Category: News

Private schools can seem hopelessly out of reach for those seeking a better education for their kids while struggling to put food on the table. That’s because private school tuition averages $17,000 a year.

In recent years, however, many private schools have pivoted to offer more grants, scholarships, and other tuition assistance to attract bright, young students from diverse socioeconomic backgrounds. In addition, several states have passed legislation for independent school voucher programs, and changes in the tax law now allow educational savings account funds (529 plans) to be used for K-12 expenses.

These changes, and a growing crop of enterprising and affordable schools, like The Academy of Scholars in Atlanta, are making private education more accessible than ever before. But it may still seem much easier (and cheaper) to leave your child in the public education system. Is getting your kid into private school really worth all the hassle?

As longtime educators and parents, we believe the answer to that question is a resounding “Yes!” and here are some reasons why:

Higher Academic Standards

It’s no big secret that private school children typically score better on standardized college entrance exams and have a higher high school graduation rate than public school students. While independent schools must maintain the same minimum academic achievement standards as public ones, they have more freedom to focus on providing individualized instruction and a greater variety of high-level course content.

Increased Parental Involvement

Parents want to know what their kids are learning, how they’re being taught, and the challenges they face at any given time. They also like being able to address concerns directly with school leadership rather than battling bureaucratic brick walls. By their very nature, private institutions will be more receptive to parental input because of their responsibility to satisfy you, the customer.

In addition, independent schools are usually a lot smaller than public schools, which enables parents to get involved in more direct ways, such as organizing a fundraiser for their son’s drama club or assisting the school’s robotics professor in grading papers. This consistent and open interaction can also bring parents into the discussion more quickly when serious issues like bullying or poor academic performance arise.

Accelerated Learning to Match Student Ability

Students often misbehave or tap out if the classroom curriculum isn’t challenging. Private educators can move a child into an advanced class if they show early grade-level mastery. In addition, for-profit independent schools typically have increased funding to invest in cutting-edge technology and resources that better engage students.

Smaller Class Sizes and Individualized Instruction

For 2019 through 2020, the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) reports that the student-to-teacher ratio for private schools stood at 11.4 to 1 versus around 16 to 1 for public schools. The numbers also indicate that since 2010, private schools have typically had four to five fewer students per teacher. Having fewer kids in the classroom allows teachers to get to know their students and hone in on their strengths, weaknesses, and learning styles.

Safer Learning Environment

Parents often cite school safety as one of their top concerns because they understand that kids can’t learn if they’re constantly worried about violence. Unfortunately, school violence is on the rise, and the bulk of these incidents take place in government-run schools.

Recent research shows that private school students feel more secure than their public school peers. One study by Harvard’s M. Danish Shakeel and Corey A. DeAngelis at the Cato Institute concluded that children attending private schools were considerably less affected by bullying, robbery and theft, school violence, and gang-related activity. They also tended to be more respectful of teachers and administrators and had fewer class behavior issues.

Focused Instruction Options

Independent schools offer various educational formats designed to inspire children to pursue their passions and instruct them in the ways they learn best, rather than using the one-size-fits-all model prevalent in public learning.

Do you have a daughter who’d rather be doing anything other than listening to a teacher’s lecture? Consider a private school with an entrepreneurship program or other hands-on, engaging curriculums. For example, our private Christian school in Atlanta introduces kids to coding at an early age to get them excited about the world of computers and what they can do with them.

Maybe your child learns better in an online environment. Some online private schools offer the same variety of curriculum choices virtually as they do in person, allowing students access to quality education from anywhere.

Teacher Training and Subject Matter Expertise

There is something to be said about having a former Microsoft computer programmer teaching kids the basics of coding. Or, perhaps, a retired Naval physicist introducing electricity and motion to a bunch of fourth-graders. While Georgia’s non-public schools do not require educators to hold teacher certification, they do require bachelor’s, and sometimes master’s, degrees or several years of teaching experience.

Again, flexibility reigns supreme in the private sector, where top-rated private institutions often hire teachers with stellar academic credentials and extensive professional experience in their fields. Who better to bring a subject to life than someone who has lived it?

If you think in-person or online private school is something you want to explore for your child, click here to contact us.

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Private schools often provide students with additional resources, including access to state-of-the-art technology, equipment, and facilities. In addition, many private schools have lower student-to-teacher ratios than public schools so that teachers can give more individualized attention and instruction in the classroom. Classes in private schools can have as few as eight or nine students, which lets teachers give more individualized lessons.

