5 Things to consider when looking for a school

The other day, while I was inside a public vehicle going to my son’s school, I overheard  two mothers talking.  The first mom besides me said that it was so hard to look for a school for his son because there are only a few public schools in our area here in Cavite.  She said that they can’t afford a private school because the tuition fees are too high.  The other mom said that for her it is okay to bring her son to a private school as long as the rooms are air conditioned and have good facilities.

While listening to them, I realized that there are really lots of factors to consider in looking for a school for our kids. Days are gone when the parents only criteria in finding a school was the location, the nearer the school to their house, the better.

In today’s generation, due to the increasing population, there are lots of schools to choose from. That is an advantage for us parents I think, because schools thrive to be the best school in the area if they want to have more students enrolled to them. The only problem is that, how are you going to choose one from the other.

Here are some points that I think you may want to consider:

• Before looking for a school, why not observe the learning patterns of you kids first.  Is he independent and can work on his own already? Is he fidgety? Can he work quietly or does he learn better by playing and singing? I am asking you this because there are lots of schools now that are using different kinds of teaching methods and approaches besides the traditional way that we all know.  There are Montessori, DAP or Developmentally Appropriate Practice, Progressive, Eclectic etc.  I have home schooled my son for 1 year and I have observed that he will learn better through a non-traditional way of teaching, that is why even though there are lots of traditional schools near our area, I still looked for a progressive school which I know can cater to his needs, regardless if it is quite far our place.
• Not all private schools are good and not all public schools are bad either.  If you think you can’t afford a private school then hunt for a good public school for your kids. Unfortunately most of the good public schools that I know are far from the area where we reside.  But to give you an idea, some of the good public schools that I know based on reviews are: Philippine Science High school, Makati Public school and Manila Science High School.  But then again, those schools that I have mentioned are all Public High schools, if your kids are just preschoolers and you are really having a a tough time, then I recommend that you just homeschool them and teach them yourself.  I believe that mommies are still the best teachers of our kids. To know more about homeschooling, do some research and pray hard to God to help you do it.
• Look for a school that has a small class size.  I have observed that kids in a small class size learn better and faster than those who are in a big class size. Students in a small class is given more attention and encouragement. The teacher can take all the time she needs to present the material being taught in a variety of ways appropriate to his small class of students because each student learn in different ways. That is much more difficult to do with a larger class.
• Interview the teachers and if possible the parents of the kids who are enrolled at the school you want your kids to go to.  This way, you will know how the teachers handles the kids.  Tell the teachers all your concerns and then ask them how are they going to address those concerns.
• Check the facilities but do not make it your main priority. I was surprised to know that some parents criteria of choosing a school was that the room should be air-conditioned, if not then it’s a ‘no’.  I know we want our kids to be in a place where they can feel comfortable as much as possible but we should remember that life is not always full of comfort. As far as I know, I became tough because I have experienced a lot of uncomfortable things (I hope you get me).  Having a good education should be on top our list for our kids and not an air-conditioned classroom.  If I say check the facilities, I mean that the CR and lavatory should be functional, the chairs and tables of the classroom should be durable, the gates should be secured and the entire place should be kids friendly.

I know it’s hard to look for a school (I’ve been there) but be patient.  Internet is your friend, it can help you find one. Visit the schools, ready your notebook with questions and list down the pros and cons of each school you have visited.  At the end of the day, check which one has the most number of pros and maybe that school is the right school for you.

Good luck mommies 🙂