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Are You Looking At The Wrong Schools?
By "wrong schools", I mean schools that don't fit your needs and requirements. Finding the "right school' implies that the school meets 99% of what you require. More here.

Are You Looking At The Wrong Schools?

You've started the process of choosing a boarding school for your child.

  • You've done a bit of reading about the reasons for sending your child to a private school.
  • You've listened to the suggestions and recommendations of family and friends.
  • You've explored dozens of school websites.
  • None of this is challenging to do.
  • Chances are that you will find the right school for your needs and requirements.

Hopefully, you will. However, despite your reasonable efforts, here are five reasons you might be looking at the wrong schools.

1. They don't offer the kind of curriculum you require.

Think carefully about what the schools teach and how they teach it.

  • Think about this well before creating the shortlist of schools you want to visit.
  • The school's curriculum, how it's taught, and the quality of its faculty should be at the top of your checklist. That's how important an issue this is as you choose the right school for your child.

This part of the process is daunting because boarding schools are unique.

They won't all offer the same courses, and they will certainly not approach teaching them the same way. By now, you have a pretty good idea of your educational goals.

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Want To Teach In A Boarding School?

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Want To Teach In A Boarding School?
A comprehensive guide to teaching careers in boarding schools, covering responsibilities, qualifications, compensation, and job search strategies. The article explores the unique aspects of boarding school teaching, from classroom instruction to residential life duties.

Want To Teach In A Boarding School?

If you went to a boarding school, you know what teaching in one is all about. It's a multi-faceted job with many unique benefits. So, for those of you who didn't go to a boarding school, here's what's involved?

First of all, teaching in a boarding school is not a 9-5 job. (Well, strictly speaking, 8-3, but let's not quibble.)

  • So, if you are looking for a job that you can leave behind at the end of the school day, teaching in a boarding school is probably not for you.
  • You see, boarding school teachers teach.
  • That is, after all, their primary function, but they also function as parents.
  • A Latin phrase describes this concept succinctly: in loco parentis, i.e., in place of a parent.
  • Because families have sent their children to a residential school away from home for weeks, even months, the school staff functions in place of the parents.
  • Boarding school students are supervised 24/7, just like they are at home.

A boarding school teacher's duties

Teachers in a boarding school wear many hats. They teach. They coach. They manage a club.

  • Yes, teaching is your primary responsibility and function.
  • When you submit your application for a teaching position, that's one of the first things the school will evaluate. A school's clientele expects an excellent academic curriculum taught by top-notch, highly credentialed
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Academics: Advanced Placement

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Academics: Advanced Placement
A comprehensive guide to Advanced Placement (AP) programs in boarding schools, covering curriculum structure, scoring systems, and how AP courses compare to other academic programs like IB and progressive education.

Academics: Advanced Placement

At some point in your evaluation of boarding schools, you will examine the academics.

  • That bucket covers a lot of ground.
  • Academics broadly include teaching style and philosophy, the number and depth of subjects offered, and curriculum.
  • Let's discuss curriculum and specifically one of the most commonly used, Advanced Placement (AP), as it is known colloquially.

The Advanced Placement logo is a trademark of the College Board and it's in the Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons.

What is AP?

AP or Advanced Placement Program is a three-year sequence of high school coursework offered by the College Board in over 40 subject areas.

AP courses provide college-bound high school seniors with a level academic playing field. It doesn't matter whether you are a high school student in Dubuque, Iowa, or Darien, Connecticut, because AP courses and their end-of-course examinations are the same regardless of where they are offered.

  • The course content is the same.
  • The teaching objectives are the same.
  • The preparation for the final examinations is the same.

College admissions professionals can compare student academic achievements with confidence because the standard is the same everywhere, and the final examinations are proctored and graded by the College Board.

  • They know precisely what AP means when they see it on your transcript.
  • They know exactly what your AP scores represent.

That is the intrinsic value

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Wait A Year Before Going to College

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Wait A Year Before Going to College
This article explores the benefits of taking a gap year or a postgraduate year before attending college. It discusses how these options can provide students with additional time to refine their academic skills, gain practical experience, and mature before entering higher education. The article highlights the advantages of both paths, including improved college readiness and enhanced personal growth.

Wait A Year Before Going to College

As you approach the end of high school, you might be considering whether to head straight to college or take a different path.

  • For many students, the idea of diving into college right away can be daunting, especially given the significant investment of time and resources.
  • If you're currently at a residential school, you might wonder if staying for an additional year or taking a gap year could be beneficial.

Your experience at a boarding school has likely taught you the importance of structure and community, which can be valuable as you consider your next steps.

  • However, college campuses are often much larger and more open, which can present different challenges compared to the secure environment of your current school.
  • Additionally, the transition to college life involves adapting to new academic demands, social environments, and personal responsibilities.
  • If you're unsure about what to do next, staying at your school for an additional year or taking a gap year might be worth considering.
  • Both options offer unique benefits that can help you prepare for college and beyond.

Let's explore these possibilities in more detail.

This TedTalk explains why everybody should take a year off before going to college.

A Post-graduate Year

Staying put in your present school for another year has several advantages. First of all, you know the

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Attending Boarding School: English as a 2nd Language

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Attending Boarding School: English as a 2nd Language
International parents and students have found American boarding schools an attractive educational option for many years. We look at some of the reasons why as well as some of the steps involved in gaining admission to a residential school in the United States.

American boarding schools have been popular with families from countries outside the United States for many years. The International Education Specialists website lays out five reasons why this is so. Why Study In The USA? 5 Reasons and Benefits Make USA The Best discusses international students in American universities. But the same reasons apply to residential high schools here in the United States.

Canada, the United Kingdom, and several European countries also have residential high schools. They certainly offer families options. So, why then are American boarding schools so popular?

Learning the English Language

There's nothing like a language immersion program to develop a young person's fluency in English. And that's precisely what boarding schools in the United States offer. All classes except foreign language classes such as Spanish and French are taught in English. In addition, English is the language used in most extracurricular activities and sports programs that schools offer. As a result, students for whom English is their second language must speak, read, and understand English, both oral and written, during classes, on stage, and the playing field.

Being immersed in an American boarding school's academic and community life also means that students quickly learn how to speak and think in conversational English. In their daily routines, they pick up the common, everyday casual expressions that you and I take for granted. However, they also learn to switch to more formal phrases when the occasion warrants it.

With all this in mind,

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