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It’s no surprise that technology and globalization have made our world much smaller in terms of commerce and social interaction. You might find yourself on a phone or teleconference call on any given day with clients in faraway places like Shanghai, London, or Cape Town. Additionally, this country hosts a massive number of migrants and refugees from countries all over the globe.

Given these realities, it makes sense that learning a second, or even third, language can make the world more accessible to your child than ever before. Unfortunately, we in the United States are a little late to the game in terms of language acquisition and mastery. While roughly 64% of the population of the European Union has attained fluency in at least one foreign language (usually English), the latest US Census numbers show that most Americans remain monolingual, with 78% residing in homes where English is the only language spoken.

Granted, the Census doesn’t collect data on how many Americans speak other languages outside the home. Still, anecdotal evidence indicates that bilingualism in the United States has a way to go to keep up with other developed countries.

The Benefits of Bilingualism

Beyond the obvious benefits of better communication and cultural understanding, knowing how to speak languages other than your native tongue has several cognitive advantages. According to one study, “Bilingualism: Consequences for Mind and Brain,” bilingual capacity creates a ‘mental flexibility’ that allows people to quickly shift their attention and process information more efficiently. This translates into better critical thinking, problem-solving, and multitasking and improved memory and concentration.

The earlier a child begins learning an additional language, the more pronounced these skills will become. In addition, young people with fluency in a second or third language can assimilate more readily into a global society and set themselves up for success after school. Finally, studies show that later in life, second-language learners enjoy greater protection from cognitive declines, such as dementia and Alzheimer’s.

How Can I Help My Kid Become Bilingual?

One of the best ways to start your child on the path to bilingualism is to involve them in a public or independent school language program. Foreign language immersion programs were first introduced to public and private elementary schools in the early 1970s.

While many public school systems still hold off language instruction until middle and high school, a growing amount of research backs up the shift to introduce foreign languages earlier at the pre-K and K-6 levels. Today’s more popular languages include Spanish, French, German, Arabic, and Mandarin.

However, you don’t have to wait until your child is school-age to start second-language instruction. Various studies show that children begin learning in the womb, so it’s never too early to start.

There are many different ways to begin at home, regardless of whether you already speak the language you want them to learn or not. If you are fluent in a foreign language, here are some things you can do at home:

• Narrate in the target language – While cleaning the house, you can explain what you’re doing in simple sentences, e.g., “I’m making the bed” and “Your sink is dirty. I’m going to clean it now.” As you do this, you can also use sticky notes to build vocabulary for your actions.
• Plan activities in both languages – If you’re making hand turkeys for Thanksgiving, do it first in English, and a few days later, try making more while speaking in the foreign language. Your child already knows the process, so now he will be able to recognize and begin to understand the unfamiliar terms that go with it.
• Encourage your child to use what they’re learning in fun ways – If they ask you when dinner will be ready, maybe shrug your shoulders and say something like, “No hablo Inglés.” Or if they text you something in English, text them back in the target language. Remember, this should be fun banter back and forth, not something they feel they’re being tested on.
• Incorporate charades – Using gestures and facial expressions is another fun way of getting your point across and helping your child remember words and phrases.

And if you’re not fluent in a foreign language? Not to worry, you have options:

• Get to know a native speaker – Spending even an hour or two with a native speaker on a regular basis can increase your child’s language learning by leaps and bounds. Consider hiring a part-time babysitter whose native language is the one you’re trying to teach. You might also look into community cultural groups to meet other moms and dads with different language skills and set up playdates with your kids.
• Watch media in the target language – While not as effective as meeting with a native speaker, watching movies in a foreign language with English captions can help train your child’s ear to hear and understand unfamiliar words.
• Invest in kid-friendly language software and apps – There are many effective and user-friendly language-learning programs for children, including Gus on the Go, Duolingo, Peg and Pog, and Rosetta Stone, Kids.
• Learn alongside your child – This last one can incorporate all the above methods and allow you and your child to bond over a new way of communicating. It’s definitely the most labor-intensive, though, and it likely will take longer to develop language mastery.

Even though many other countries have long incorporated English learning into their curriculum, nearly three-quarters of the world’s population doesn’t speak English. If we want to improve relations with our global neighbors, learning their language represents a solid step in the right direction. It’s a win for the world, and it’s a win for your child. You can help get them started.

Looking for a Georgia Christian school with a Spanish language program? Contact us today.

One of the fantastic things about children is that they are infinitely curious. They always ask questions and try to figure out the ‘why’ of things. Couple that with unbounded energy and a natural tenacity to hold on like a bulldog in pursuing things they want (think toy store tantrums), and you have a recipe for a first-rate entrepreneur.

