There are lots of schools across the nation that claim to be great. What does that actually mean, though? Some schools tout impressive test scores or the number of advanced placement classes they offer. Others speak of their educated staff members. Is that really what makes a school great? Here are six things that make a school great.
Connectivity
Depending on the school district, a grade could have anywhere from a dozen students to hundreds of them. Do these students care about each other? Do they know each other at all? Students who feel more connected to their peers are more likely to have a positive experience in school.
No Bullying
No one thinks bullying is a good thing, except for the bullies. Thus, a school environment that allows bullying to occur is doing a severe disservice to its students.
A bullied student suffers from a variety of issues. One, they aren’t going to focus on school because they are concerned about what their bully might do. Second, if the staff is ignoring the issue, the child isn’t going to feel comfortable talking to adults. This will affect their happiness and success in school.
A school where bullying doesn’t occur or where it is addressed promptly and resolved leads to happier students. Students are then able to focus in school and be successful.
Respect
The school environment needs to be a place of respect. Staff members need to respect each other and respect the students. Kids don’t appreciate being talked down to, and they know when it is happening. Indeed, treat the students like they actually have a say in how things are done and implement some of their ideas.
Collaboration
It is vital to allow collaboration between kids. Let them work on projects together and try to solve their issues with their groups on their own. This helps teach kids problem-solving skills. Of course, if the students are having serious problems that can’t be resolved on their own, the teacher should step in. However, the teacher should model the process of solving the issues, so the kids can learn for next time.
Sense of Community
Allow the kids to feel like the school and classrooms are their learning spaces. Some teachers take the attitude that it is their room and therefore their rules. Let kids help you develop the rules for the classroom and allow them to help make the space their own. Letting the students make the rules has the added benefit that it helps the kids see the reasoning for the rules since they are the ones who came up with them.
Engagement
A school can boast high test scores, but if their students are just sitting at their desks all day completing worksheets, that isn’t a great school environment. It has been proven that students learn better through play and interaction, so sitting still and writing all day isn’t good for them.
Create learning experiences that allow students to actively participate and get up out of their seats. This could be something like creating a Kahoot, having the different symbols in four corners of the room, and having students run to the right answer. It could also be having the students create a model to represent something they are learning about.
Conclusion
The world is evolving, and with it, education needs to grow as well. Indeed, students no longer sit in rows of desks all day for lectures. What is coming are engaging, interactive learning experiences that help kids get to know each other and their own internal abilities.
At The Tenney School, we want to help your child be successful through a one-to-one approach. Contact us today for more information.