First School Enrollment For Your Child- What You Should Consider

After almost half a year’s shutdown, the schools are reopening slowly and gradually. And noteworthy is the fact that parents are sighing relief with the commencement of the schools.

Of course, many parents would also be sending off their children to a school for the very first time. And they would definitely want to make sure that their child is safe at the premises. The pandemic is still not over and there need to be necessary checks in place.

Besides necessary precautions and social distancing will be a part of the curriculum. But, still there are several other factors that parents would need to consider. Especially, the parents who are to enroll their children in a school for the very first time.

In this article, we’ve shared some factors that parents should consider when enrolling in a school.

Distance between the school and home

The very first and the most obvious thing to consider when enrolling your child in a school is its distance from your home. You wouldn’t want your child to be spending most of their day hours while commuting.

It is a lot better to find a school closeby to your house. It would not only reduce your child’s commute efforts but also ensure that they can focus more on learning. Many studies have revealed time and again that longer commutes can exhaust a student. And this exhaustion affects their cognitive responses. So, in a way, by reducing the commute efforts for your child you can actually help them learn their subjects better.

Another benefit of finding a school close to your residence is your child gets more time for other tasks. Now, it could be anything- play-time, music lessons, or just to have a better sleep at night.

Faculty expertise and competence

An important thing to consider before enrolling your child is the faculty of the school. Of course, the only bridge connecting your child with all the knowledge out there is the teacher.

Of course, you’d expect the faculty to be experienced and responsive. Though you need not check their accolades and certificates, ensuring their experience in the subject can do the job. For example, when choosing a Tucson charter school, you should ask for the faculty’s teaching methods. Detailed explanations. Individual focus and continuous evaluations are some of the methods, to begin with.

But, then again, there are other factors that follow along. You can’t just rely on the faculty’s competence. You’d also need to know how friendly they are with students. Of course, a rude and mean teacher can make a bad impression on your child and you wouldn’t want that.

Specific subjects and curriculum

It is very obvious that not every school is the best in every subject. For example, a dance school can not be expected to be proficient in chemistry.

To evaluate this factor, you’d first need to understand your child’s interests. You can consult with a counsellor for the same or you can try it yourself. To begin with, you can ask your child about what they want to learn. Is it any sport or art, or anything else? The point here is to imbibe your child with lessons that would enhance their skills.

Notably, when you’re enrolling your child in a school for the first time, you cannot expect them to be accurate with their choices. According to anonymous research, nearly 37% of students make a shift in their choice of subjects after enrolling. And most of them usually make this shift in the early years of their education. So, it is indeed better to check out what specific subjects the school excels in.

Extra-curricular activities

Apart from the regular lessons, your child’s overall development depends on other activities also. For example, indulging in sports helps your child develop decision-making skills. Likewise, indulging in music lessons would help your child open up to their creative side.

Enquiring about the extra-curricular activities that a school has to offer is, therefore, necessary. You should try and enquire about the types of sports they offer, or the genres of music they teach.

Of course, a school that has more vivid lessons on offer could make up for the better development of your child. And you really can’t compromise with your child’s mental and physical development.

The schooling system that’s followed

This should again be a crucial part of your decision-making process. The schooling system that a school follows refers to their teaching methodologies. Or in other words, pedagogy.

It is noteworthy that there are typically three schooling systems, defined broadly. The first one being private schooling, followed by government and charter schools.

In general, private schools offer a premium experience, but at the same time, also charge premium schooling fees. On the contrary, government schools are the most economical option. But if you really need a mix of extraordinary schooling and economical fees, then charter schools might just be right for your child. Charter schools are generally governed by federal or state agencies but operated by local communities. Thus, social needs are set as a top priority for students in such schools.

Public reviews about the school

Lastly, you should also read about the public reviews that a school has. Experts believe that the best resources for a good decision are usually the people who’ve had an experience with the same. In this context, the best resources would be the parents who already have their children enrolled with the school.

With the popularity that digital media has gained lately, accessing these experiences has become easier. You can perhaps access a public website or a portal that supports public reviews. For example, Google supports public reviews on its business listings. And the best part about these reviews is they are publically accessible.

Apart from Google, you can also visit other directories such as Yelp or BBB (Better Business Bureau). These websites do not allow users to put up fake reviews. So, in a way you can actually rely on the authenticity of these reviews.

Your child’s first experience with school depends on your decision. And you surely wouldn’t want to regret it. So, careful decision-making is of utmost importance. And surely a well-informed decision is a lot more rewarding than a hasty one.