Effective learning environment and school choice by the parents

There are several options when it comes to the type of education a child can receive. Parents today have more choices than ever. The primary factor that parents must weigh is the overall environment in which they want their child to be educated. It is also important for parents to examine the child's individual needs and makeup and the financial situation they are in when deciding which learning. the environment is the right fit.

There are five major options when it comes to educating a child. These include public schools, private schools, charter schools, homeschooling, and virtual/online schools. Each of these options provides a unique setting and learning environment. There are pros and cons to each of these choices. However, it is important that parents understand that no matter what option they give their child, they are the most important people when it comes to the quality of education their child receives.

Success is not defined by the type of schooling you received as a youngster. Each of the five options has developed many people who were successful. The key factors in determining the quality of education a child receives are the value their parents place on education and the time they spend working with them at home. You can put almost any child in any learning environment and if they have these two things, they will usually be successful.

Similarly, children who do not have parents who value education or work with them at home have the odds stacked against them. That is not to say that a child cannot overcome these odds. Intrinsic motivation also plays an important factor and a child who is motivated to learn will learn regardless of how much their parents do or do not value education.

Public Schools

More parents choose public schools as their child's education option than any other option. There are two primary reasons for this. The first public school is free and many people cannot afford to pay for their children's education.

So, what makes a public school effective? The truth is that it is not effective for everyone. More students will end up dropping out of public schools than will any of the other options. This does not mean that they do not offer an effective learning environment. Most public schools provide students who want it with great learning opportunities and provide them with a high-quality education. The sad reality is that public schools accept more students than any other option who do not value education and do not want to be there. This can take away from the overall effectiveness of public education as these students usually become distractions that disrupt learning.

The overall effectiveness of the learning environment in public schools is also affected by the individual government grants for education. Class size is particularly affected by government funding. As class size increases, overall efficiency decreases.

The educational standards and assessments developed by each individual state also affect the effectiveness of a public school. As it stands right now, public education is not created equally across states. However, the development and implementation of the common central government standards will remedy this situation.

Public schools provide students who want a high-quality education. The biggest problem with public education is that the percentage of students who want to learn and those who are only there because they are required is much closer than those in the other options. The United States is the only education system in the world that accepts every student.

Private schools

The biggest limiting factor for private schools is that they are expensive. Some private schools provide scholarship opportunities, but the truth is that most of parents simply cannot afford to send their child to a private school. Private schools usually have a religious affiliation. This makes feasible or ideal for parents who want their children to receive a balanced education between traditional academics and all of those religious values.

Private schools also have the option of checking their enrolment. Not only does this limit class size which maximizes efficiency, it also minimizes students becoming distractions because they don't want to be there. Most parents who can afford to send their children to private school™s value education, which means their children value education.

Private schools all are not governed by the state laws or standards. They can create their own standards and accountability standards that are usually tied to their overall goals and agenda. This can strengthen or weaken a school's overall effectiveness depending on how rigorous these standards are.

Charter schools

Charter schools are public schools that receive public funding, but are not governed by many of the state education laws that other public schools are. Charter schools typically focus on a specific subject area such as math or science and provide rigorous content that exceeds state expectations in those areas.

Although they are public schools, they are not accessible to everyone. Most charter schools have limited enrolment that students must apply for and be accepted to attend.

Charter schools are not for everyone. Students who have struggled academically in other settings are likely to fall even further behind in a charter school because the content can be difficult and rigorous. Students who value education and want to earn scholarships and further their education would benefit from charter schools and the challenge they provide.

Homeschooling

Homeschooling is an option for those children who have a parent who does not work outside the home. This option allows a parent to have total control over their child's education. Parents can incorporate religious values ‹‹into their children's daily education and are usually more attuned to their children's individual educational needs.

The sad truth about homeschooling is that there are many parents trying to homeschool their child who are simply not qualified. In this case, it affects a child deeply negatively and they fall behind their peers. This is not a good situation to put a child in because they will have to work extremely hard to ever catch up. While the intentions are likely good, the parent should realistically have an understanding of what their child needs to learn and how to teach it.

For those parents who qualify, homeschooling can be a positive experience. It can generate a loving bond between the child and the parent. Socialization can be negative, but parents who want can find many opportunities through activities such as sports, church, dance, martial arts, etc.

Virtual/online schools

The newest and hottest trend in education is virtual/online schools. This type of schooling allows students to receive public education and instruction from home via the Internet. The availability of virtual/online schools has exploded in recent years. This can be a great option for children who struggle in a traditional learning environment, need more one on one instruction, or have other issues such as pregnancy, medical issues, etc.

Two major limiting factors can include the lack of socialization and then the need for self-motivation. Much like homeschooling, students need socialization with peers and parents can easily provide these opportunities for children. Students must also be motivated to stick to the schedule of virtual/online schooling. This can be difficult if a parent isn't there to keep you on task and make sure you complete your lessons on time.