5 Ways To Help Your Child Be Successful At A Private School

Education & Development Articles

Transitioning from a public school to a private school can be intimidating for some students. However, there are many benefits to private school, including higher academic expectations, greater exposure to the arts, a sense of community, and higher discipline and safety standards. To make sure that your child accesses all of the benefits their private school offers and ease the transition into a new school there are several ways you can support your child. 

Hire a Tutor If Necessary 

If your child is transitioning to a private school with high academic standards, you may need to hire a tutor to help them catch up. Not only may they need help getting up to the same curriculum level as the other students, but they also may need help organizing their time and developing the study habits that are critical to a rigorous academic atmosphere. If you cannot hire a tutor, you should check with your child's school to see if they offer peer tutoring. This can not only help your child academically but also help them make their first friend at their new school. 

Set Up a Schedule 

Most private school students are quite busy. Besides academics, there are also extra curricular activities such as sports, arts, and volunteering. Additionally, if your child's new school is further away from your home than the public school that they attended, your child may lose valuable time commuting to and from school. To help your child transition to a busier schedule, you may want to make a family schedule. This will help remind your child of what they need to do and will also give you reminders of opportunities that you have to support your child, such as attending games or performances. 

Give Your Child the Opportunity to Continue Their Favorite Activities 

While most private schools offer many extra curricular activities, there is a chance that they will not offer your child's favorite extra curricular activity on the level that your child is used to. If this is the case, you should find a way to keep your child enrolled in their favorite activity. For example, you may sign your child up for private dance lessons if their new school does not have a dance team. This helps prevent your child from feeling like private school is a punishment and resenting their transition. However, you should still make sure that their enrollment in extracurricular activities does not detract from their academic experience. 

Encourage Them To Get Involved In Their New Community 

One of the major benefits of most private schools is a sense of community, and the pride that students take in their school. However, it can be difficult for new students to feel like they are part of the school community if they do not get involved in school events. You should encourage your student to participate in activities outside of school. Joining a club, volunteering with other students, or going on an optional field trip are all ways for your child to get involved in their new community. 

Don't Cut Ties With Old Friends 

Although it is important to encourage your child to make friends at their new school, you should not force your child to cut ties with their friends from their public school. You should provide plenty of opportunities for them to maintain their old friendships. This is to prevent resentment and negative feelings associated with moving to a new school. Over time your child may naturally drift away from their old friends, but you should be supportive of them while they try to maintain their friendships. 

Transitioning to a private school can be overwhelming for some students. It is important that you are aware of any difficulties your child may face and help support them through their transition. 

For more tips, contact a private school like Saint Thomas Academy.

Share

28 December 2015

Dedicating Your Time To Learning

When I started college, I realized that most of my friends and roommates weren't really serious about hitting the books. Instead of studying, most of them worried more about getting invited to parties or going out on dates. However, I realized that my time in college would matter a lot later in my professional life, so I decided to dedicate myself to learning. I spent hours in the library learning course material, and it really started to pay off. I was able to earn my degree a lot faster than some of my colleagues, which was awesome. Check out this blog to learn tips for getting more out of college.