One of the most important decision you will make as a parent, aside from deciding to have the kid in the first place, is deciding which school they should go to. Make the right decision and you could put them on a path toward lifelong learning, a good college education, and a successful career in the field of their choosing. Choose wrongly and there is going to be a major problem, it could mean struggle with relationships as well as learning. This can present issues when you are deciding where to live. There are several people who base where they live on the school district that is there.
Research the proper grade. For those going to start the process with preschool, you should know this: The relationship between your child and their first teacher is very important. The connection between child and teacher is more important than any curriculum at that age. This is the first time they may be spending without family around them. You want to look for a preschool teacher who is very engaged and interested in the students as individuals. You can always have a conversation with a prospective teacher about their attitude towards teaching, life, and children. They should be able to speak about individual students’ strengths and weaknesses and be well informed of their background, interests, emotional, and academic achievements. You want a teacher who takes great pride in his or her students’ progress and is consistently open to their improvement. We usually have a pretty good feeling about people we meet right away. Most of the time, other parents or the school itself can help you decide if that teacher fits your child’s needs.
With the most impressionable year out of the way, Kindergarten is next. Kindergarten is full of caring teachers so the curriculum becomes slightly more important. You should be interested in what they will be learning the first year. What is the school’s focus? Math and the alphabet should be huge when it comes to Kinder. The basic skills they need to start proper schooling should always be stressed in these years. As a parent, being involved is the key to Kindergarten. Kids don’t have study habits or “boundaries” when it comes to learning yet. Setting the bar high yet attainable is going to be important this year.
With those two fun but crazy years out of the way, it is time to focus on school involvement and academics. Nobody needs to get too crazy when it comes to making a child have to succeed. Guiding them to success should be the focus now. Schools at this age have a lot of feedback from parents and the state agencies concerning the success of their students. Doing research is way easier at this point because the districts and the states conduct testing and can report the quality of the school.
In conclusion, where you decide to have your children schooled may be one of the most important factors when deciding where you want to live. Don’t be too shy to visit the actual schools or do your fair share of research on them. Where our children are educated is a big deal.