Complaints and groans are common during the early school years. Most children don’t like going to school every day, yet they are made to. Have you ever wondered why going to school is so important when you can study at home? Yes, home-schooling is an option; however, at one point in time, attending a school becomes necessary. The question as to why remains.
Getting an education is a route to progress. It is a gradual process that brings about significant positive changes in the behavior and life of a person. Without education, you can’t achieve your goals. It encourages you to distinguish right from wrong. It lets you understand your capabilities and do what you want to do.
Why Going to School Is Important?
Coming back to the question as to why going to school is important, we have listed down many benefits of going to school to get an education.
Confidence
When children go to school, they get to learn many subjects. The school helps a child to decide which subjects they like. It helps them understand their skills and capabilities better. Schooling greatly helps a child in getting proficient in a particular skill. Learning, growing, and primarying a skill helps build confidence in a child.
Socialization
As it’s said, humans are social animals and in order to survive, they need people around them. Socializing is extremely important for the character and personality development of a child. School is a great place where your child develops a network, meets like-minded people, makes friends, and establishes valuable relationships.
Teamwork
Learning to work in a team is an important skill for succeeding in the ‘real world. Children learn to work with others at school. The school provides an opportunity for children to coordinate and interact with others like the custom essay writer service by EduBirdie to achieve a common goal.
School is the primary place where the skill of teamwork can be learned at a very young age.
Preparation
School plays a pivotal role in preparing a child for the future. The life that awaits children after school ends is not an easy one. College, university, and professional life are much more challenging and competitive. A school prepares children in all aspects that will help them excel in the real world.
Wealth of Knowledge
A school setting provides a wealth of knowledge and information. It serves as a safe haven where ideas are spread and a variety of subjects are accessed. This is not possible at home. A school lets your child exchange learning with their fellow mates which not just builds better relations but also increases knowledge and exposure.
Community
A school is a place where a child meets new people from different backgrounds. School is like a meeting place. It is more like a second home. It functions as a center of community for a person.
School, therefore, is not just a place where you go to study but is a place where you go for your development. If you want your child to grow into a strong, competent, and well-learned individual, sending them to school is the best favor you can do for them, no matter how much they whine about it.
All these benefits of going to school are a good enough answer to convince anyone that yes, going to school is definitely important.
Types of Schools
Now that we have gone through the reasons why one should go to school, the next query is, which school should one go to? There are many types of schools. Each school type has different dynamics. Each type of school has a different environment and a unique curriculum.
If you are confused about this part, let us take you through all the types of schools so that you can decide which type best suits you. School selection is essential for the development of your child, therefore, it should be chosen wisely.
Schools are primarily divided into two types: public and private.
Types of Schools On the Basis of Funding
Schools are primarily divided into two types: public and private.
Public Schools
Public schools are funded by the government. They follow regulations set forth by the state. Students are assessed annually and scored to evaluate their performance. Public schools are universal which means that they are for everyone.
Public schools can be broken down into further types.
Traditional Public Schools
These types of schools are often called ‘brick-and-mortar’ institutions of learning. These schools have trained teachers and staff that abide by a fixed set of rules and regulations that have been set forth by the government. Since the teachers at this type of school are well-trained, they make use of all the available resources to teach children.
However, traditional public schools have certain constraints and limitations. Resources are limited; a large number of students are in one class who are to be taught a set amount of information in a predefined duration within an enclosed safe environment.
The experience and exposure to children are somewhat limited. However, these types of schools have shown a great success rate despite the constraints.
Charter Schools
Charter schools are also public schools which means they are funded by the government. Charter schools, however, operate independently of the traditional school system of the region in which they are located. They are free for everyone but the available seats are often limited.
You need to submit a separate application if you wish to admit your child in a charter school. Charter schools run on government funding. The government gives these schools a grant for a period of 3 to 5 years during which the school has to establish and prove its credibility.
If they fail to do so, the funding is not renewed. If a charter school is old, you can assume that it has been meeting government standards for so long.
The staff and the teachers of a charter school have more authority to make decisions as compared to a traditional public school. Many charter schools offer a unique learning environment. They specialize in a certain area and their mission statement is the one that meets the need of the community they are targeting.
Magnet Schools
Magnet schools are also funded by the government. They have been named so because they act as a magnet and attract students with a particular area of interest. They have a specialized curriculum and are focused in one area. They prepare the students to enter in a particular field in which their interest lies.
These schools are highly selective. They make the children who are trying to enroll go through rigorous tests and only after that do they select them for admission. The application procedures are not as simple as traditional for charter school systems.
Magnet schools promote a higher level of cognitive learning. The curriculum is transparent which allows families to engage more in the learning of their children.
Virtual or Online Schools
Virtual schools are online, government-funded, and fully accredited schools that offer education to children at home. These schools offer flexibility and customization. The teachers can truly customize the course plan for each student. You can travel anywhere, anytime, as long as you have a stable internet connection.
It offers independence to parents and children. They get the freedom of scheduling, choice, and customization. Virtual schools are able to offer courses that the students are looking for. Learning is based on the distinctive needs of each individual.
