Why Private Elementary Schools are a Great Way to Prepare Your Child

1. Why Private Elementary Schools are a Great Way to Prepare Your Child Elementary school is the foundation of your child’s education – and ultimately his or her career, as well. There are many reasons why private schools may better prepare your child for the challenges to come, and understanding the benefits can help you make what will ultimately be one of the most important decisions in your (and your child’s) life. Higher Educational Standards If there’s one thing that private schools do better than their public counterparts, it’s focusing on educational standards. The state of Illinois sets minimum guidelines for children of all ages and in all grades, from preschool through their senior year. Public schools often use those guidelines for the development of lesson plans, ensuring that kids get only the education they must have to eventually graduate from high school. Private schools elevate those guidelines and provide kids with much higher standards. This helps teach kids to go above and beyond minimum requirements and do their very best in all of their lifelong endeavors. Lower Student Teacher Ratios Public schools often have very large classrooms. In fact, in some of the public elementary schools in the Chicago area, the student teacher ratio is more than 30:1. Students in large classrooms like these have little opportunity for one-on- one coaching, and they rarely develop relationships with their teachers, even when one or more teachers’ aides are present in the classroom to assist. Private schools offer student teacher ratios around 12:1 or less, which means students develop closer relationships with faculty and have more opportunity to get one-on-on help when the need arises. More Artistic Exposure Whereas public schools create their curriculum based on state guidelines, private elementary schools enjoy a bit more freedom. This means that while your child’s public school may offer simple art and music classes, a private school may develop an entire program that emphasizes arts. For example, while any elementary school might choose to put on a

2. play, a private school may employ teachers who have degrees in fine arts, allowing them to share that information with their students and teach them valuable skills early in life. Focus on Religious Beliefs Last, but most certainly not least, private schools give parents an opportunity to carry over their religious beliefs into the school day. Public schools do offer some religious programs from time to time, but these are often only available to students before or after school as extracurricular activities. Private schools, on the other hand, can incorporate religious doctrine and teachings into every single lesson, from the time your child arrives in the morning until he or she goes home in the afternoon. There’s no better way to solidify faith in young children than to make it part of their everyday lives, and only a private elementary school affords that peace of mind. Private elementary schools go above and beyond their public counterparts in several ways. They offer higher educational standards, lower student teacher ratios, more exposure to the arts, and more focus on faith – all of which will help your little one grow and thrive not only throughout childhood, but also as an adult.