Schooling

Schooling - Part 3
Now yet another city – a different country – no Indian curriculum available-

I have two children- different ages and the choice was limited to American System of Education and British System of Education.

Which do you choose?

Priorities all changed ….

And the choice was made by the situation and what we could get…so the result…..
I have one child under going an American System and who is very happy and thoroughly enjoys it and I have another under going British System is very happy and thoroughly enjoys too …

Now coming to the question I get how do you find the systems?

The question I would ask any parent is the following

• What is your expectation of your education?
o How much do you want your child to be academic oriented…
1 Are you ok if your child just passes each grade but is well all rounded …in sports/arts etc
2 Are you happier if your child is top quarter percentile in academics but is just scrapes through in most extra curricular activities…?
3 Are you the happiest if you child is in top quarter percentile and is also very good at all extra curricular activities - an ideal situation very few kids can make that mark and if they do majority would have had lots of external support from parents or others external to school.

So the choice has to be made between 1 and 2 - 3 is the bonus....
• What is the possibility of you continuing the same system of education for the next 16 years….?
o Then you can afford to have an education that will take care of it itself over years…you are not worried of getting placed at lower classes when you switch classes.
o But if you are like me where I don’t know what’s next then academics has to be strong in the earlier years else you should be prepared to miss a year every time you make a switch of curriculums – So what if the child has to repeat a Grade? – Good question – answer would help you to choose what focus you need when choosing the school and also your expecations.

If you can answer these two questions – you sure do have the answers….but if both are uncertain here is my perspective….

• I think “ do everything you can build a firm foundation” – I have seen that if a child reads earlier than his peers or solves mathematical problems earlier they sure have an advantage….can they survive without that advantage of course they can…..

• Supplement as much as possible at home…I have tried very hard doing that and I believe it has helped so far….Hint: The question is are you willing to supplement or not? Or are you ok with whatever may be the outcome?

• Are you overloading the child? – That’s a fine line you decide as you know your child best….I know my children are very happy if they have lots of activities they like and so I can get more academics done if they have more activities they can be engaged…- net result I am tired…but is the effort worth it …of course it is…And I can already see it every day….

So that’s my perspective………and my very own….