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Charter Schools: The Facts

Let’s talk charter schools! Like I said in my homeschool post, I’m not going to write these down in a pro/con list, but instead just a list. Because to some families, these points may be a good thing, while others may see it in a negative light. 

First, let’s talk about what a charter school is. Charter schools are funded differently from public schools, and but are still publicly funded and remain free. Some thoughts on charter schools… 

They often don’t have the same guidelines as public schools and can be more flexible about their curriculum and how it is delivered. 

There aren’t any boundaries for charter schools, typically they are open to anyone in any area who chooses to send their children. Sometimes this can mean only wealthier families will be the ones to send their children to charter schools because they have the means to transport them there. 

If the demand for enrollment is too high, a lottery is put in place to accept students, which can be stressful if you don’t know if your student will get in, especially if you have multiple children you are trying to get in. Limiting capacity can be good for the school with smaller class sizes and more individualized learning. Unlike public schools, where they cannot turn away a student living within the boundaries of their school, meaning classes must become overcrowded if too many students are enrolled. 

Often the curriculum of a charter school involves practicing what they learn in the field of where it applies. For example, during my student teaching in a charter school, a group of fourth-graders was learning about ecosystems in science, as well as measurement in math. To apply this, they took a field trip up to the mountains where they worked with the DNR to use weevils to eradicate the Canadian Thistle, an invasive species in Utah. They utilized their knowledge of ecosystems in that setting, measurements of plants, animals, and more, and were able to release weevils in the proper areas where it would help the most. Talk about applying what you learn! 

Charter schools can often be found with a lot of competition between students and parents as they compare themselves or try to see their schooling as “higher” than other forms of schooling. This competition can be on any level, between healthy competition and detrimental competition, which can vary at each school and even in each class. 

Sometimes a charter school can have a dress code for kids, too. 

Have you chosen a charter school for your children? What helped you make the decision that it was right for your family? 

cover photo: pexels.com

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There’s More To Higher Education Than A University

So you’re looking at schools now that graduation is getting closer, and you have a list of universities for undergrad in mind. Universities are fantastic and absolutely a worthwhile investment. However, a four-year university is not the end-all answer when it comes to higher education. There are other options out there that are just as great, maybe even better than a four-year university. Let’s look at some of them! 

A trade school is a great answer for anyone wanting to look into a very specific, niched-down career such as electrician, plumber, or nurse. 

A community college is another option. Typically attendees of a community college come from the town, or outlying towns, it resides in. This is a great option to stay close to home, save money, and still obtain an education! Most community colleges will only have a 2-year associate’s option, however, some can partner with bigger universities nearby to give students the option of a bachelor’s degree. 

Online school is also a great way to go through school. This can either be done through a typical university or community college, or through an online-only school. 

You can also look into private schools for religion or military. 

A university isn’t the only option! You don’t have to be attending Yale or Harvard to find success in your higher education studies. 

What type of school did you choose to attend? 

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A New Way To Look At MBTI In The Classroom

About a year ago I wrote a whole series on using Myers Briggs Type Indicator in the classroom and how useful it can be. It has become wildly popular! It’s incredible to see the difference your teaching can make when you can keep these personality traits in mind. I wrote these specifically for the teacher to analyze their students, but I’m wondering if maybe in the future I should revamp the articles for the audience to be the student, not the teacher? Because it can be so beneficial to know how you learn.

However, I know that with 16 different types of personalities, it can be hard to go through your entire classroom and pick out the type for each student. Because of this, I am going to start a new blog series with a broader sense of MBTI.

As explained in my post about how to figure out MBTI, there are four main parts of finding out types. You can see them in the image below.

I will be doing an 8 part blog series focusing on these 8 areas. How to foster learning with an extroverted student, introverted student, etc. This means you won’t necessarily have to figure out a child’s entire personality type, but instead can focus on one part that you may be struggling with. So stay tuned for this new blog series that may help you in your teaching or in your learning… or both!

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A Few Facts To Help You Decide If Homeschool Is For You

Let’s talk pros and cons of homeschool to help other parents out there make the best decision of whether or not homeschool is the right answer for them. For this list, I will not be writing them out in a pro/con list necessarily, but rather in just a list. Because some points may be a pro for one family, but a con for another. So here are the facts! 

  • Homeschool your kids are home and around you 24/7, whereas a school where they leave for the day, you aren’t around them as much. 
  • Traditional schools are a built-in social atmosphere where kids learn how to interact with peers. In a homeschool scene, it takes more deliberate effort to create those social interactions with your kids. 
  • True homeschool comes with more flexibility in the curriculum. Online homeschool will have their set curriculum, but if you are solely your child’s teacher, you get to teach when, how, and where you want! 
  • There is a lot of flexibility in your day and your life when you homeschool. Many families take advantage of this by traveling more often. Worldschooling is also something worth looking into. 
  • Homeschool can be 100% tailored around the student, which is nearly impossible in any school with more students than just a few. That means if they are falling behind in reading, but excelling in math, their whole day can be planned around their needs. 
  • If it’s online homeschool, it’s not necessary to do as much planning for curriculum/day-to-day learning because the program takes care of that. 
  • If you are 100% homeschooling without an online platform, you choose the curriculum, plan everything out, and execute it. 

