High school is an essential building block for the foundation of your child’s education and future. Choosing the best school for your teen is vital for giving them the best foundation possible. Your child’s academic career and professional future depend on you making the right choice for them now. If your child is planning to take a break from school, try looking into an affordable Christian gap year program where they grow in their Christian faith and earn college credits at the same time.
Many parents make the decision based solely on which schools are in the feeder area of their neighborhood – which doesn’t always work out in the best interests of that child. The best way to approach this decision is to get a firm understanding of your child’s specific needs first.
Below are five most vital aspects to consider when choosing the best school for your teenager.
1. Understand Their Needs First
Before deciding on a specific high school for your child, you must define and understand your child’s unique learning requirements. Not all children thrive in a highly structured learning environment – some kids need a more relaxed space before they feel comfortable.
Examine each potential school’s curriculum and offerings and use that information to make your decision. If your child prefers to work in a group setting, look for schools that encourage teamwork.
2. Learning Style
Besides the basic curriculum, another vital factor in your decision-making process needs to be identifying your child’s learning style. Choosing a school that nurtures varying learning styles, and structures its classes around that, can go a long way to giving your child a happy learning experience and make saving for their education worthwhile.
Talk to parents of children with similar learning styles and find out how they think the schools in your area stack up.
3. Examine Alumni Success Rates
Test scores and success rates should be major factors in your decision. Look at how students with varying learning abilities perform – that will give you an indication of how responsive that school is to all of its students.
Look at the scores and success rates for some of the best Utah high schools and allow those results to help shape your decision. Test scores aren’t the only factor though, so use that information wisely.
4. Extracurricular Activities
Your teen’s high school career shouldn’t only be about their academic performance. Encourage them to take part in a host of extracurricular and after school activities as well – these can range from sports to drama and chess clubs.
Larger schools tend to offer a wide range of activities, while smaller schools offer more unique activities such as horse riding or violin lessons. These activities give your child an exciting opportunity to learn and develop skills and talents, which form what they become passionate about.
5. Open Dialogue
When choosing a school, remember to find one that offers your child a similar learning environment to what they are comfortable with. If your child wasn’t raised in a strict and structured environment at home, they have little chance of thriving in that kind of learning environment.
Open that dialogue with your child and allow them to weigh in on where they will go to school. The most successful decisions get made when the teen feels heard and understood. Being a part of the decision-making process will help them to feel comfortable with the school you choose together.