Students and parents can reach out to the teachers with suggestions and questions and be sure that they will be responded to within 24 hours.
Private Schools
Private schools are not funded by the government. They are not free. They charge a fee for tuition. They are accredited and may be supported by different organizations. Scholarships may be available.
Private schools are divided into further types.
Traditional Private Schools
Traditional private schools are typically brick-and-mortar schools that are not funded by the government. Since the government does not fund these schools, they are not bound to follow the national curriculum that the government sets forth.
These schools may be funded by scholarships, fundraising, donations, or by charging a tuition fee. They can be religious or secular-based.
Boarding Schools
A boarding school is a school that offers lodging and food to its students. A student lives on the campus throughout the school year. A boarding school is a community of artists, athletes, and scholars. To create this thriving community, the students are required to live on the campus.
besides classroom learning, their curriculum includes numerous extra-curricular activities that develop a deeper relationship with fellow students and faculty.
Language Immersion Schools
Language immersion schools, as the name indicates, immerse students in a second language. These schools help the children to be fluent in a language they are not native to. Other subjects are taught too but in the second language, which the school is trying to teach its students. The teachers are bilingual and fluent in both languages.
Immersion schools have three categories which are total immersion partial immersion and two-way immersion.
Total immersion schools teach all the subjects in the foreign language in lower grades with instruction in English in higher grades. Partial immersion schools teach about half of the subjects in a foreign language. Two-way immersion schools emphasize on English and a foreign language equally because most of the students in these schools are those whose native language is not English.
Special Education Schools
Special education schools are private schools that entertain children with special needs which may be mental, physical, communicative, or social in nature. Students with special receive intensive care and training in these schools.
These schools are well-equipped with things that are necessary for entertaining students with special needs. Other than administration and teachers, the staff includes nurses, counselors, and highly informed academic advisors. Special education schools can be a lifesaver for students that need special care, attention, and accommodation.
Montessori Schools
Montessori schools educate the students through hands-on activities. The students are encouraged to question and explore the world around them. These schools cover all necessary subjects like math, science, and language.
They enroll students for 3 years during which a group of students is assigned to the same teacher. This deepens the relationship of the teacher with the students and their families.
Online Private Schools
Like online public schools, online private schools also provide education through the web. The only difference is, they charge a fee. They offer a variety of curriculums and each family can decide which one best suits them and their child.
Home Schools
Home schools can be public or private.
A public home school allows the child to stay home due to any medical ailment or other reasons that may keep the child from leaving home. The child is bound to the curriculum of the school and he has to achieve the performance and workload to meet the standards of the school without having a teacher in person.
A private home school charges a tuition fee. The school provides an online format of the curriculum and all tasks and assignments are submitted electronically. Personal contact is minimal. However, one important factor that should be considered is accreditation.
Types of Schools On The Basis of Levels
The types of schools discussed earlier included schools for primary education. The list that follows includes the types of schools based on the level of education, starting from a pre-primary level to a post-graduate one.
The types of schools on the basis of levels are:
- Preschools
- Community College
- Universities
- Postgraduate Technical Schools
Preschools
Preschools are the school’s young children are sent to before the primary level. Children are taught the basics through play and activities. Teaching through play helps in the development of communication, and the ability to solve problems, and also helps in the enhancement of their creative skills.
Children can be admitted to a preschool when they turn four years old. Many states also allow children of age 3 years to be admitted.
Community Colleges
Community colleges are institutions that provide education to the community that surrounds them. They offer traditional academic classes including History and Mathematics which would be transferred to a university or a four-year college.
The degrees offered at community colleges are usually two-year long programs. Other than traditional academics, community colleges offer different programs like swimming classes or resume classes for people who are seeking a job.
Universities
Universities are educational institutions that offer both undergraduate and graduate degrees. Graduate programs at universities lead to a primary degree or Ph.D. Universities offer programs for professional degrees for students who are willing to pursue professional degrees like medicine or law.
Some universities have special programs for students in which the students are able to complete their under-graduation and graduate programs in shorter duration as compared to the regular programs. Universities offer a higher level of education as compared to colleges.
Moreover, they offer a more diverse variety of programs and classes. The numbers of students enrolled at a university are also much higher than at a college.
Postgraduate Technical Schools
Students who are willing to obtain further education once their graduation is complete may opt for a postgraduate degree from a postgraduate technical school. Postgraduate technical schools offer specialized programs related to specific fields.
If a student wishes to get an advanced level of education in their respective field, a postgraduate diploma is what they would most probably enroll in. postgraduate diploma has the same academic level as that of a primary degree but it is a comparatively shorter qualification.
Postgraduate technical schools do not walk the students through the basic theoretical concepts. They teach the students the specialized technicalities of their field which would enable them to become experts in their respective fields.
The usual duration of a postgraduate technical program is 1 year if it is pursued full-time. However, if this program is pursued part-time, it can take up to 2 years to complete.
Not many people are aware of the fact that they have so many choices. With so many types of schools, you can choose anyone that best suits your requirements. You should take your child’s schooling and education very seriously. Not sending them to school is just not an option because education is the key to progress and success.
