Parents want their children to go to the best schools – but would a private or parochial school be better than a public one? According to the Council for American Private Education, a survey of 1,017 people who were 18 or older found that 71% felt that private schools were of excellent quality and 63% felt the same way about parochial schools. So, how does alum feel about their time in a private school?

They enjoyed the smaller class sizes

There’s a big difference between the best private schools and public schools. Privately-run schools tend to have smaller class sizes. This way, the students can get more attention from their teachers as opposed to being in a larger class and slipping through the cracks. As a result, private school students tend to do better in a variety of subjects as opposed to public school ones. Teachers can also identify what subjects a student might need help with a lot quicker.

They liked the culture

The best private schools tend to foster an atmosphere that puts an emphasis on things like personal responsibility and ethics. These schools also tend to have a dress code, which puts the students on a level playing field.

They were given excellent educational opportunities

Privately-run schools have the funds and resources to provide students with a myriad of educational opportunities. This means that students can join extracurricular activities, such as debate teams, school bands, sports teams, chess clubs, performing arts clubs, science competitions, and more! Because of these opportunities, students have excellent college applications, leading to enrollment in many top colleges across the country.

They formed strong friendships

This doesn’t mean that people can’t make lifelong friends in public school. It’s just that the usually smaller confines of a private school make it easier for the kids to know each other and strengthen their friendships. That can be harder when you’re one of the thousands at a larger school.

A good portion of private school alum looks back on their time with fondness. They appreciated the better learning environments and the friendships they made along the way. If you’re interested in learning more about the best public school, we have staff who are ready to help you. Contact us today!

Making friends at school can be difficult, but there are ways you can encourage your child to make friends. One way is to send them to school with a positive attitude or to help them find common interests with others. It’s also vital to provide opportunities for socialization, such as playdates and sleepovers. Finally, be supportive when your child experiences setbacks and be a good role model for healthy friendships. Making friends at a preparatory school can be daunting, but with these four tips, your child will be on their way to making new friends in no time.

1. Join Extracurricular Activities

Encouraging your child to participate in extracurricular activities is a great way to help them make friends at their preparatory school. Joining a sport or club is ideal for your child to meet other students. It can be difficult for children when they first start at a new school, and by participating in activities, they’ll have the opportunity to meet other students with similar interests as theirs. Additionally, it’s a perfect way for your child to develop new skills and friendships that will last long after they graduate from preparatory school.

2. Find Someone They Share Interests With

Many parents worry about their children’s social lives when they start preparatory school. It’s natural for children to want to find friends with whom they share interests. However, it’s also essential for them to be open-minded and willing to get to know new people. This way, they can make the most of their school experience and develop lasting friendships.

3. Show Interest and Support for Their Friendships

Making friends is essential when growing up, and it can be particularly challenging when your child attends a preparatory school. According to Education Next, about one in ten children attend private schools, so they might have lost some friends who went to public schools. You can encourage your child to make new friends by showing interest and support for their friendships. Spend time with their friends, invite them for dinner or just to hang out, and let them know that you approve of their company. It’ll help your child feel more comfortable at school and make it easier for them to form lasting relationships. Letting your child know that you support their friendships and are happy for them will help encourage them to continue developing friendships with others at school.

4. Give Them Space

It’s important not to smother your child and let them have some independence when forming friendships at school on their own. Encouraging your child to make friends at their preparatory school by giving them space is a great way to help them adjust. It can be difficult for children when they first start at a new school, and they must have time to get comfortable with their surroundings before meeting new people. If you’re too pushy, your child may feel uncomfortable or pressured and not want to socialize. By giving them some independence, you allow them to explore and find friends that they click with.

If you’re looking to enroll your child in a preparatory school, contact us at Willows Preparatory School today. We’ll ensure we provide your child with an education and environment that will benefit them for years.

Thanks to the internet, there are now more than a dozen platforms where millennials and Gen X parents can share parenting hacks. While some of these hacks are solutions to major problems, some are just little tips and tricks to make your day easier. Here are some parenting hacks you didn’t know you needed.

