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Must-read advice on ranking private schools

Choosing the Best sChool

Choosing a School 2

3. FIVE StEpS to dIScoVErIng thE bESt FIt4. UndErStand yoUr chIld

5. MakE a lISt

6. bEgIn EValUatIng SchoolS

7. VISIt potEntIal SchoolS

9. InVolVE yoUr chIld In thE dEcISIon

10. FInd SchoolS to SUIt yoUr chIld’S lEarnIng StylE

12. What’S a good prIVatE School?

14. qUEStIonS to aSk SchoolS

Contents

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By Hailey Eisen

Many parents face the challenge of choosing a school that’s right for their child.

With so many schools offering different environments, teaching styles and philosophies, the experience can feel overwhelming. For Barbi Benjamin Levitt and Michael Levitt, the decision to move their daughter, and later their son, out of the Hebrew school they had attended since nursery and into different private schools was an emotional process. Yet looking back, the parents say that with the right help and careful research, they were able to find schools that fit perfectly with their children’s academic, social and emotional needs.

FiVe steps to disCoVering the Best Fit

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1. Understand YoUr Child The first step in choosing the right school is to determine what type of student your child is and what environment she will most likely succeed in.

“Before thinking about the features of any particular school, begin by looking at your child’s needs, strengths and overall personality,” explains educational consultant Judy Winberg.

For the Levitt family, this meant first recognizing that their daughter Jessica wasn’t doing well in her current environment. “Just after Christmas in Jessica’s Grade 2 year, the troubles she was having came to a head,” Barbi recalls. “Each student was told to present a book to the class, and while the other kids were reading at level four or five, Jessica was still at level one. She felt embarrassed and came home crying.”

To better understand their daughter and her learning needs, the Levitt family turned to an educational psychologist for help. “If you’re looking for a psychologist to provide an evaluation or aren’t sure if this is what your child needs, consider asking your pediatrician for help,” advises Elaine Danson, educational consultant and former principal of Montcrest School in Toronto.

The psychological assessment provided the Levitts with an unbiased look at their daughter’s strengths, weaknesses and abilities. “I can still remember the psychologist telling us that Jessica needed to be in a different school – now,” Barbi says. “She had an unidentifiable learning disability and she wasn’t absorbing information.”

This news was hard for the Levitt family to digest. They had assumed their children would go to Hebrew school for the rest of their elementary years and had a hard time coming to terms with the fact that their daughter would have to start over in a new school.

tip: Just because parents went to a particular school or type of school doesn’t mean it’s right for their children. Always consider the specific needs of the child.

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2. Make a list Armed with a better understanding of your child, the next step is to evaluate both the child’s needs and the needs of your family.

“I recommend that parents start by making a list,” Winberg says. “Ask yourself, ‘What’s most important to us?’ and write those things down.” Keep that list on hand to help you stay focused throughout the search process in order to avoid overlooking something.

The Levitts knew they wanted a school with small classes so Jessica could get more attention from her teachers. They wanted a coed school that would be welcoming to a new student. Finally, they wanted a transitional program that would help her catch up to her current grade level without making her feel stigmatized by her learning challenges.

Other factors parents tend to consider include the child’s interests and talents and what co-curricular activities are available to address these; the values – religious or otherwise – of the school and how they mesh with the family’s values; and the educational tools (e.g., technology) that are used in the classroom.

“Think about what’s working in your child’s current school and what’s not working,” Danson says. “Is there anything the child wishes he could do in school but hasn’t been able to?”

tip: It’s not selfish to consider your own needs during this process. This can include how far you’re willing to drive to get your child to school each day.

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3. Begin eValUating sChools Now it’s time to look at specific schools to see what they have to offer. Many parents begin by visiting school fairs, such as Our Kids Media’s popular Private School Expo (www.ourkids.net/expo) in the fall, and using school guides and websites, which provide an overview of what’s available and accessible to them.

Other forms of research often include speaking with fellow parents. But Winberg advises that what other parents say about a school should not necessarily be one of your deciding factors. “Just because one child had a positive or negative experience does not mean your child—a totally different human being—will have the same experience.”

Winberg also encourages parents to think beyond school rankings such as those conducted by the Fraser Institute. “Parents will often say to me, ‘But that school didn’t have a good rating,’ and what I ask them is, ‘What else do you know about the school?’” In isolation, she says, these ratings are not particularly useful.

the 411 on applYingFrom the secrets to successful applications to interview tips, find out about applying to schools here. http://www.ourkids.net/school/applying-to-schools.php

tip: Most schools have comprehensive websites, which are often good places to search for information. These can be accessed from www.ourkids.net.

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4. Visit potential sChools Once you’ve come up with a short list of schools, you’re ready to begin touring. The admissions department is typically your point of contact at this stage. Most schools offer tours of some sort to help get families better acquainted with their programs and environment.

