Why Private School

Schools for the artistically gifted child are in short supply. If you have a daughter inclined to things thespian or a son who sings, then you ought to consider a school which makes the arts its raison d'etre, a place where the arts are not just a pleasant extracurricular activity.

These specialist private schools arrange their academic day around serious time for the arts. Plenty of rehearsal time is a must. Exciting recital and performance opportunities abound. Expert instruction is de rigeur. This short video explains why arts are important.

Here are descriptions of the schools in their own words. Be sure to click on the links to read more about each school on this list.

Adda Clevenger Junior Prep & Theater School, San Francisco

"All students of the school are members of the Adda Clevenger Youth Chorus of San Francisco under the direction of Alexis Murphy-Egri. In addition to a well-rounded musical education including music theory, vocal coaching and dramatic interpretation, it is essential that choristers also have many opportunities to perform. The repertoire consists of a wide range of genres including classical, sacred, folk, theater, and current popular music."

The Conservatory, Baltimore Actors' Theatre, Baltimore

"The Conservatory, Baltimore Actors' Theatre, is Maryland's first and only accredited College Preparatory School of the Arts, for students from grades pre-one to 12. Established in 1979, The Conservatory has garnered a reputation for the

Disclaimer: My eldest daughter attended the Waldorf School of Garden City back in the 70s. We liked the gentle approach that allowed children to explore and learn to think critically. ~Rob Kennedy

Waldorf schools offer a well-thought-out approach to K-12 education. Unlike Montessori schools, which focus on the primary grades, Waldorf schools cover all the grades. The Waldorf movement got its start with the writings and philosophy of Rudolph Steiner (1861-1925). Pictured on the right, Steiner was an Austrian-born philosopher who founded a movement known as anthroposophy.

One of the key aims of our method of educating is to help the child toward developing the faculty of free imagination. So, for example, we generally tell stories without offering printed pictures. Our words provide the raw materials. The child has to “clothe” the story with his or her own images. (Mt Barker Waldorf School Parent Association 2001)

This video from the Spring Garden Waldorf Schools gives an overview of a Waldorf education.

The essence of the Waldorf approach to education is its emphasis on developing a child's imagination and creative side. The Waldorf pedagogues prefer that young children never be exposed to popular entertainment such as television, popular music, and computers. Competition is replaced with cooperation. Eurythmy, an expressive music cum dance art form, plays a central role in developing a child's artistic expression. The whole child

Montessori schools are popular worldwide with parents of children in the primary grades. Interestingly enough, the educational concepts pioneered and codified by Dr. Maria Montessori (1870-1952) decades ago to educate mentally disabled and ineducable children in the inner city have morphed into a kind of schooling generally available only to middle and upper-class families nowadays.

How do I know a school is a genuine Montessori school?

Caveat emptor! Not every school which claims to be a Montessori school adheres to the founder's standards and methods. That is because the name Montessori has never been protected by trademark or copyright law. As a result, you can have a Montessori school with any strength of Montessori-ness you can imagine. In truth, the genuine article is a school member of the American Montessori Society. The association will have officially sanctioned it. It will have certified Montessori teachers using Montessori methods and equipment. That is not to say that a school that claims to be a Montessori school but is not part of the national association is any less good or adequate. That, as always, depends on the quality of the teachers and teaching. Remember that Montessori has become a household name, much like 'Xerox,' which is synonymous with 'copying. '

What is so appealing to parents about the Montessori method?

What, then, is so appealing about Dr. Montessori's methods? At the heart of her philosophy is that children learn differently from adults and should be allowed to learn wherever and whatever

If you are an expatriate with school age children and are in the United States for a stint of a couple years and intend to return home, then an international school is a great option for you. No sense in sending your children to a regular American public school only to have them yanked from that culture a few years hence. Educate them according to the curricula and standards to which you are accustomed. They won't have to back track and fill in the material which they missed. International schools make a point of using curricula approved by the authorities in your home country. Obviously if your home country happens to be the United Kingdom, France or Germany, you are in luck.

International schools are concentrated in major urban areas as a rule. However, you will find schools in some rather unlikely places. It is always a good idea to ask your consulate or embassy for suggestions. Most are day schools. That works well for a young family.

• Atlanta International School
• Austin International School
• Awty International School
• British American School of Charlotte
• The British International School of New York
• British School of Boston
• British School of Chicago
• British School of Houston
• British School of Washington
• Chinese American International School
• Dallas International School
• French Immersion School of Washington
• French American School of Los Angeles
• French American School of New York
• German-American International School
• German-American School of Palo Alto

What do Matt Damon, Robin Williams, Alec Baldwin, Greer Garson, Rodney Dangerfield, Sean Connery, Kevin Kline, Timothy Hutton and George C. Scott all have in common? They have made movies set in private schools.

There are several classic movies which are set in private schools. Aside from lovely shots of manicured campuses and grand buildings, most of these films don't represent private schools accurately. But then, that was not their intent.

For example, the Harry Potter series gives a romanticized view of life in an English boarding school. The dining hall and faculty gowns still exist in many English schools. Everything else is delightful fantasy. Goodbye Mr. Chips! is a two tissue tear jerker. Dead Poets Society always leaves a lump in your throat. School Ties shows the kind of nasty prejudice which was the norm way back when.

Hollywood tends to view private schools the way media does in general. It plays private schools as bastions of privilege and wealth. Military schools are an easy backdrop for shoot 'em ups. In any case there is much more to private schools than those themes. Here are a few titles to add to your collection.

The List

• Angel (1984) with Cliff Gorman, Susan Tyrrell, Dick Shawn
• Anne of Avonlea (1987) with Megan Follows, Colleen Dewhurst, Marilyn Lightstone
• Au Revoir Les Enfants (1987) with Gaspard Manesse, Raphael Fejtö, Francine Racette
• Charlie Bartlett (2007) with Anton Yelchin, Robert Downey Jr., Hope Davis
• Chasing Holden (2003) with