Rethinking the Rules of the House

Every now and then, it is important to rethink your house rules and find out if there are some that have outlived their usefulness. For instance, there are some rules that you can place in the house because of a particular phase in a child’s development, like when they are in elementary school. Keeping those rules in place after that phase has passed is a waste of time. You will find that most parents continue to enforce rules even after they have served their purpose for the simple reason that they have always enforced it. That’s why it’s so important to let your parenting strategy evolve as your child grows.

For example, you might have put in place a no snacks on the couch rule. But as your children grow up and leave elementary school, you will find that they probably don’t leave crumbs all over the place when they eat anymore. In such instances, it might be necessary to either modify or delete that rule entirely.

Dealing With Children Who Have Too Much Energy

Are you looking for a quick fix for wiggly children with tons of energy? Well, here’s one for you. The next time you find yourself in public with your elementary school child who can’t seem to calm down and rest, let them push as hard as possible on your hands. Repeat this process a number of times. This can be a useful trick if you find yourself stuck with your child in a place like a store. The fix will actually solve two problems. Your child won’t want to take a lot of things from the shelves, and it also gives them something to do so they don’t become frustrated.

Helping Your Children Clean their Room

Getting your children to clean their room voluntarily can be quite a challenge. However, there is also a fix for that. Most children are overwhelmed or anxious each time they are faced with cleaning their rooms. To avoid this situation, declutter your child’s room. For instance, you can take out everything that is not in a container. By the time you are done, you will notice that the room will be halfway clean already. Clutter can make a place look dirtier than it is. This will make it seem like the process is easier for your children, and you will struggle with them less when it comes time to clean the room.

These parenting hacks may help you better communicate and cooperate with your elementary school-age children. Don’t hesitate to give some of them a try!

One of the best private schools you can choose for preparatory education in your geographic region is one with music and arts education included in its curriculum. Studies show that schools with music education teach skills in concentration and critical thinking.

Here’s what you need to understand about how music can help a child’s development.

Benefits of Music Education Included In the Curriculum

Music education teaches children skills that help in other subjects, such as reading and math. Music education helps students develop concentration, patience, social skills, relaxation, and confidence. When it is included in their curriculum, studies have shown that they perform better in other subjects. This means that the best private schools have well-rounded curriculums.

Skills Music Education Teaches

Students learn concentration when playing a musical instrument or singing because they must work on learning over an extended period of time. If they are playing an instrument, they learn motor skills and how to make the music sound good to the human ear. In fact, music therapy is used to teach students to relax while studying and performing tasks in school. Additionally, listening to music while doing homework improves concentration and productivity.

Patience is another skill that learning an instrument or singing teaches. Students learn to read music, manage an instrument, sing songs, perform in groups, compose, and do other complex tasks. They make mistakes and learn that perseverance is needed to succeed. Over time, learning an instrument in a group, singing, and other activities produce confidence and growth. Studying music produces social skills for kids because they learn to play in an orchestra and sing in groups. Often, they perform at the school for holidays and special events.

Music Study Builds Higher Performance In Other Subjects

Studies show that students who study music perform better in reading, math, science, and languages. It helps your child develop the patience to keep working on a complex subject that takes time and effort to complete. It improves their work on computer and media learning skills, too. Music produces an emotional response in children that has a positive effect on their learning experience.

Clearly, music education is important for children. It helps students learn skills that can be applied in other subjects and more. Contact us to learn more about how our school can help prepare your child for college and the work world today. We can explain why we are one of the best private schools!

Children are naturally curious and have an inherent desire to explore the world and learn. However, many schools tend to squash this by exposing children to more rigid forms of learning that replace play-based hands-on learning with sitting still and learning via lectures. This has many downsides, but thankfully many private schools are embracing learning through play which is providing many benefits to young students.

Meaningful Play

The best elementary school is one that knows how children learn best, and this can usually be found in private schools which one in every 10 children attend. Schools like this take advantage of what is known as meaningful play.

Meaningful play is a learning strategy that gives children a choice in what they want to do, which helps to make learning fun, interesting, and flexible. Lessons thereby evolve more organically, rather than following a strict lesson plan that all children must adhere to. This allows children to follow their natural curiosities and learn freely in a risk-free environment that gives them the ability to experiment and critically think about new ideas.

How Do Children Learn Through Play?

Young children are full of energy and it’s important that this energy is guided in a beneficial way. Children learn in a way that is different than older kids and adults, and this usually involves combining creative and logical thinking with physical and emotional development.

