Education is important. In fact, one could argue that it’s the single most important element in looking forward to change and a better future. Think of all the conflicts that could have been resolved, had opposing sides both been properly educated, not only about the issue at hand but also about civil discussion, respectful disagreement, and dealing with others who have different opinions, beliefs, or ideas.
If education was about more than simply memorizing facts to forget later on, our species could socially evolve to another level of collective consciousness. These ideas might seem a bit far fetched for most of the school systems we are familiar with. However they could be successful in the private school sector, and in time, eventually these values and ideas could spread to every kind of school.
Could private high school be the answer?
Most people would agree that the education system in the United States is not everything that it could be. Teachers go above and beyond, but often do not have adequate time or resources to teach everything that the children need to know. In too many cases, teachers are also the only truly positive adult influence or role model that some kids come into contact with on a regular basis. This is a lot of pressure to put on an underfunded educator.
Private high schools can be a great solution. As about 86% of private educational institutions have no more than 300 students enrolled at any one time, there is a better chance for teachers, counselors, and other educators to spend quality time teaching and guiding the students on a more personal level. In fact, a solid 91% of parents in one survey reported that the teachers’ impressive level of dedication and attention to the students was the biggest reason that led them to choose a private school. Another study showed that about 72% of parents who had kids in private schools felt that their child’s school was a safe place for their child to be.
More benefits of private schooling
Whether you are looking into a good private high school for your teenager, or you are starting earlier and want to find a good private middle school or even a prestigious preschool, consider the perks. No, not the bragging rights. If you are parading your child’s accomplishments around in order to make yourself feel better about life, you are part of the problem. No, the real benefits of having a child in the right private school should align more with the pride you feel regarding your son or daughter becoming the respectful and respectable person they will continue to grow into over the years. Many private schools have different curriculum than public schools, so you should be able to find one that has a focus on the things that matter in life, rather than a school system that is skating by on the bare bones of basic education.
Of course, you have the right to be proud of your child and his or her accomplishments. But don’t you want to be part of a school system that puts as much funding into the school library as the aesthetics of the building itself or other ancillary factors? Don’t you want your child to be taught how to think as opposed to what to think?
Bringing it all into perspective
Education should be more about learning how to help each other, to live sustainably, and to provide basic rights, food, clean water, shelter, and justice to every single human being on the planet. It should not be about learning to climb the ladder of success no matter who you step on, how far in debt you get, or what happens to the planet as we compete to create the newest, biggest, best, and most profitable inventions and technologies. True education has a very different face. And perhaps we can begin the shift to learning those important lessons by implementing them into private high schools and other institutions.
If upcoming generations are educated to have different perspectives and priorities, humanity can start to turn things around, not just for our own species, but for all of them, and for the planet that gives us all a home.
