Each child is different and each child will have a different way of learning and understanding information. Similarly, children are delicate and from a parent’s perspective, children are the apple of their eye. So, it is highly obvious that parents take immense care in providing for their children. When it comes to education, parents take care to give the best for their children.
And the starting point for this is to enrol them in the right school. There are umpteen number of schools across the country, but how will you choose the right school for your child? Each child is different, so his/her needs and their success environment will be different.
If your child is interested in sports and you choose to enrol them in a school which emphasizes only on academics, do you think your child will thrive in that environment?
This is where your decision-making comes into the picture. Selecting a school is not a one-time task. That one decision for your child will decide the environment your child will be in and the people he/she will spend time with.
For parents, the question running in their heads is – how to choose a school for your child?
This article will showcase 7 steps to selecting a school for your child.
- Identify the goals for your child
As a parent, you will know what is best for your child and what is not. Similar to how you decide what food your child has to eat to be healthy, it is up to you to think about what you want your child to be, the values your child must possess, and the habits that you want him/her to follow. Of course, you cannot impose your child to become a pilot, engineer or doctor. But, until your child reaches a certain age and can decide for himself/herself, it is up to you to make that decision. So, before you go school hunting, sit down and jot down what traits you want your child to have, what goals you have in mind for him/her, strengths and weaknesses, and what learning environment you want his/her in.
- Decide on a learning environment
Next is to focus on what kind of learning environment you want to put your child in. What motivational factors do you want to surround your child with, what kind of teaching methodology do you want to expose your child to? At this stage, you will have to have an outline of which areas you want your child to experience – whether their childhood should be academic focused or co-curricular focused or a mix of both.
- Do your research
Once you know what you are looking for, it is easy to narrow down the list of schools to a handful. Start your research and make a list of suitable schools. Once you have your list ready, go on the internet and research about each school separately in official websites and discussion forums. This will give you a fair idea of what to expect from each school.
Pro Tip: Make an Excel sheet of the schools, their pedagogy, co-curriculars offered, proximity, transport options, etc. This consolidated format will help your analysis.
- Visit the schools
Now that you know what each school has to offer and how beneficial it is for your child, its time to drop in and visit the school. Selecting a school is similar to renting a place to stay. We do not rent out a place to stay by simply looking at the pictures on the internet and reading the reviews. We drop into the place, have a quick chat with the owners, and then proceed. It’s the same case when it comes to schools. When you visit a school, you will get a sense of how the school functions, see what facilities the school can provide for your child, and what kind of values and culture the school imparts.
- Evaluate your list
Once you are done with your school visits, go through the Excel sheet and notes you have created. Looking at the details in black and white will give you more clarity and help you eliminate choices that do not meet your needs. At the end, narrow it down to 2 or 3 options where you think your child would thrive.
- Reach out
Once you have your final options in hand, its time to talk to a few people. When you have a long list of schools and ask people around for their views, that will only leave you in a confused state. The junction where you have to decide between this school or that is a good time to reach out to people in the neighbourhood and get their feel and understanding of the schools.
- Make the choice
The final step is to select the right school together as a family. Choosing the school is not an individual decision as your spouse will be thinking from a different perspective. So, sit together, discuss the pros and cons and finally arrive at a decision for your child’s future.
Once you select the school, the work does not end there. The next steps are to apply for the school, go through with the admission process, and prepare your child for the first day of his/her school.