There are a lot of pros and cons when it comes to homeschool, and some of these points can be a very big deciding factor on whether or not a family chooses to homeschool. If you homeschool, how did you decide that it was the best journey for you and your family? Share below to hopefully help someone else make this decision! 

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Choosing A College: Some Tips For Seniors

Choosing a higher education school can be so daunting sometimes! First you have to decide on a trade school vs a university. And then once you’ve decided that, a whole list of options come up. It’s overwhelming. But here are some tips for you! 

  • Narrow it down to an area if you can. Decide if it’s important for you to stay close to home or choose a school far away. 
  • Look at schools based on what majors they offer/ what majors they are known for. For example- I graduated with my undergrad from Utah State University because I wanted a degree in Elementary Education. In Utah, USU is very prestigious and well-known for their education program, which was ultimately a big swaying factor in my decision. 
  • Dive into the social aspect/ campus life and decide how important it is for you to attend events, sports, etc. College is about the experience AND the education! And not all college campuses are created equal when it comes to social gatherings. 
  • Talk with current students or past grads about schools you are interested in. Hearing about their experience or opinions can help you make a final decision. 
  • Keep a list of potential options. You may find one school that is everything you want! But the reality is, you still have to apply and become accepted into the school before you can go, in most cases. If you don’t get into your dream school, keep a few others in mind for back up. 
  • Remember that you’re not making a decision based on good vs. bad. You’re deciding between good, better, and best. Whichever school you choose is a great option and can hopefully have you leaving with a great experience and a college degree. It’s hard to make a bad decision when choosing a college! 

Pros and cons lists of schools can also be helpful to make a decision. Let us know what school you are choosing to go to in the comments below! 

Cover photo from pexels.com

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Is Cursive Writing Dead?

The history of cursive writing dates back to Ancient Rome. Through time it continued on, and even our founding fathers used it to write the important documents that started our country. 

Cursive writing became a big part of our school systems, with entire classes devoted to learning the art. It was such a huge part of our society for so long, but now it’s almost non-existent. Why is this? 

Because typewriting classes pushed their way into schools, taking time away from handwriting classes. Everyone could see that the future of businesses and schools was in the typing, not the writing, and they seemed to be incredibly correct! 

The handwriting classes continued, but became less and less over time. Fast forward to today- handwriting classes are the bare minimum, not even covering cursive writing in most schools, and have been completely replaced with typing and computer work. 

It’s no lie that we are in the middle of a technological revolution. The technology we had five years ago is irrelevant to the technology we have today, which will someday be irrelevant to the technology we have in five years from now. It only makes sense that the time and energy we are putting into education is based around this. 

But is cursive writing dead? Even though there is something else that has taken the front seat in learning, does that mean it should be non-existent? Maybe in a sense cursive writing has changed subjects. Instead of being taught during Language Arts, it needs to be taught during History? 

My opinion is that cursive writing defines history and our country in many ways and should still be a part of our education system. We don’t need it to be at the forefront of our children’s day in school, but we should at least add it in where we can. 

What are your thoughts and opinions on teaching cursive writing in school? 

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The Pros And Cons of Public School

When sending your child to school, there are a lot of options out there, not just public schools. It can be overwhelming to make a decision with so many options, what are the differences between public schools and charter schools? What about private schools? Is homeschool an option for your family? 

Over the next few weeks I am going to break down facts about different types of schools, listing pros and cons and points that may help you better make a decision. For today- let’s talk about public schools. 

Public schools are scattered throughout the nation, typically with boundaries throughout neighborhoods saying which homes attend which schools. Because they are open to the public, they are inexpensive. Usually, only a small fee for registration, if that. 

However, with the boundaries public schools bring, oftentimes it can mean lower-income students are clumped together and higher-income students are clumped together, which can lead to lower diversity levels. This stems from redlining. 

Public schools can create a sense of community for kids because they go to school with the same kids in their neighborhood. They walk together, play together, and go to school together. Another great aspect of public schools is oftentimes they are located close enough to homes that your child can walk or bike to school. 

A downside to public school is the amount of time it takes for new innovation to be adopted into the curriculum. Typically charter or private schools are more likely to bring in these methods before public schools do. 

It can also be hard to obtain a more individualized education because of larger class sizes, many parents can find concerns in not enough time and attention on their student and the help they need. 

Public schools are government funded, therefore the government plays a big role in not only the funding, but the teaching, the policies, etc. 

Overall, public schools have multiple pros and cons. And while some of these points may be a positive aspect to one person, it could mean a negative point to another. The purpose of this article is not to sway you one way or another, but to simply inform. 

What else would you include about public schools that might help a parent make a decision about what type of school they would choose for their children?