Deciding on the Best School for Your Child

by Roger B Rueda

You, as parents, require awareness, insistence, and vigour to make informed choices about your children’s education. It is essential to understand the education system unmistakably, over and above the choices to be had before making the final decision. By gathering information, researching, and evaluating your choices, you will be better equipped to look into the rich different types of schools available.

WHAT ARE YOUR OPTIONS?

You may decide on for private education which can vary from an elite, traditional perspective, a church based philosophy or, perhaps, a system such as Montessori to alternative schools.

HOW TO CHOOSE THE RIGHT SCHOOL

You all want to offer your children the best opportunities that are on hand, but it pays to remember that whatever school we choose, or however limited our options are by finances, handiness or neighbourhood, the greatest influence on the final result will be the home and family. If the cost of an elite education includes harshly stressed parents who are run off their feet trying to earn enough to cover school fees, your little one is in all probability going to feel too stressed himself/herself to do good to.

Begin shopping for schools long before your child is due to start school. You can find out about schools and what they offer by contacting individual schools and asking for a catalogue or manual. You can also get a feel for schools by talking to teachers and families. Try to find out why they feel the way they do.

Be discerning about community opinion. School’s reputations change slowly, so a popular school may be trading off a reputation gained years ago which may or may not be still justified. Another school may be doing everything right but still be suffering from a preceding 'bad name.'

When you have confined your options, make a prior arrangement to stopover and talk to the right person at the school. This may be the registrar or a designated teacher. On the other hand, before you take up your time and the school’s think about what you want from a school before you ask what a school has to put forward.

WHAT ARE YOU LOOKING FOR?

Before checking out individual schools, it’s important to decisively consider your child’s needs on top of your own expectations and values. If you find it hard to be objective about your own child, talking to preschool teachers might help you make your mind up what sort of school setting your child would act in response to best.

You may have a definite preference for large or small schools, or the same or a similar school to the one you attended. Other factors such as religion, discipline or diversity may be a key factor in your decision.

The school environment will have a substantial influence on your child, so it is reasonable to expect the values promoted to at least approximate your own. Values don’t just mean moral and religious values. They can also refer to a range of social issues, or even something as mundane as the nutrition available at the school canteen. If it’s important to you, it’s not mundane.

There are also sensible aspects to consider. How much participation do you want in school related activities? Some schools suppose a high level of parent involvement, others less. What about location and the nearness of public transport? Is car pooling a preference? Is childcare a worry? After school care is being offered by an increasing number of state and private schools. Many private schools also offer long daycare for preschoolers. If you have other younger children, this may be a reasonable option.

Pile up a checklist of features which are important to you and your child. Then think about the questions you need to ask to gain the information you need. You may want to include: The School’s aims and philosophies. A school needs to have a clear sense of purpose and should have its aims documented. Ask for a copy of the school charter.

HOW DOES IT MATCH YOUR EXPECTATIONS?

Is there a commitment to educate each student completely?
If you are attracted to a particular schooling system, ask how this is interpreted by the school and applied to everyday activities. At any school – public, private, religious or alternative – the staff and their united commitment to a philosophy will make a difference to the school environment.
What values are implied?
Are they based on particular religious beliefs
Ask how the school works to achieve its aims.


Individual care. Is there a commitment to assess and cater for the individual needs of each student? How is this achieved? How does the school cater for students needing remedial assistance? How does it satisfy the needs of the talented child?

Discipline and behaviour. Are school rules clearly specified and communicated to children and parents alike? Ask for a copy of the school’s discipline policy. How does it deject inappropriate behaviour and underpin good behaviour?

Class sizes and structure. What are the ceiling class sizes? Does this differ with the subject? On what basis are the students grouped within classes?

The other students. These make up the community your child will become part of. Do they come from a narrow or broad range of cultural and socio-economic backgrounds?

Physical facilities. What facilities are available for specialised subjects such as music, computing, art, science and technology studies? What musical instruments are available to students and are there extra charges involved? How modern are the materials in the library and what are library access policies? How much playground space is there and how is it used? What sporting facilities are accessible?

Teachers. Are the teachers the kind of role models you want for your child? On the whole, do teacher-student relationships seem comfortable and relaxed? What is the staff turnover rate? Do the teachers use up extra time with students in such activities as sports coaching? Do they seem to have high expectations of themselves and their students?

Extra-curricular activities. What activities are available to students outside the normal curriculum? What clubs are there? Is there a program of camps and school trips? Are they compulsory and what costs are involved?

Homework. How much and what kind is expected at the various year levels?

Parent participation. In what ways are parents involved in making decisions about school policies? Is there a parent involvement? What does it do? What kind of parental association does the school look ahead to? Are parents invited to take part in classroom activities?

Costs. Some other private schools have fees that amount to thousands of pesos annually. Government schools do not charge fees as such, but most do require a lot of projects. In both private and government schools, ask about the extra charges involved, such as musical instrument instruction and hire, camps and excursions, uniforms and sports uniforms, sporting equipment. And, if you are considering elite private education, you may need to budget for almost double the fees, especially in the senior years, to cater for the extras such as overseas excursions.

Admissions policy. On what basis are students selected? Is there a waiting list? A number of private schools offer preschool classes. To guarantee entry, your child may need to commence at kindergarten level.

Uniforms. Is there a school uniform? Is it necessary for all year levels? Is there a sports uniform? Is there a uniform recycling system?

Documentation. Are all policies in writing and available to parents? Are there course outlines, a school prospectus, annual reports, regular newsletters? How does the school communicate with parents?

INVOLVE YOUR CHILD

Above all, include your child in the decision making process. Listen to any concerns children express and acknowledge their feelings. Then, when you have chosen a school and enrolled your child, celebrate together to give a positive start to the new direction to both your lives.

GOOD SCHOOL CHECKLIST

Do the children and the teachers seem contented?
Is there a fair, comprehensive curriculum?
Are the children learning how to learn?
Is there real warmth between pupils and teachers?
Is there a sense of purpose, challenge, and achievement?
Does the school cater for children’s individual differences?
What specialist staff – librarian, physical education, music, art, computer teachers – does the school have?
How are parents involved in the school?
Are the school grounds neat and safe? Is playground equipment satisfactory and well maintained?
Do classrooms offer an inviting environment? Is there a sense of beauty and order? Is children’s work displayed with pride?

TOP 10 PRIVATE ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS IN ILOILO CITY*

1. The Great International School
2. Filipino American School Town
3. Solomon Integrated School de Iloilo
4. New Generation Christian Academy
5. Hope Baptist Academy
6. Assumption Iloilo
7.Harverter International Christian Academy/Kings Way Baptist Academy
8. Children's Integrated School of Alta Tierra
9. Iloilo Scholastic Academy
10. Colegio de las Hijas de Jesus

TOP 10 HIGH SCHOOLS IN ILOILO CITY*

1. SPED-Integrated School for Exceptional Children
2. University of the Philippines
3. Philippine Science High School
4. Iloilo Scholastic Academy
5. Hope Baptist Academy
6. West Visayas State University
7. The Great International School
8. Assumption Iloilo
9. PAREF Westbridge School
10. Ateneo de Iloilo

*based on the latest NAT result from DepEd