6 Questions To Help You Define Your School Priorities
November 16, 2020
When it comes to school search, the hardest part for most parents is simply knowing where to start. Like any complicated process, it’s easy to avoid, and we often let it loom over our heads for months. The good news is that the process of finding the ideal school for your child doesn’t have to be complicated. You just need to know how to properly define your school priorities by asking the right questions – which is exactly what we’re here for!
There’s no wrong or right way to conduct your search, but there are guiding principles to help you better understand your priorities and what qualifications your ideal school must meet. We’ve outlined six questions that you should be asking yourself before you officially begin your school search.
1) What Are The Feelings You Want to Have When You Walk Into Your Ideal School?
First impressions are everything. Some parents have a clear picture of what their ideal school would look and feel like, while others need a little help. If you’re someone who struggles with creating a mental picture, then shift your focus, instead, to your child and the environments in which they thrive. Do they feel more comfortable in large groups or smaller groups? Do they require a lot of attention when learning a new skill or are they fairly self-sufficient? Do they enjoy hobbies such as reading, art, music, or physical activities?
Let’s say that your answers to these questions are that your child thrives in small groups, requires a lot of attention, and wants to learn to play the flute. Two of your priorities would then be small class sizes and a music program.
Our school search tool outlines these qualifications so that you have a better idea of which schools in the St. Louis area aline with your unique school priorities. You also have the ability to filter your search and favorite all the schools that meet your standards.
Once you have a comprehensive list, we recommend checking out each school profile, exploring the school’s official website, and eventually scheduling a school visit. After all, the best way to truly know how you feel about a school is to actually walk in and check it out!
2) How Would Staff be Interacting With Students?
The next question you need to ask yourself when defining your school priorities is how will the staff be interacting with my child? Ideally, you’d like the opportunity to visit the school and actually see how your child interacts with them. Unfortunately, this is not always an option.
If you are not able to visit a school, the next best way to get a feel for child and staff interaction is to learn more about the school staff. Our school search tool provides a “Teacher Profile” section within the school profiles which outlines average years of experience, the percent of teachers with advanced degrees, and the average number of students per teacher. The amount of experience and size of a class can often impact a teacher’s interactions with your child. For example, if your child has a unique learning style or behavioral issues, you may want to prioritize a school whose staff has a higher level of experience or smaller class sizes.
3) Would Technology be in Every Classroom and Used Frequently by Students?
We live in a world where technology has become a permanent fixture in our lives, especially for our children. In fact, kids are generally more tech-savvy than most adults these days. So when determining whether technology should be one of your priorities, it ultimately comes down to your child’s exposure and access to technology. If your child has grown up using computers, tablets, cell phones, and other devices, then they’ll most likely be comfortable with navigating similar interfaces. Children who haven’t grown up around technology, on the other hand, may find a technology-based learning style to be more challenging.
We do feel it’s worth mentioning, however, that even if your child hasn’t had the privilege of growing up with technology, it may be worth considering a school that provides them with this opportunity. Most colleges and universities, as well as job fields these days, require an advanced level of technical knowledge in order to be successful. Also, studies have found that engaging with technology in the classroom has not only helped with student learning, but it has also helped with the development of critical multi-tasking skills. Ultimately, it comes down to your best judgment when deciding whether to prioritize technology.
4) Would There be a Focus on Play and Creativity?
Play and creativity go hand-in-hand. Not only is play good for a child’s happiness and sense of self, but it encourages them to approach problems in new and creative ways. A child’s imagination can be their greatest tool for success if applied to the right activities and frameworks. That being said, some schools do a better job of utilizing curriculums that intertwine work with play and put emphasis on creative activities that are strategically designed to help your child develop a healthy imagination.
There are two sections of the school profiles that can help provide a bit of insight into a school’s focus on play and creativity which are “Education Focus” and “Activities”. In the education focus section, you’ll be able to see if the school provides any creative programs such as music or visual arts. Then in the activities section, you’ll be able to find out whether or not a school offers any special after school activities such as girl scouts or chess club.
We also recommend checking out the official websites of different schools in your area to see if they provide any information on the curriculums or teaching styles used. Then, of course, you can always schedule a school visit and ask some of the school staff and teachers specific questions in relation to play and creativity.
5) Do You Want The School to Have a Commitment to Maintaining a Diverse Student and Staff Population?
When defining your school priorities and choosing the ideal school for your child, it’s important to keep diversity in mind. Research shows that racial and socioeconomic diversity in the classroom can not only provide students with a range of cognitive and social benefits, but it can also result in higher academic outcomes. Regular interaction with others who are different in race or socioeconomic background can encourage important conversations around these differences and often result in increased tolerance.
Our school search tool provides student diversity data for all schools in the greater St. Louis area. When you select a school profile, you’ll find this information in the “Student Diversity” section which includes the overall student population along with percentages in relation to ethnicity, gender, English proficiency, disabilities, and income.
6) How Would Your Ideal School Support Students When They Make Mistakes, Need Correcting, or Have Misbehaved?
The way that a school handles student behavioral problems is a key detail that many of us parents tend to overlook. It’s often assumed that all schools have a well-thought system for misbehavior, but that’s not always the case. When determining if a school is the right fit for your child, it’s important to take a look at the school’s behavioral policy and figure out if your child would respond well to the actions outlined within that policy.
A few important questions to ask yourself are:
- How does the school define “misbehavior”?
- What is the attitude around misbehaviors?
- How are incidences of misbehavior handled within and outside of the classroom?
- What kind of punishments are issued for different types of misbehavior?
- Does the school issue detentions or suspensions? What are the grounds for those disciplinary actions?
- Does the school offer behavioral counseling?
- Does the school’s behavior policy align with your personal values and preferred method of discipline?
Finding answers to these questions is not always easy, but it helps to know where to start. Our school search tool includes a section within the school profiles labeled “Safety & Climate”. This section outlines the school’s attendance rate, bullying incidents based on race, gender, and disability, and amount of out of school suspensions. Although this data doesn’t provide insight into the school’s specific policies, it does give you a snapshot of a school’s level of safety and behavioral climate. From there, you’ll need to look for more information on the school’s website or schedule a school visit where you can ask specific questions about their behavioral policy.
Finding The Right School for Your Child Starts Now
We hope that these questions will help you better define your school priorities and start you on your journey to finding the right school for your child. Our goal is to assist you and your family throughout every step of the schooling experience by providing all sorts of useful tools, tips and resources.