As a parent, you will want to be certain that the school you choose is going to be best for your child. One of the ways to make sure that a school is in your child's best interests is to make sure that it's student-centered. A student-centered school is one that always puts the needs of the student first and is dedicated to making sure that a student succeeds. This goal is ahead of pleasing the school board, making money, or improving athletic facilities to host tournaments. There are three main signs that a school is student-centered.
1. Students Interact With Each Other
Students learn from each other. Some students will learn more from their peers than from the teacher. A student-centered school will cater to both children that learn best from teachers as well as students who learn best from their peers. Drop by a school and ask to shadow in a classroom for a few hours. Check to make sure that the teacher has enough time for students to discuss topics with each other, as well as to convey the information in the curriculum. Teachers should not be in direct control of the conversation all the time. Students should have a chance to interact with each other.
2. Test Questions Force Students to Think
Another sign to look for is to make sure that test questions are not just designed to force students to recite facts. Test questions should be relatively open-ended in order to make sure that the student has developed critical thinking skills and truly understands the topic. Ask to see a sample test. Make sure that the majority of the questions are short-answer or ask about cause and effect, rather than dates and figures.
3. Teachers Use Student Interests as Motivation to Learn
Finally, you will want to check to see that teachers are using student interests as incentives to learn. Talk to the students and see what they are interested in. Then, see if these interests are reflected in the classroom. If children are interested in basketball, see if teachers have math questions that tie in how many baskets a kid could score in a minute or check to see if correct answers are rewarded with an opportunity to shoot a ball into a basket. Signs of interest integration show a student-centered classroom because they indicate that a teacher is interested in his or her students and is willing to go to any means to make learning enjoyable.
For more information on charter schools, contact administration at a school like Freedom Academy.
Share5 June 2015
As the mother of only one little girl, I have been learning a lot over the past three years. I have spent hours researching and discussing what is best for my little girl. Recently, I have been digging into what to do about her education. When is it best to get her enrolled in pre-school? Was staring her at 3 years old too soon? I have learned a lot about how to determine if your little one is ready to enter pre-school. Go to our family blog to find the answer to this question and so many more about raising your little one.
