17 Benefits of Sending Your Child to Private School

17 Benefits of Sending Your Child to Private School
Not sure if paying a premium for private school is best for your child? Consider what individualized attention, great libraries, technology (and more) can do for your child.
For many parents, one of the biggest decisions they make is where to send their children to school: public, private, or religious school.
Having been a public and private school student and parent, I know first hand some of the benefits of independent education. (Disclaimer: there is a wide range of schools of all types, so your local options may vary.) If you are already considering writing those tuition checks, here are some of the positive qualities you can expect:

Small Class Size

Look for no more than eighteen students in the room with one teacher. At the younger ages, you can expect two teachers in the room. In some situations, such as reading groups for younger students, three or four teachers may be in the classroom teaching groups as small as four or five students.

Great Libraries

Most independent schools boast roomy, comfortable libraries with large, well-curated collections and staffs of smart, super-literate librarians who can advise kids and families on reading selections and academic research. Parents can often borrow books too!

Specialists

A good private school should provide talented gym, art, music, dance, and theater teachers at all grade levels. Students will meet in these “special” classes at least every other week, and sometimes as often as several times a week.

Arts

Expect professional production values for plays, musicals, and concerts. Look for attractive displays of strong artworks, and even a dedicated gallery. Better schools also provide a full range of film, photography, and computer graphics equipment.

Technology

Students in private schools often receive late model laptops or tablets for their own use. Internet service is fast and reliable, and a technology support department promptly fixes problems with service and equipment as they arise.