics – it simply is not possible for one teacher to interact with and create individualized lessons for such a large number of students.

Exposure to a specific educational philosophy

Private school provides your child with the opportunity to be exposed to a specific educational philosophy. Private programs have the freedom to build their programs upon a specific educational philosophy. For example, Montessori programs are designed using the Montessori Philosophy of education. If there is a specific educational philosophy that you align with, you can find a private program that is based on that philosophy.

You can provide your child with these benefits, and more, by carefully choosing a private school program. The freedom and flexibility that private schools enjoy mean that each program is different. Take a close look at the specific programs to find the one that offers the combination of benefits that you want for your child.