The problem is we don’t always know the best ways to channel those qualities in a positive direction. In an earlier article, we talked about how learning entrepreneurship can help in every aspect of your child’s life. Today, we want to share some tips we have learned in the classroom on how you can effectively cultivate that entrepreneurial spirit.

Let Them Figure Things Out

Encourage your children to seek out the answers to many of their ‘why’ questions on their own. Direct them to books, magazines, videos, and digital content on the internet to gather information on topics they’re interested in. A trip to the library, either in-person or virtual, will likewise yield a treasure trove of data.

Guide your discussions instead of giving a quick answer. Your daughter may ask, “Why is the sky blue?” Instead of answering directly, you could say something like, “Well, I bet there’s an online virtual school resource that can help you find out. Why don’t we go over to the computer and take a look.”

Another aspect of this kind of thinking is to help your children problem-solve relational issues independently. While we would like to be the ones to protect our children from things like friend drama, peer issues, or school concerns, a better idea is to teach them to self-advocate for their needs and then back them up.

Teach Them to Handle Money

Many kids feel like as long as you have that little piece of plastic in your wallet, you have plenty of money to spend on them. And while many middle and high schools are incorporating financial literacy into their curriculum, it’s never too early to have them start learning how to handle money at home.

Your children can gain a basic understanding of how to earn money by doing set tasks for a regular allowance, completing odd jobs for neighbors and friends, or starting their own business ventures (e.g., a lemonade stand, landscaping service, etc.). From there, they must learn what to do with the money they earn.

Help them by going over things like paying bills and expenses first. Let’s say your son mows lawns every weekend to make money. His costs would include gas (if he’s using a non-electric mower), transportation to and from wherever his clients live, and any additional funds for equipment repairs or maintenance. After that, you’ll want to work with him to create a budget where most of his profits will go into a savings account or to investments, and the rest will stay in a checking account for him to use whenever he wants. Another great idea is to have your kids save money for some of the items they may want but don’t necessarily need, such as a car or bike, a new video game system, a special toy, or even a trip or theme park tickets.

Introduce Them to Responsibility

We gain a tremendous amount of self-confidence from making and keeping commitments. When your child consistently completes their chores, such as walking the dog and clearing the table after dinner, they become reliable contributors to the family unit. They will also develop better time management skills and learn that prioritizing responsibilities like homework and chores before leisure activities has significant rewards.

The keys to teaching responsibility are to set clear, reasonable expectations and apply accountability. You wouldn’t expect your five-year-old to clean out the garage, but it’s reasonable, for example, to have him pick up his toys and put them away before dinner. And, if he doesn’t do his job, you need to hold him accountable. He needs to know that you depend on him to complete this task every evening.

Canadian author Bob Proctor put it this way: “Accountability is the glue that ties commitment to the result.”

Nurture Talents, Interests, and Passions

Inspire their creativity and help them pursue the things they love. Learning to take time for the things we enjoy is an important life lesson. In addition, many of these pursuits may naturally lead to profitable business ventures, enabling kids to see that while work is necessary for survival, it can also be enjoyable.

Does your daughter enjoy taking care of animals? She might want to look into a dog-walking business. Or maybe your son loves to bake with you. Offer to let him bake cookies or muffins for a community bake sale and then share the profits. With your help, kids can start at an early age to think of creative ways to have fun and make money.

One young lady was only nine years old when she wanted to begin babysitting. She had always loved babies and children, and being the oldest of three, she was adept at caring for them. However, her state only allowed children aged 10 and up to babysit. At her mother’s suggestion and with her help, the little girl soon viewed having to wait a year as an opportunity instead of a setback.

She took a babysitting course through the Red Cross, assembled a variety of children’s activities and games, and even ordered business cards. On her 10th birthday, she promptly began to hand those business cards out to every adult her mother knew and trusted. By the time she reached driving age, she had a healthy savings built up to use toward buying a car.

An increasing number of public and private elementary schools realize that teaching kids to thrive in an ever-changing world involves much more than giving them a solid foundation in the basics – reading, writing, math, science and technology, and history. They must also master entrepreneurial skills like critical thinking, creative problem-solving, and effective communication for success.

Ask about the Academy of Scholars’ entrepreneurship-heavy curriculum, which includes things like coding classes for kids and mastery of click funnels for launching and scaling online businesses.

You might think that being an ‘entrepreneur’ only means starting or investing in new business ventures. While that’s true, developing entrepreneurial skills allows you to succeed and innovate in any job, self-employed or not.

Today’s workplace increasingly values critical thinkers, strategists, and creative problem-solvers. As independent school educators, we believe the best time to master these capabilities is at the elementary level.

