Which schooling model is right for your child?

If you’re just beginning to consider alternatives to traditional education, learning about all the other options can be a daunting task. This 13-question assessment will ask a few questions about your child, your philosophy on education, and a few logistical details to help you determine whether alternative education might be a good fit for your family – and which model best matches your profile.

 

1.Which of these best describes your child?

Excels in one or more classes and often wants to learn more or faster than classmates.

Struggles in one or more classes and could use extra time and support.

Prefers to learn more about his or her interests rather than a set curriculum.

Working at the pace of classmates on a set curriculum is how my child learns best.

2.Which kind of student / teacher relationship would work best for your child?

Teacher passes on knowledge and discipline to the student.

Teacher creates an environment that might interest the child, then steps back and observes as the child learns.

Teacher is a mentor and guide, creating a framework that guides students to discover knowledge and develop critical thinking.

3.How does your child perform on classroom test assessments or standardized tests?

Comfortable with and often thrives on traditional and standardized tests.

Struggles to show mastery on a test because of test anxiety, even though he or she understands the material well.

Struggles to show understanding on a test because of other factors (dyslexia, AD/HD, etc.).

Our family thinks this is irrelevant to a quality of education. In fact, we’re concerned that the emphasis on standardized tests has weakened the quality of the education our child receives.

4.Which of these teaching methods works best for your child?

Lecture with a chalkboard or PowerPoint.

Independent textbook reading.

Worksheets and independent practice.

Uninhibited exploration.

Discussion in a group of students.

Hands-on problem solving.

5.How much structure would be optimal for your child?

High – My child performs best when there is continual, close oversight throughout the day.

Moderate – My child works well with some autonomy inside a framework of goals and checkpoints.

Low – My child is very independent and learns best without restrictions or obligations.

6.Which best describes your view of homework?

Homework is a critical aspect of a student’s education because it solidifies information and teaches independent time management skills.

Assigned schoolwork is only small part of an education, and I would prefer that my child spend afternoons learning from independent projects and extracurricular activities.

Family time is valued highly in our family, and I dislike that homework takes away from the family time we have in the afternoons and evenings.

A little bit of homework is okay, but I want my child to have as much free time as possible to just be a kid and have a well-rounded life.

7.In your ideal school, how should rules be created and enforced?

Administrators make overarching rules to protect safety and teachers can create classroom rules to make the day run smoothly.

Teachers and administrators should create rules regarding safety and students should be empowered to create classroom rules as a community.

Teachers and administrators should create rules regarding safety, but other than that, rules should be minimized because they inhibit learning.

8.In your view, what is the role of interpersonal skills in education?

A good GPA, a solid transcript, and critical thinking skills are much more important to my child’s success than interpersonal skills.

Not everyone will need interpersonal skills in their life. My child will develop those skills if he/she is interested in them.

Interpersonal skills are important, but my child learns them in the family and in extracurricular activities rather than school.

Learning to work with people is a skill, and schools should help their students learn that skill to have a complete education.

9.Do you think today’s youth need a new kind of education to prepare them to be productive citizens?

No, being a productive member of society requires the same skills it always has.

No, the purpose of an education is to give children knowledge. They will learn how to be a productive citizen from their community outside of school hours.

Yes, students should have more freedom to pursue their own interests because most of them will probably never use what is formally taught in schools.

Yes, today’s world requires resourceful and adaptable people who are critical thinkers and work well on teams. Our education system should emphasize those skills.

10.Is there a particular school size that you think would work best for your child?

My child needs to be taught one-on-one for most of the day.

Less than 100 students.

Between 100 and 500 students.

Several hundred to a few thousand students.

No preference.

11.What tuition cost (per child) is affordable for your family?

Less than $1,000/year, and all adults in the household work during the day.

Less than $1,000/year, and an adult is available to homeschool students.

$1,000 – $5,000/year

$5,000 – $10,000/year

$10,000 and above

12.Do any of the following apply to your child?

My child has significant challenges in seeing or hearing others that cannot be overcome by traditional methods (e.g. glasses, hearing aids).

My son or daughter has significant learning differences and would like to have a dedicated adult with him or her at all times.

My child cannot communicate verbally with other children or adults who do not know him or her well.

None of the above.

13.Would your child benefit from an education that is heavily focused on a particular field?

Yes. My child has shown a strong interest and/or ability in a particular field (e.g. arts, sciences) from a young age and would thrive if that area were focused on more strongly than others.

Yes. My child has strong extracurricular interests that conflict with traditional school hours, and we need a school that would work with our unusual schedule.

No. My child has strong interests in several areas, so having a broad and well-rounded education would be best.

No. My child’s interests are fluid, so he or she would benefit from a broad and well-rounded education with exposure to many different fields.