What's being taught in the school and how it's being taught is something every parent wants to know. After all quality teaching is what you are paying for. Private schools have many different approaches to teaching. The emphasis on what is taught also varies from school to school. That's why it's more important to find a school whose philosophy matches yours than to look for the school which is supposedly the best school.
Most American high schools - private and public - offer AP courses. Some private schools offer the most uncommon AP courses such as Chinese and Latin. Most international schools offer the IB program. What are the similarities and differences between AP & IB? Some answers here.
Many private schools emphasize traditional core subjects over teaching computer skills. The classical Christian schools, for example, only introduce computers in the last years of high school. Montessori and Waldorf schools offer a similar approach. Because our world is driven by technology, you will want to see how computers are used in the schools which you are considering.
Spanish and French are now routinely offered in most private schools. Italian, German and Mandarin are widely available. Your child can even take most of these languages at the AP level at many schools.
Should your child learn Latin? Is it worth offering Latin in the second millenium? Is there any point in teaching a 'dead' language?
Rather than placing students at individual desks with the teacher at the front of the room, schools using the Harkness Table place about a dozen students around a large table. You cannot hide either from the teacher or from your classmates! That encourages true interactive teaching. It's a teaching style which has been around since the 1930's.
Progressive education believes in student-centered, experience-based learning. Rather than teaching to a test or just teaching facts and information, progressive schools encourage their students to discover information and solutions for themselves. It is an approach which includes academics, sports, the arts and the world in one comprehensive package.
A grade is a symbol used by teachers to impart information to students, to parents, and to other individuals and institutions with a legitimate need for that information.
Montessori and Waldorf schools are two popular kinds of schools for preschool and elementary school age children. Why are they so popular? What exactly are the differences between the two kinds of schools?
Maria Montessori was an Italian doctor who devoted herself to educating the children of Rome's ghettos. She became famous for her visionary methods and insight into how children learn. Her teachings spawned an educational movement which is enormously popular throughout the world.
Schools which offer Advanced Placement courses usually have a pretty high academic standard. But there's more to it. You also want to look at the depth and breadth of the courses offered. Also ask about the experience and credentials of the teachers.
