• Private Schools
• Advice Guide
• Private School Basics

Many parents fear the adjustment that their kid will endure when he or she switches to a private school. Nonetheless, there are many ways through which students at private school can adjust to their new academic environments. First and foremost you should know that there are many different types of private schools beyond academic schools, including:

• Specialty schools, which have a broad range of focuses like the environment or athletics, will make your child feel comfortable with the school environment because they are geared toward his or her special strengths.
• Language schools: At the beginning of the program, most students will be at the same level. Instructors recognize that this adjustment affects everyone.

Here are some other features of private schools that will help your child adjust to it:

• Private schools have smaller class sizes than do public schools. Thus, your child's teachers will be able to recognize his or her strengths and weaknesses, especially at the beginning of your kid's private school experience. The attention that each instructor will place on your student will help him or her get used to the new arrangement.
• While not every child is academically gifted, each kid has unique gifts, like arts or theatre. Therefore, your son or daughter could feel at home in his or her new setting by building self-esteem through programs that cater to multiple intelligences (e.g., drama).
• Almost all private schools offer extra help before or after school. So, if, especially early on, your child is struggling in the classroom, his or her teachers will spend out of class time elucidating the material. When I switched to private school in sixth grade, I required a lot of assistance outside of class. But, after a few months of this extra learning time, I was fully adjusted.
• Private schools provide individualized learning environments that are specific to the needs and aptitudes of your child's learning style. Many private schools divide classes according to each child's level of education. Furthermore, private schools will put your kid into the necessary support groups to assist them in subjects in which they may struggle. In my first year at private school, I struggled in English and was, hence, in a lower level class. But, by the time I graduated from high school, English was my best subject!
• Private schools, unlike public schools, determine whether your child could succeed in such an environment. Interviews and admissions tests allow the administrators to identify whether your child is capable of adjusting. They will know your kid!

To ensure that your child successfully adjusts to private school, be sure to follow these two key tips:

• Thoroughly research your options. You may find the parents' step-by-step guide to choosing a private school and this comprehensive list of private school questions helpful in your search.
• When you are filling out an application and during your in-person interviews, you should be as detailed as possible. Hiding information about your child, (e.g., learning disabilities or behavioural disorders) will only make the adjustment process more difficult than it needs to be.