The type of school you send your child to can make a big difference in the quality of education he or she receives. The biggest decision to make is between public and private school. The differences between these two options are significant. To determine if you should enroll your child in private school, it will help to learn about those differences. Three of the main reasons you should enroll your child in private school are the small class size, the unique educational opportunities, and the focus on learning instead of testing.

Small class size

The class size in private school is designed to be smaller than what you will find in the typical public school. The smaller class size is not simply because private schools are smaller. They are intentionally kept small to maximize the educational opportunities for each student. Think about the difference between a classroom with twelve students and a classroom with twenty-four students. The amount of time that the teacher can spend with each student is much smaller in the bigger classroom. Besides, the fact that there are so many students in one classroom can quickly cause the teacher to shift from providing instruction to doing crowd-control. Enrolling your child in private school will provide him or her with all of the benefits that come with being in a smaller classroom.

Unique educational opportunities

Public school teachers do not have a lot of flexibility when it comes to what type of instruction they provide the students. It is difficult to teach creatively in large classes where talking and behavior can quickly get out of control. Also, there are strict standards that public teachers must follow to satisfy the objectives set forth by the state. In private school, your child will be exposed to unique educational opportunities that may not be available in the public setting. Private school teachers have the flexibility to design curriculum and programs around the needs and interests of the students. This flexibility often leads to unique educational opportunities for students in the private school classroom.

Focus on learning instead of testing

The strict standards that public school teachers have to follow are often aimed at ensuring that students can pass state standardized tests. These tests are designed to ensure that each school is providing students with a certain level of education. The problem with this model is that teachers often feel pressure to teach for the test. There is often not enough time to think beyond prepping students for the test. In private schools, on the other hand, teachers have the flexibility to focus on learning instead of testing. There are still standards to meet, but those standards are focused on mastery and progress instead of one test score at the end of the year.

A private school can provide your child with several opportunities that are not available in the typical public classroom. You can learn more about the differences that private school provides by scheduling a time to observe a class.