If nothing else, the global pandemic has taught us that we can’t take anything for granted. On any given day, circumstances may force us to change everything, even our basic lifestyle habits. Whoever thought there would be a time when you literally couldn’t leave your house? Or that virtual work and school would remain the new ‘normal’ for thousands of people post-Coronavirus?

In addition, the pandemic – and the subsequent inflation and financial upheaval – accelerated an already-growing trend: dropping college enrollment. Since spring 2020, total registration for post-secondary institutions (including community colleges) plummeted by 7.4%. That equates to roughly 1.3 million fewer students.

And while there are a variety of reasons for this, the main ones include the fear of amassing a ton of debt and the belief that real-world experience will be more valuable than a two- or four-year degree. Couple that with consumer giants like Google, Apple, and Costco not requiring a college degree for many of their senior-level jobs, and you have a growing break from the traditional high school-college-career path.

With or without a degree, one thing is for certain: Young people who develop entrepreneurial skills will start their careers on a much stronger footing. They’ll also be more likely to navigate a rapidly-changing work landscape with greater success.

What are some of the skills we’re talking about? We compiled our top five for you:

1. Critical Thinking

Critical thinking replaces emotion and opinion with reasoned analysis when working to identify problems and find solutions. This form of careful observation and analysis allows one to weigh the advantages and disadvantages of specific courses of action and judge how to proceed, irrespective of the status quo.

In business, critical thinking could mean digging through data to understand why one product enjoys more market appeal than another. In life, it may involve comparing your aspirations in a particular field with your natural strengths and weaknesses to determine where to focus improvement efforts.

As an entrepreneur, you constantly look for ways to improve products, services, or processes. Critical thinking gives your mind the analytical framework it needs to accomplish that.

2. Collaboration/Teamwork

True entrepreneurial spirit doesn’t exist in a vacuum. Instead, it often represents the successful amalgamation of several different ways of thinking and doing things. Some of society’s most remarkable achievements came from groups of people working together to solve a problem:

• NASA’s Apollo 11 mission to the moon
• Apple’s transformation of personal computing
• Drs. Sabin and Salk’s vaccination to eradicate polio
• The Constitution of the United States

Successful collaboration involves sharing ideas and information to encourage out-of-the-box thinking instead of punishing it. Teaching kids to work together also gives them the courage to voice their thoughts and opinions and the humility to accept that others have valuable contributions to make, too.

3. Creative Problem-Solving (CPS)

We often mistake the CPS process for brainstorming, but it’s infinitely more. Creative problem-solving is an organized process of developing a non-judgmental, open-ended flow of ideas to address a critical question or issue. As such, it involves both divergent and convergent thinking, and each plays a key role at various stages of the process.

Divergence represents laying out the problem or issue and developing several possible solutions. Convergence, on the other hand, represents a funnel of sorts in that you take those ideas and narrow them down to actionable results.

4. Communication

Perhaps one of the most critical entrepreneurial skills a person can learn is to communicate effectively. Given the popularity of our handheld devices, it’s much easier to text, email, or Snap rather than have an in-person conversation over lunch or present a new product in front of a crowd. You may have the most incredible concept on paper, but your idea is dead on arrival if you can’t successfully pitch it to an investor.

Entrepreneurship involves storytelling. You have to believe in your product or solution and then be able to sell it in such a way that an investor will want to take a chance on you. This kind of effective communication can also help in other aspects of your life. For example, are you an activist who wants to end human trafficking? Learning to tell a compelling story about how you want to carry out your strategy can secure the support and funding you need from private philanthropies and public legislators.

In addition, when kids learn how to communicate ideas and solutions, they build self-confidence. And self-confidence breeds success.

5. ‘Growth’ Mindset

Complacency is the enemy of entrepreneurship. All too often, people fall into the trap of thinking that something ‘just can’t be done.’ Be it tradition, entrenched policy, expense, or any other obstacle – we can overcome whatever It is by directing our energies toward moving forward. We face constant obstacles and challenges in our pursuits. A growth mindset builds resiliency and encourages us to see mistakes and failures as opportunities.

No child is immune from the vagaries of life, but by teaching them entrepreneurial skills at an early age, we fortify them against true failure, which is to stop trying. At The Academy of Scholars, we believe in giving your kids the tools they need to succeed at school and in life through our strong emphasis on entrepreneurship.

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The value of critical thinkers, strategists, and creative problem solvers is rising in the workplace. As independent school educators, we think that elementary school is the ideal moment to begin fostering these abilities. Young people who learn how to start their own businesses will almost always have far more solid beginnings in their professions.

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