Over 70 million students attend American schools. Education is an important part of our lives, and it leaves us with a lot of choices.
One of the most important steps is the touring of the school. You hear about this a lot with college students, but touring a school is a good idea regardless of how old your child is.
Everybody has their own opinions on which schools are worth enrolling in and which aren’t. Regardless of which you choose to visit, you need to make the most of it. That means knowing the right questions to ask the teachers.
We’ll talk about some of these questions in the paragraphs below.
1. How Much Homework Is Typical
Most students aren’t fond of homework, and some schools offer more homework than others. The exact usefulness of homework is a hotly-debated point.
The amount of homework often varies from school to school with some providing a lot more homework than others. It’s important to know your child’s limits when trying to determine how much homework they’re prepared to do.
2. What Is the Average Class Size
Each type of class offers different opportunities and learning styles. These are important to consider whether you’re looking at colleges or trying to choose a private school.
Larger classes give schools the opportunity to save money and pay their teachers more. Students will also have a lot more classmates to turn to if they need help. However, there will be little interaction between students and teachers directly.
Smaller classes provide more interactions between students and teachers, often making the students more involved. They may not have many classmates to turn to if they need it. That being said, they may form closer bonds with the other students.
As far as the evidence goes, there seems to be a trend of better performance being linked with smaller classes.
3. What Is the Discipline Policy
Nobody’s perfect. Everybody’s going to get into trouble every now and then.
What’s important is how we handle those problems, and this is especially true when it comes to children. Gone are the days of being hit on the knuckles with a ruler or being forced to wear a dunce cap.
That being said, the new generation is facing its own challenges when it comes to discipline. For instance, many schools have implemented zero-tolerance policies for certain bad behaviors. While many approve of these policies, others have criticized them for being too harsh and not recognizing the nuances of reality.
Ideally, your views on discipline should match with that of the schools.
4. How Does the School Deal With Alternative Learning Styles
This may seem like a strange question, but it’s an important one to ask. Not every student is carbon copy of another, and trying to fit everyone in the same mold can be disastrous.
Some students may struggle in schools that don’t recognize their skills and thought processes. It’s been claimed that schools don’t handle creativity well, which is a nightmare for anybody with a creative kid.
The same is true for advanced students. Those working ahead of the rest of the class may get bored, which can lead to misbehavior. Plus, each moment they’re not being taught to their full potential is another moment wasted.
However, having your talents overlooked can be just the tip of the iceberg. Those with learning disabilities or mental conditions can face severe mistreatment at the hands of the school board.
Stories exist of children being abused by staff members simply because those students don’t see the world the way other children do.
5. What Extra-Curricular Activities Do You Offer
Children are shaped by what they do inside and outside of school. After-school activities and clubs can help your child advance socially. Being in activities they enjoy can also increase their self-esteem and self-worth.
There are seemingly infinite movies and television series where someone is pressured into one activity when they actually dream of doing another.
Maybe you played football in high school. Maybe the school recognizes athletes more than other types of students. You should ensure that your child will be supported to do what they want, even if it’s not something you envisioned for them.
6. How Does Parent-Teacher Interaction Work?
It’s natural for parents to want to know how their child is performing in school, not just grade-wise but in other respects as well. A good school should make an effort to keep parents informed and involved.
When thinking of questions to ask teachers, feel free to think about yourself and how you fit into the equation. Ask if you can sit in on a class. If the teacher says yes, it’s a good sign that they’re confident in their skills and committed to their work.
By extension, you may want to be wary of schools that are reluctant to have parents in their classrooms. This can be a sign of trouble. Perhaps the teacher isn’t all that confident, or perhaps the school is trying to hide something.
Now You Know What Questions to Ask Teachers When Visiting a Private School
Private schools function very differently from public schools. It’s important to have questions to ask teachers so that you know what you’re getting into. The more informed you are, the better prepared you are to choose the best environment for your child.
We’ve mentioned some of the important questions to ask in the paragraphs above, but it’s a long list. We encourage you to do more research on your own and try to come up with some questions yourself.
If you want more information and advice on various lifestyle topics please visit our site.