How to Choose the "Right" School for My Child
Choosing the “right” school for your child is a daunting task for caregivers.
We want our children to feel safe, seen, and supported in their academic environments, but it becomes overwhelming when there are often too many options available and not any clear guidance on how to evaluate if each program will align with your child’s individual needs. This is where we come in to save the day! We hope to take a load off your shoulders by giving you a how-to guide on identifying your child’s needs (or preferences) while demystifying the educational lingo you’ll encounter when visiting a potential campus.
Your Child.
Let’s start off by taking a close look at your child and their learning styles/preferences. Every human takes in and processes information in their own unique way. We can identify ways that our children learn best by taking a look at their sensory portrait and their unique learning styles. Oftentimes when a child is struggling in the classroom it might mean that they need to be taught in a different way.
Howard Gardner’s Multiple Intelligence Theory elaborates on seven different learning styles (shared below). Which one(s) sound most like your child?
Visual (spatial) - Find it easier to understand something if it is in a diagram or utilizes visual symbols such as drawing, color coding, and images
Aural (auditory-musical) - Depend on hearing the information to fully understand it, enjoy group discussions, notice audible signals like changes in tone or pitch
Verbal (linguistic) - Enjoy the meaning or sound of words, familiar with definitions, enjoy mnemonics and role-playing that involve speaking and writing
Physical (kinesthetic) - Hands-on type of person, do-er’s, using physical activity rather than watching a demonstration or listening to another
Logical (mathematical) - Easily recognize patterns, classify information, connect seemingly meaningless concepts easily
Social (interpersonal) - Prefer communicating with others, listen well, empathize with what others are thinking and going through
Solitary (intrapersonal) - Prefer working alone because their concentration is at its best without the distraction of others
“Even the most normal of children, by virtue of being human, will encounter obstacles, challenges, and emotional struggles throughout childhood.”
– Dee Ray
What is normal?
This is a question we are often asked as child psychotherapists. Each child is unique and worthy. Each child is growing at their own pace. What would happen if we all embraced our child as a human who strives to be fulfilled, contributory, and in relationship with others?
When we take a deep dive into the research on child development, we learn that children develop best in an environment of physical and emotional safety. Development cannot be rushed, but it can be slowed. Development is not defined by a specific skill set but is organized into a spectrum of brain and cognitive development, physical development, emotional development, and relationship and social development.
Although you can easily Google a chart of what my child should be doing by a certain age, we ask that you resist that urge to see your child through a deficit lens (what they aren’t doing) and instead recognize the tasks that they are rockstars at (what they are doing well!). Consult with your child’s pediatrician, psychotherapist, current teacher, sports coach, and any other professional that works with children of a similar age to discuss their observations of your child.
Lastly, take into account any diagnoses and disabilities your child might have and how these could be impacted by their learning environment. Many diagnoses such as Learning Disorders (dyslexia, as an example), Sensory Integration Disorder, Autism Spectrum Disorder, Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, Anxiety, Depression, Gifted & Talented, and others might require accommodations and modifications in the classroom or with additional personnel on the campus.
The Rehabilitation Act of 1973 (Section 504) is a civil rights law that prohibits agencies that receive federal funding from discriminating against persons with disabilities on the basis of disability. This ensures that a child with a disability has equal access to education. The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA, 20 U.S.C. 1400 et seq.), a federal special education statute, is a voluntary funding statute whereby states agree to comply with its many requirements in return for specific per-student federal funding.
If you have questions about understanding the Texas Education Agency, IDEA, and 504 laws we recommend contacting a lawyer specializing in special education law. Private schools do not receive federal funding and therefore do not need to comply with IDEA, however, some do specialize in certain areas of disability.
Make a list of the ways an academic environment can support your child’s learning, some examples might include sensory breaks, preferential seating at the front of the classroom, extended time on assignments, and small group instruction. Then order your list from most important to least important before visiting any campuses to have a way to evaluate their programming and to ask pertinent questions for your child’s diagnostic needs.
Your Research.
Next, do your research. And, wow, there are a lot of choices out there! Particularly here in Austin, it can be difficult to narrow down which schools might be a good fit for your child.
Some things to consider when searching for a campus might include:
Location to your home, transportation options
Availability of after school care on/near campus
Special programs such as social & emotional learning, bilingual instruction, gifted & talented, dyslexia specialists, extracurricular clubs to name a few
Public or private, non-secular or secular
Type of learning environment - student-centered, knowledge-centered, assessment-centered, community-centered
School community involvement, PTA, school-sponsored events, the role of caregivers
Population of campus - including cultural diversity, languages spoken, inclusivity, size of campus, size of classrooms
Teacher qualifications, training, and specializations
Flexibility for individualized and small group instruction
Enrollment windows - many private schools begin their application process in the fall and complete it by early spring
Your Visit.
Then, schedule a visit. Try to narrow down your list to 2-3 campuses to start. Many campuses offer up a monthly walk-through/open house for potential families, an invitation to their principal’s breakfast meetings, 1/1 time for a more detailed interview, or even a “shadow” day where your child can spend a day on campus experiencing what it would be like with a friendly peer by their side.
While visiting you should be able to observe classes in progress, classroom structure, bulletin boards, mainstream/special needs/special areas classes, how students are behaving and transitioning between activities, engagement of students in the learning process, and behavior management protocols. Inquire about how the school and teachers communicate with families about their child’s learning progress. Keep your eyes and ears open, and take notes as you go. Bring up any questions you have, and get contact information for who to speak with for additional questions that might come up after your visit.
Your School.
Finally, evaluate if what you’ve learned and observed aligns with your family’s priority list. Not every school will be the “right” fit for your child, but many will check a lot of boxes. Talk with caregivers whose children attend the school to get additional feedback on their experiences. Share your excitements and concerns with other professionals such as your child’s pediatrician or psychotherapist to gain additional clarity on how this campus supports your child’s needs.
And remember, nothing is permanent. Even after going through this process, you might find that your child will take time to adjust to a new environment, and it could not be a fit for them at this moment. Give your child 6-8 weeks to transition and keep in contact with their teacher and administrator. If things are still not improving, it might be worth going back to your research and looking at other choices that are available.
Interested in booking a session with us?
WRITTEN BY JACLYN SEPP, MA, LPC-S, RPT-S™, NCC, RYT® 200 (SHE/HER/HERS)
Jaclyn believes that all human beings, no matter how small, deserve a place to be accepted for who they are, which drove her to establish Ensemble Therapy in 2015 with the mission to bring high quality therapeutic services to children, teens, and their families in Central Austin. Jaclyn is a Licensed Professional Counselor Supervisor (LPC-S), Registered Play Therapist Supervisor™ (RPT-S™), National Certified Counselor (NCC) and Registered Yoga Teacher (RYT® 200). She received her Master’s Degree in Professional Counseling from Texas State University (CACREP Accredited Program) and her Bachelor’s Degree in Psychology with a Minor in Applied Learning & Development from The University of Texas at Austin.
