Why Private School

When critics inveigh against private schools, they tend to pick on issues such as the following.

Everybody's Rich

Actually if you look at the beginnings of most private schools, you will discover that their original clientele were not children from wealthy families. Many of the founders of schools back in colonial times - the Phillips family, for example - saw education as the way forward for the infant democracy which was the United States. In order for the nation to survive it needed a literate, educated, proficient population. European crusaders like Dr. Maria Montessori and Rudolf Steiner - the founder of the Waldorf Schools movement - began their work among the poor and working classes. Their teachings captured the imagination of American middle and upper classes when their movements spread to the United States.

Over time as the schools expanded, they became highly prized for what they accomplished so very well, namely providing an excellent academic education, combined with sports and solid core values. Market forces conspired to drive the cost of education up. Social forces conspired to make private schools the place where the elite sent their children. In the 21st century egalitarian ideas once more have the upper hand. Private schools seek out and encourage applicants from every social and economic strata. Diversity rules. Not everybody who attends private school is rich.

Compulsory Sports

What's not to like about sports? Schooling throughout the centuries has always had a physical education component. Think Olympics. The ancient Romans

Private schools have terms and a language all their own. Similar to most affinity groups, this jargon is second nature to the insiders. Some of the terms which you will encounter have been passed down through the centuries. They come to us from England and other European countries where private or public schools, as they call them, have been around for centuries. That's why you will see words on this list which you will recognize with meanings that you weren't expecting.

Here are some of the more common terms you are likely to encounter as you explore private schools.

ADD/ADHD

ADD (Attention Deficit Disorder) is what ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder) used to be called.

Here's what WebMed has to say: "ADHD stands for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, a condition with symptoms such as inattentiveness, impulsivity, and hyperactivity. The symptoms differ from person to person. ADHD was formerly called ADD, or attention deficit disorder. Both children and adults can have ADHD, but the symptoms always begin in childhood. Adults with ADHD may have trouble managing time, being organized, setting goals, and holding down a job."

If your child exhibits any signs of ADHD, you should have him evaluated thoroughly and professionally. The syndrome is generally treatable. Several private schools specialize in teaching boys and girls with ADHD.

Crew

Crew is the ancient sport of rowing. Rowing in shells is very popular in many private schools. Crew is offered in the fall and spring.

Athletic programs in private schools are an integral part of school life. They are not 'optional'. All students participate in some athletic activity weekly while school is in session. Most private schools set aside a weekday afternoon - generally Wednesday - for athletics. There are no classes. Everybody is involved in some athletic activity somewhere on campus. In boarding schools, part of each Saturday is also given over to sports. Throughout this article, I have quoted from private school websites so that you can get an idea of how private schools view competitive and recreational sports.

"Competitive or recreational sports at Putney are valued for fostering individual skills and strengths. Sports do not conflict with art activities, so there is no need to choose between one or the other."...The Putney School, Vermont

This is also a fundamental difference between private and public schools. I am not saying that sports in public schools are not important. It's simply that when money has to be trimmed from a public school budget, it is often trimmed from the athletics budget. Why? Because the board would rather trim that expense than lay off more teachers. It is a tough choice that most private schools don't have to make and will not make in most cases.

"The Gunnery's sports program cultivates competition and cooperation in the context of organized athletics. This is a tradition that stretches back, unbroken, to Mr. Gunn's era. A staunch advocate of physical fitness, he created the school's

One of the most compelling arguments for private education has to do with the curriculum. Because very few private schools accept public funds, they are not required to comply with federal and state rules and regulations regarding what is taught. In other words, they do not have to teach to the test. George Bush's No Child Left Behind does not apply to private schools.

Private schools use a variety of curricula according to their mission and needs. For example, a Jewish day school will blend Judaic studies with a core curriculum designed to accomplish two things: to raise observant Jews who are well-schooled in their religion as well as producing well-prepared matriculants ready for the rigors of a college education.

A Classical Christian education will emphasize traditional subjects such as rhetoric. It will also infuse every aspect of its teaching with evangelistic fire and purpose. Religion in a Classical Christian school is not an option any more than it is in a Muslim or Jewish or Roman Catholic school. All these schools can take valuable teaching time to accomplish their missionary objectives because they take no state funds. They basically can march to their own pedagogical tune as long as their clientele is satisfied that the school is doing a good job.

This video offers an overview of Rochelle Zell Jewish High School.

What about prep schools? Religion for most prep schools

Remember computer labs? Remember those couple of Apple IIe's sitting on the side of the classroom? Remember dial-up modems? Those days seem like a hundred years ago, don't they? Handheld devices have totally transformed education at every level, not just in K-12 schools. However, while handheld devices offer immediate access to information students need for their schoolwork, they also create all sorts of issues for schools. Different platforms and operating systems need to be able to communicate with each other. In other words, teachers and students need to be on the same page. Add to that major challenge is the even bigger challenge of providing seamless wireless access to the internet from anywhere on campus safely and securely. Yes, hackers are everywhere, within and without the firewalls, the IT staff have so carefully erected to keep data and students safe. With these points in mind, let's look at what's going on with technology in private K-12 schools.

I just had to include this Apple IIe commercial from the 80s. It shows how far we have come.

The many flavors of technology

Schools handle the devices students use in a variety of ways. Some schools require you to purchase a laptop or tablet as part of their book and supplies fees. Others supply computers for their students. Others have computers in classrooms and libraries for their students to use. So, what's going on here? Can't I