It’s a question that all parents ask as their children enter into the school years. But with the ever-expanding school choices for parents, it can be challenging to select which type of school is best for each of our children. Add the twists and turns that the coronavirus pandemic has thrown into the mix, and it makes knowing how to educate our children seem complicated. The good news? School choice doesn’t have to be confusing or challenging.
Let’s take a look at the current school choice options that parents have, how to discern which types of schools will best benefit your children’s learning, and explore tips and tricks for remote learning during the coronavirus pandemic.
Every Child is Unique
The first thing that we need to do when determining what school choice is best for our kids is to take a close look at our kids themselves. The Bible tells us in Psalm 139 that God created each of our children to be unique. Before they were born, He knew every nuance of who they would be at every stage of their lives. To discern the best types of schools for our children, we too must make an effort to know them.
Ask yourself who exactly is your son or daughter at this point in life? If you have more than one child, chances are that your children have different personalities and styles of learning. What works for your fifth grader, for instance, may not work for your ninth grader. Or perhaps your son and daughter learn in two very different ways.
Not only are there are differences in personality, but your children will grow and change from year to year. The way they learn and interact with the world may change from year to year. Likewise, the best school choice this year may not be the best choice next year.
Flexibility in School Choice
One benefit of having so many types of schools available to your children is that you can choose to move in and out of these options. For example, you might decide to send your kids to a charter school this year and then homeschool next year. Your choice will depend on the social needs of your child and your child’s learning style.
You will want to consider:
- Nature of the Curriculum: What is the school teaching your child? Is it a curriculum that will engage your child and continue to challenge them?
- Class Sizes: How many students will be in a classroom with the teacher? Does your child thrive in an environment where they are learning alongside many of their peers? Or do they need more individualized attention?
- Style of Teaching: What style of teaching does the school provide? Do they use a hands-on or discovery approach? Or is the majority of learning done by reading and listening? What learning style does your child prefer?
Take note of how your child interacts with the world around them and how they seem to learn best. Then compare schools to determine which school choice makes the most sense for your child.
Master Skills, Master Content
Dr. Debora Scheffel is the Dean of the School of Education at Colorado Christian University. With an extensive background in assessment and special education, along with a term serving on the Colorado State Board of Education, Dr. Scheffel is a wealth of knowledge when it comes to school choice and which schools may help individual children succeed. She took time out of her busy schedule to discuss with us the intricacies of school choice.
“Kids need to be taught to master the skills that they will need to succeed,” she told us. “If they don’t master those skills, they won’t be able to master the content.”[1] For instance, if a child has not mastered basic math skills, they will not be able to complete more complex algebra equations. Everyday skills that they will use in adulthood—such as balancing their bank account—could become a more difficult task to master without the necessary foundation. It is crucial to select a school that will teach your child, with their unique learning style, how to master those skills and build a solid foundation.
Let’s take a look at the different school options that are available for our kids today. Need a place to brainstorm ideas and take notes? The U.S. Department of Education has created this guide to help you determine which school choice may be best for your child.