Why Boarding School

Do you have a child who just doesn't fit nicely into a conventional classroom? Are you one of those parents who doesn't see the point of standardized testing? Do you want to let your child explore and discover things for himself in a less structured learning environment? Do you believe that children learn by doing? If you have answered affirmatively to any or all of these questions, then you probably should be looking at progressive schools.

Parents consistently select progressive schools such as Montessori, Waldorf, and Reggio Emilia for the pre-school and primary years. However, when it comes to middle and high school, they tend to feel that they have to follow a more traditional college preparatory model based on Advanced Placement or International Baccalaureate curricula. Why? Most parents seem to think that a test-oriented educational approach ensures their children a better chance of getting into a good college.

Standardized tests are a very common feature of American professional and academic life. It's been that way for the past forty or fifty years. But should children in K-12 schools be subject to standardized testing? You get the feeling that teachers have to teach to the test, as opposed to being able to teach their subjects. Now, most private schools have developed enriched curricula which far exceed the requirements put forth by most of the common high school standardized tests, e.g., SAT and ACT.

Is your child very intelligent? Is she gifted?

Why should you consider sending your child to boarding school? Wouldn't she do just as well at day school? This is a common question for parents to ponder as they review their private school options. You have made the decision to send him to a private school in principle. Now it is just a matter of working out the details.

There are many reasons to go to boarding school. The academics, the athletics, and the extracurricular activities are just a few of the considerations. But there's more. Much more. Here are the 10 top reasons why you should go to boarding school.

10. You will get great teachers who love to teach.

Boarding schools traditionally hire teachers with degrees in their subjects. As well a large number of these experienced teachers have advanced degrees in their field. Typically all are passionate about their subject and love to teach it to young people. Because discipline is rarely a problem in boarding schools, these talented teachers get to teach without having to be traffic cops or paper pushers like their public school counterparts.

9. You will have great sports and sports facilities.

Most boarding schools have amazing sports facilities. The range of sports and teams is mind-boggling. You will find everything from squash to crew, hockey to basketball. Natatoria are common. So are equestrian facilities. Many boarding school fitness facilities make commercial fitness establishments look tame. The varsity teams travel regionally and globally to compete. (Think Henley and

Military schools seem to go in and out of favor with the general public. Perhaps that has to do with some rather common misconceptions about what military schools are and how they operate. The truth is that America's military prep schools carry on a proud tradition of academic and personal excellence which has withstood the assaults of negative media attention and changing fashions in education. Let's debunk five common misconceptions about military schools.

1. They are retirement outposts for retired officers.

Hollywood loves to portray military schools as retirement outposts for disgruntled officers with enormous grudges against just about everything and egos to match. (Think Taps with Timothy Hutton and George C. Scott.) The truth is that most military schools have a headmaster who is styled a commandant or superintendent according to military nomenclature. Becoming an administrator in a military school is a perfectly logical next career step for an officer who has retired from active service usually in his '40's or '50's. Their egos? Most of them are pretty average. Their job is to run the school, hire the best faculty they can find, and manage the finances. That's what any headmaster does.

Running any private school these days requires immense amounts of administrative savvy combined with a deft touch for fund-raising and the diplomatic skills of a career diplomat. Being ahead of school is a multi-faceted job. Being the head of a military school requires all these skills together with military experience and background.

2. All

Boarding schools offer many benefits, but the decision to send your child to one can still be difficult. What if you know that a public school is no longer for you (or your child), but you’re not sure about sending him or her away to a boarding school? A summer program at a boarding school may serve a number of good purposes to help you with this decision. It can give you and your child a feel for the boarding school experience, as well as for a specific school itself.

Living away from home

For many parents and children, boarding school represents a major shift in their relationship, and it indicates a growing maturity in the child. For the first time, the child may be living away from home when he or she enrolls in a boarding school. By enrolling in a boarding school with a summer program, you and your child have an opportunity to see whether living away from home is an environment he or she can handle.

A summer program allows everyone to see if the child is mature enough for this transition. Many boarding schools recommend enrolling in a summer program for exactly this reason. For example, Episcopal High School in Virginia strongly encourages prospective students to visit over the summer not only to become familiar with the facility but to determine if they are ready

With over 250 schools in the United States, American boarding schools appeal to international families for a variety of reasons. According to The Association Of Boarding Schools (TABS), international students make up about 15% of the population of their member schools. We look at some of the reasons why an American boarding school is a popular option with international students around the world.

A world-class education

Almost all American boarding schools offer rigorous academics combined with compulsory athletics and a wide variety of extracurricular activities. But even more important to a parent who is probably going to remain at home while her child goes off to school in the United States, boarding schools take the safety and well-being of your child very seriously. While your child is at school, 24/7 supervision is what you can expect to find at a boarding school in the United States. During vacations, the school will help you find a host for your child in lieu of flying him back home if that is not possible.

The academic programs at boarding schools exceed any federal, state, and local requirements. College preparatory schools usually offer Advanced Placement courses or the International Baccalaureate curriculum. Standards are high. The other advantage of an American boarding school is the small class size. Typically the teacher to student ratio is 1:15 or even less.

What is an international student?

An international student is a student who holds a foreign or non-U.S.passport.