Choosing The Right School For Your Child
The early years of a child’s life are very important for learning as well as social and emotional development. Going to school is a pivotal part of a child’s life where they might first experience education and meeting other people other than their parents or family. Therefore, it is a good thing to explore and do research on your child’s school options to make sure that the school is the most suitable for their education, development, and well-being.
There are many things to consider when choosing a school for your child. When you are able to find the school that matches the aspects you are looking for, you can feel more confident and relaxed because you know your child is in the right place to help them reach their maximum potential. However, some parents might feel overwhelmed by the task. Below are the step-by-step tips to help you find the right school for you child or children:
1. Find out what options you have
There are many types of school which you can choose, including public schools and non-public schools. You can also choose a school based on location, whether it is in your neighborhood or further, regardless of the type. As each school may have its own advantages and disadvantages, it is important that you learn about the options you have to know which school might be the best for your child and family.
2. Think of what your child and family need
It can be a great idea to list the things that your child and family need as well as what will work for everyone in your family. Think of your child’s personality, learning style, struggles and potential, the things that they like or don’t like, and your family values. It is also important to think about logistics, like how the school’s location and learning hours will affect your activities or your commute from your workplace to the school. Research also found that parents of special needs children consider the teachers’ characteristics, parent-teacher communication, and beliefs about disability.
3. Gather information about the schools
It is very important to get as much information as you can about prospective schools. You can look up at the school’s website, gather testimonials, or contact the school directly through phone call or text. Find out what the school’s environment and classrooms look like, the student-teacher ratio, the facilities, their educational curriculum, whether there are after-class activities, and their approach on behavioral management. You can also look for other things that are important for your consideration.
4. Visit and observe the schools
Once you have enough information about the school, you can always visit and observe the school directly to see whether the information that you got matches with what is going on in the real environment.
5. Selecting the school
Before finally applying to a school, try to compare every information that you have gathered about the schools with the list of what your child and family need. It is possible that there will be no school which matches everything on the list, however you can find the one school which covers most of it. Once you find the one, go ahead and apply!
References:
How to choose an elementary school for your child. (2021, January 21). Goodwin University. Retrieved November 7, 2022 from https://www.goodwin.edu/enews/how-to-choose-an-elementary-school-for-your-child/
Mawene, D., & Bal, A. (2018). Factors influencing parents’ selection of schools for children with disabilities: A systematic review of the literature. International Journal of Speech Education, 33(2), 313 - 329. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/326837742_Factors_influencing_parents'_selection_of_schools_for_children_with_disabilities_A_systematic_review_of_the_literature
Primary schools: Things to consider when choosing a school. (2021, September 15). Raising Children Network. Retrieved November 7, 2022 from https://raisingchildren.net.au/preschoolers/play-learning/preschool/choosing-a-primary-school
United States Department of Education Office of Innovation and Improvement. (2007, August). Choosing a school for your child. https://www2.ed.gov/parents/schools/find/choose/choosing.pdf
By: Salma Safira Sukma Ikhsani, S.Psi. from BehaviorPALS
choosing, school, child
Children 4 Years - 6 Years / 4 Tahun - 6 Tahun / Social Development / Tumbuh Kembang Sosial / Education / Pendidikan / Choosing The Right School For Your Child
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Personalized book to trigger the imagination and curiosity to discover the wonders of our wonderful Indonesia. The food, music, fashion, language, landscape and the culture. They all never fail to amaze us. What better legacy can we pass on for Indonesia than by instilling nationalism to the future generation of this part of the planet called heaven on earth.