“The school visit is the chance to establish what the parent and student’s wishes and expectations are of the school, and what the school’s expectations are of the students,” says Cathy Lee, director of admissions at Bodwell High School in North Vancouver, B.C. “Then we look for a match.”

Carefully observe the students, teachers and parents at the school during your visit, Winberg suggests. “When you’re inside the school, look into the classrooms to see if the kids look engaged. Are they talking with one another, or is the teacher sitting behind the desk while the kids work?” Winberg says. “Check out the culture of the parking lot. What are the other parents like? Do they seem open and welcoming? Is this a community you can imagine being part of?”

Other questions to ask during this time, according to Danson, include what type of parent-teacher communication exists at the school, what qualifications the teachers have (especially if your child has special needs), how financially stable the school is, and whether the administration has changed hands a number of times or if there has been consistent leadership at the school.

tip: Make sure your child spends some time in each school you’re considering before you make a final decision.

Where Your Child Will thriveCompare options and make the right choice for your child from the diverse types of private schools. www.ourkids.net/school2012

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This is your chance to ask questions, so don’t be shy. After all, your child will be spending five days a week here, so you want to be sure you understand the philosophy and the policies before you make a choice.

“For our daughter, we visited both schools before making a decision,” Barbi says. “What it came down to was in one school her class would have been nearly all boys, and we didn’t think that would work for her.”

After touring the schools, it was time for Jessica to experience the new environment first-hand. In March of her Grade 2 year, the then seven-year-old spent an entire day at Crestwood School in Toronto. “We walked into the school and everyone knew who she was,” Barbi says. “They assigned a student to wait outside for her to arrive, the librarian knew her name, and the teachers made her feel extremely welcome.”

By the end of the day, the admissions official at Crestwood told the Levitts that their daughter would thrive at this school and that she should transfer right away. Though they were worried about how disruptive a mid-year school change would be, Jessica was adamant that she wanted to start at this new school immediately.

“We listened to her, and she started at Crestwood just after March break,” says Michael, Jessica’s father. Since then, Jessica, now in Grade 5, has excelled in this new environment. She has done much better academically, made an entirely new set of friends, kept her old friends and is loving school.

“It really does come down to happiness,” Winberg says. “If the child is happy, there’s a much better chance that he or she will be successful no matter what the curriculum is.”

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5. inVolVe YoUr Child in the deCision For the Levitts’s son Casey, who changed schools in Grade 6, the process was different. He wanted a school that would offer a more enriching experience, and his choices had been narrowed down to Upper Canada College (UCC), Crescent School and The York School. “After we visited all of the schools and he wrote all the admissions tests, we found out that there were very few spaces at these schools for Grade 6 students,” Michael says.To keep their son feeling positive about the process, they kept their options open and tried not to favour one school. When an early acceptance came from The York School, Casey was ready to accept it since he had spent a day at the school and loved it. “I had at first thought UCC would be the best school for him, based on my own experiences at a similar school, but after hearing about his experience at The York School, I knew it was the right fit,” Michael says.

The final decision ultimately comes down to both the parents and the child. “In the end, parents need to listen to their kids and trust their own gut instincts,” Winberg says. “Can you envision your child being successful at this school? Does it feel right? If so, go for it.”

Hailey Eisen is a Toronto-based freelance writer and editor who has been writing about education and parenting for the past six years. Her work can be found online at www.haileyeisen.com.

do school rankings Matter?

Our Kids has the must-read news reports and expert analysis on the controversial Fraser Institute school rankings at www.ourkids.net/fraser-institute-rankings

tip: Try not to set yourself up to believe there is only one school for your child. Keep your options open.

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Find sChools to sUit YoUr Child’s learning stYleKnowing how your children learn and process information best can help when it comes to choosing the right school. All schools have similar approaches in supporting students with different learning styles; however, the emphasis of certain programs and philosophies may vary among schools.

Children with a more predominant auditory learning style process language-based information well. They enjoy talking, sharing information and contributing to discussions. When they hear information, for example on television and radio, they can repeat it with ease.

Recommended schools include:

• Formal and informal styles of learning and classroom structure that incorporate oral learning techniques and assessments rather than only traditional methods

• Emphasis on co-operative classroom activities, such as class or group discussions

• Strong music, theatre arts, speech or debate clubs and programs

aUditorY

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Visual learners can interpret visually based information like graphs and charts with ease. They often like mazes, puzzles, patterning games and Lego. They do better when instructions are written out and they can follow along.

Recommended schools include:

• Teaching programs adapted to visual learners within the classroom

• Formal lectures with visual stimuli for learning, retaining and recalling information, such as movies, images, maps, charts, graphs and lists

• Fine arts, digital arts, science or math programs that include visual aids

Kinesthetic/tactile learners process information more through interactions. They learn by doing rather than by only listening. They like to play computer, board and electronic games.