For example, when children take part in active imaginative play, they are fine-tuning their physical development, while also thinking about the character that they are portraying. Whether this is a favorite character or someone they just made up on the spot, they end up thinking critically about how this person would act and how they would interact with peers. This fosters socialization, exploration, and emotional growth in a fun and meaningful way. If you’re looking for the best elementary school for your child, looking for one that puts an emphasis on this type of learning can be a must.

Maximizing Learning

By allowing children to learn via playing in a hands-on way, learning can be turned into a collaborative effort that is more likely to be retained. For example, in the best elementary school, a teacher can read from a book and encourage children to follow along and turn the pages as they do. This way, students are given an active role to participate. Teachers can also prompt students to talk about the content they are covering by asking open-ended questions geared towards critical thinking and imagination.

Play is exceptionally important when it comes to learning, especially as young children are developing. If you are looking to ensure that your child is able to maximize their potential, look for ways to incorporate play into their lessons.

School is important because besides teaching us basic skills in language and mathematics, it sets the foundation for a potentially successful future. Succeeding in elementary school sets children up to know the direction in which they want to take their lives. For this reason, read the following three ways in which you can help your children succeed in elementary school.

Get Involved

When parents are involved in their children’s academic lives, the children tend to do better in school. Elementary schools have parent-teacher conferences as well as back-to-school nights and similar events. When you are active in such meetings, children are inspired to do their best in class. If need be, you can request a meeting with the teachers to address issues that you feel need to be addressed and therefore give your child solid support.

Prepare Your Child to Learn

It is important to provide fuel for your children in the form of a nutritious breakfast which helps them have a better attention span as well as concentration in class. Make sure to provide them with a breakfast that is rich in protein, fiber, and whole grains, with minimal added sugar. Also, set a consistent bedtime routine for them so that they are well-rested by the time they need to wake up and go to school.

Teach Them Study Skills

Teaching your child important techniques to help them study will help them go a long way. With elementary schools giving tests in the different disciplines at the end of each school term, it will be important for them to learn early on how to succeed at them. Helping them set aside time to study after learning something new is one good method you can share with them. When they have tests due, help them break down big tasks into smaller manageable chunks so that they are not overwhelmed. Also share tricks like mnemonic devices to help them remember things they study, as well as being by their side whenever possible to guide them.

No matter where your child is studying, following the three tips above will help them have a better chance at succeeding in their studies. Even if you’re part of the 55% of the parents who currently have children enrolled in public schools that wish that they could send them instead to private schools, these tips can help you. If you’re interested in private schools in Redmond, WA, or Bellevue, WA, feel free to reach out to our school today for more information!

Children worldwide have had an extremely long break from school for the most part. It is therefore important to help them get back to school and embrace the academic system so that they can carry on well. If you need help with a few reading tips to help your children, read the ones outlined below for inspiration.

Read With Them

For at least 15 minutes every day, purpose to read aloud with them. This should be a book that your child enjoys reading. Be present while reading and let them know that you enjoy reading with them so that they don’t view it as a chore or a boring event. This will set them on a good foundation and prepare them for a successful start to the elementary school year whether they’re entering their first year or not.

Set Achievable Goals With Them

As the school year is due to start, discuss with them what they would like to accomplish by the end of it. This may be easier for older elementary school children, but you should start the habit early enough so that they get used to it. For instance, if your child struggles with spelling or reading, you could help them to come up with a strategy to help them improve during the school year.

Start Their Days Well

To make sure that they are best equipped to deal with what the day hands them, make it a habit to get them to bed early so they get enough restful sleep. When they wake up, serve them a healthy, nutritious breakfast to give them the energy they need to face the day and stay as active as they can. Remember too that play is an important part of a child’s learning and development.

Enroll Them in A Good School

School plays a major role in the ease with which a child can learn. The parents of 80% of the students enrolled in a private religious school in 2011 – 2012 said they were very satisfied with the school their child went to, alongside 82% of those with children in other private schools. This compared to parents of 56% of students enrolled in public schools to which the children were assigned and 62% of those in public schools chosen by the parents.

The importance of elementary school in children’s development cannot be ignored. It is therefore your duty as a parent to ensure that they are well set up in school.