Finding a school for our children is one of the decisions that most concern our parents because we want to find the center that best suits our needs and those of our child. Children will spend many hours in school and it will be one of the most important spaces in their lives, where they will learn, play, make friends and discover many things. Without a doubt, we want to succeed. To help you make this decision we will give you seven keys to choose your children's school.
Pedagogy and educational model
The pedagogy used by the school and its educational model It is, perhaps, what we should first consider. Although, in practice, not all centers at our disposal may have sufficient variety of methods and models, it is important to know them thoroughly in order to assess their suitability for our children and our expectations. We can even find out the rotation of the teaching staff and their way of hiring if we investigate a little, because that greatly influences the internal coherence of the school.
He Pedagogical model The center is usually available when we ask for it or, if it has a website, we can find it on it, however, when we go there are questions about which we can ask very important and that will make us be able to get an idea of the way in which it is going to be Help our children learn.
These are important issues to ask about: the type of evaluations that are made, what is the intensity of the use of new technologies and laboratories, if active learning alternatives are used, what is the organization of the classroom, if it is mixed with the students of different courses in some spaces and activities, how the teaching hours are distributed, how many homework is given and how they are valued, if the cards and textbooks or other supports are used as a priority and how attention is really structured to the diversity of learning.
Disciplinary regime and emotional education
The school is not only learning content, it is also about coexistence, values and emotions. And therefore the disciplinary regime and respectful emotional education It is another of the most important aspects that we must assess to decide if we will be satisfied with the treatment our child will receive and if it is adapted to our way of educating.
In the case of younger children, we can ask about the period of adaptation, if they are allowed to wear a diaper, if sad faces or prizes are used, thinking chairs or if they are sent to the class of the little ones as a way to punish a behavior annoying in class.
With Primary children it is important that we know as much as possible about the disciplinary regime. We can ask all we want about the use of punishments and sanctions and if we consider group punishments, yard cleaning, any punishment that we can consider as humiliating, operation of the expulsions of the classroom especially in charge of who is the child sent to the hallway or even dispatch.
Another important issue is the methodology of detection and action in cases of bullying, if there is a specific protocol it is a point in favor of that school and will give us the peace of mind that it is a topic on which they are aware.
Style, organization and frequency of center-family communication
Our children are what matters most to us in the world and we will want to have good information about their life in the center so that we know the style, organization and frequency of center-family communications It is important too. We can ask about the protocol of frequency and mode of request for tutorials and until the time in which they are granted, if there are group meetings, the use of agenda or other means of communication, and the parents' ease of access to the center.
We can also research on the role of parents in the organization and operation of the center, if your suggestions are welcome or if a more passive role is expected from them. Seriously, it is something that you have to know, so as not to be disgusted. The educational community is made up of teachers, children and parents.
Location
Although it is not essential that the school is close to home, it is undoubtedly a point to value its location. The proximity or remoteness will perhaps imply the need to use school transport, know the time the child will spend on transfers and or have to use the dining room. All this involves the investment of our and children's time, so it is important to take it into account even if we do not give it more weight than the quality of the pedagogical model and the emotional education that the center promotes.
Costs
The education of our children is one of the things in which we most gladly spend money, and we do very well, parents. Must know the final costs. But as each family will have a different economy, situation and priorities, having a clear budget is indispensable.
In that budget Not only will the center come in for free or not, but also the expense of books (if they use them), scholarships, uniforms, transportation, dining, extended hours, extracurricular ones. Another issue is the frequency of use of teachers and academies in students, something that we can investigate by talking with other parents, because it tells us if the center really covers the needs of children or if it is extended to use supports.
Ideology and values
He center ideology It is important because, if possible, it will be more comfortable if we share it. Logically we must know if it is a religious center and, within these, how religion is taught or practiced in it, because not everyone is the same.
In the centers, we also have to ask how they are transmitted democratic values of equality and freedom and if in addition to the theory, they are palpable in the system and internal organization.
Installations
The quality of the place where our children will be is important. Let's look good the installations and the way they take care of themselves. Just as in our workplace, being in a modern, caring and healthy place will help us be happier and more productive, it is for children.
In the case of children the installations They will even influence your health. Consider a lot if the school has green and natural spaces to which children have access. What I remember most dearly from my school was that huge pine forest where to play and walk. Nature and being in contact with it is an added value to a school.
It is important to verify the size of the yards and the use made of them, the real quality of the dining room, if there is a kitchen in the school and if they let the parents eat there to know if it is good and well balanced. Issues to consider are the environment and the environmental quality of the area and the criteria of construction, ergonomics, maintenance and cleaning. It is the health of our children that will be affected or favored by it.
School quality
When I talk about the school quality I do not mean their scores on external evaluation tests, number of submitted and grades in selectivity or level achieved in rankings, which we can also consider, but above all if the teaching they offer is consistent with the times, if they favor critical thinking and creativity, if laboratories are used and well organized, if there is an adequate implementation of the new technologies, if there are sufficient and well-maintained sports facilities where they can exercise and if they offer extracurriculars and language classes appropriate to our expectations.
With these seven keys to choosing your children's school always present we can make a decision that will make us feel much more satisfied with the school that we decide as far as possible and, above all, we will know that we are offering our children a center to grow and learn happily.