Recommended schools include:

• Strong co-op programs and hands-on learning, with opportunities to touch, feel, experience and learn through manipulation and physical interaction with subject and curriculum rather than formal lectures

• Strong focus on physical activities and field trips to reinforce concepts being learned in the classroom

• Emphasis on experiential learning, where students are allowed to participate in activities with real consequences and results

Psychologist Dr. Ester Cole, psychoeducational consultant Dr. Kathryn Ages and Tamara C. Larson, educational consultant for Concordia High School, helped develop the chart. The chart and online questionnaire are not scientific methods of determining the learning styles and recommended types of schools for children. Experts recommend that parents do more research and consult with teachers and other professionals.

VisUal

kinesthetiC/taCtile

take the test

Complete Our Kids’ online questionnaire to identify your child’s learning style and find what types of schools might be the best fit.www.ourkids.net/school/ type-of-learner.php

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What’s a good priVate sChool?No private school can be all things to all students. The best question you can ask: what is a good school for your child?

You are in the best position to answer this question, based on the needs of your child and your family’s priorities.

Consider your child’s academic strengths, learning style, personality, interests, athletic, music or artistic abilities. Will he or she flourish in a small independent school or adapt well to a busy boarding school? Is a single-sex or coed setting more suitable for your child? What about boarding school?

Consider your family priorities. Is a particular religious or cultural setting important? Are you seeking a specific educational approach? Only you can answer these key questions and discover, through careful research, what would be the right school for your child.

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Assess your schooling needs

Private and independent schools come in a variety of flavours. You’ll have to assess your child’s needs and school considerations such as:

• Fewer than 20 students or hundreds of students • Elementary and/or middle school and/or secondary school

(high school) grades • Urban or rural • Day, boarding or a combination • Single-sex or coed • Catering to specific needs, such as gifted students or those

with learning disabilities, or welcoming a broad spectrum of students

• Specialty focus — known for arts and music or athletics • Decades old or newly opened • Philosophy — Montessori, Waldorf, Faith-based, Traditional

Common ground in private schools

Parents turn to the private education system because it offers more choice and the opportunity for children to flourish in their strengths and work at their weaknesses. The reason is different for every family, however some common ground that is true for all schools is:

• Students at private/independent schools are there because their families have made an intentional choice.

• Schools are looking to attract students and families that will fit well into the institution’s community. The goal is contented and successful students.

• Private schools in Canada tend to focus on limiting class sizes.

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qUestions to ask sChools Nothing can replace a visit to a private school, in terms of learning about the school’s environment, its attitudes and daily life there. School open house events are an excellent opportunity to tour the school and meet teachers, current and prospective students and parents. View a list of private school open houses.

If a school is not having an open house, request a personal tour — schools will welcome your inquiry. Plan to visit the school during school hours and look at how students and teachers interact. Bring along a list of questions to ask so you don’t forget what’s important to you. Print a list of questions.

What you need to know at the start SCHOOL’S PHILOSOPHY OR VISION: How does this translate in the day-to-day life of the students?

SCHOOL LEADERSHIP AND GOVERNANCE: Is it governed by a board or an owner-operator? Is it non-profit or for-profit?

SCHOOL ENVIRONMENT: What is the “feel” of the school? Is it a welcoming place? Is it clean, well lit and secure? Is public access limited?

FACILITIES: Is there a gymnasium, library, playing field on-site or nearby, music room?

TUITION: What’s included and what’s extra? For example, uniforms, books, technology, extracurricular activities . . .

CURRICULUM: Does it follow, meet or exceed the provincial education guidelines? What happens if your child switches to the public system down the road?

CLASSROOMS: Is there a maximum class size? How do teachers interact with students?

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TEACHERS’ QUALIFICATIONS: What kind of professional development are they offered? Are they professionals in their field or qualified teachers? Do you prefer one over the other?

TEACHERS’ QUALIFICATIONS: What kind of professional development are they offered? Are they professionals in their field or qualified teachers? Do you prefer one over the other?

AFTER GRADUATION: Where do students go for further schooling? In the case of a high school, what percentage of students goes on to university and do they get accepted to their first choice?

ENTRANCE REQUIREMENTS: What, if any, testing is done? How much emphasis is placed on the results? Is acceptance only granted in certain years?

STUDENT LIFE: Do students seem productive, engaged and happy? Can you picture your child in the setting?

PARENTAL INVOLVEMENT: Is there a parent council or certain expectations?

On your visit, also be sure to:

• Ask for an outline of the school’s curriculum and to look at textbooks and other teaching materials.

• Ask for the names and numbers of current parents or alumni, whom you can contact as references.

• Try to speak with the principal or head of school and teachers. Don’t limit yourself to just meeting the admissions officer.

• Ask if your child can meet other students. Ask for a student to take your child on a tour of the school.

• Ask to observe a class or other activities. • Ask what bursaries or other financial support may

be available.

Private School ExposSchool expos provide a wonderful opportunity to meet with a number of private schools in a relaxed environment. Attend the Our Kids Private School Expos and meet with many of Canada’s leading private and independent schools at these one-day events. Register today.

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