“A school is a community of learners. What makes a good school? It should create the best conditions for your children to learn and develop in all the ways we’ve discussed: cognitive, affective [emotional capacity], social, and spiritual. It should bring out the best in them as individuals and help develop the competencies they need to make their way in the world. What sort of community should it be?” – Sir Ken Robinson
We couldn’t put together a much better list of elements for school choice than Ken Robinson did (1). Here are his points summarized. I’ve used many of his words and phrases. For readability, I have not always included quotation marks.
Does the school have a broad, balanced, and dynamic curriculum?
Robinson points out that there is a formal, or required, curriculum; an informal, or optional, curriculum; and a hidden, or cultural, curriculum.
Balanced Curriculum
A balanced curriculum should include provisions for
Language Arts – This includes reading and writing. It should include developing a love of literature in all its forms. It should also include “oracy” or being able to speak clearly and confidently and listen with patience and attention.
Mathematics — we need a solid foundation of numeracy and the ability to apply mathematics at some level. I add that learning math should include developing a love for math, or at least a good feeling about math (rather than the all-to-common feeling of hating math and wanting to avoid it).
Science – education that includes science is important for every child because it helps to ground them in gathering evidence and logical analysis. It also helps a child access the large body of science knowledge and understand how science has and is changing the world.
The Arts – “qualities of human experience.” Include music, dance, visual arts, drama, and literature. Arts education should include learning to practice the arts and to understand and appreciate them.
The Humanities – “the study of human life and culture.” Include history, languages, religious education, geography, social studies, and philosophy. Studying the humanities helps us sustain civilization.
Physical Education – directly benefits vitality and physical development, and also enhances other aspects of learning including concentration and mental agility. Components of physical education may include sports, dance, gymnastics, and team activities.
Life Skills – “Education should help your children to deal confidently with some of the many practical tasks and challenges they’ll face as they make their way in the world.” (1, pg. 128-129)
Dynamic Curriculum
Do the teachers adapt their approaches to different students and material?
The right teacher for your child can make a profoundly positive difference. Teachers should provide individualized support and feedback. Look for a balance between the following:
Theory and Practice
Is There a Proper Balance between Desk Study and Practical Work?
Learn to know “that” (propositional knowledge) through concentration and effort. Teachers can inspire children and help them enjoy the process of committing ideas to long-term memory. Knowing “how” to do something (skills) requires doing it and practicing. The best education involves your child in a range of activities. Knowing “this” is about understanding our experiences. Children need to learn to understand their feelings and experiences, and create positive relationships. To learn “this,” children need experiences that fundamentally involve feelings, values, and relationships.
Get Moving
Do Students Have Enough Physical Activity?
Physical activity of many kinds is valuable. Schools should teach not only math, but also physical activity. Robinson especially highlights dancing. Dance education provides physical, emotional, social, cultural, and economic benefits.
Individual and Group Work
Is There a Balance between Students Working on Their Own and Together?
An individual approach to learning may include listening to a lecture, reviewing the work at home, and then testing one’s understanding the next day.
A group approach to learning may include discussions, peer-teaching, projects, and other group activities.
Across the Ages
Are Students Encouraged to Learn in Mixed Age Groups?
Mixed age classes can benefit all the students, for example by providing opportunities for both helping and being helped by peers. Robinson asserts that “Students in mixed-age groups learn at least as well as those in single-age classrooms.”
Assessment
Does the School Have an Open and Informative Approach to Assessment?
Only using standardized tests is not very effective. Both formative and summative assessments should be included.
A Flexible Schedule
Is the School Schedule Varied and Flexible?
This means personalizing the schedule to meet the needs of individuals.
A Safe and Stimulating Environment
Is the School a Safe and Invigorating Place for the Students and the Community?
A good school should feel like a “joyous place of learning.”
A Sense of Community
How Well and Effectively Does the School Engage with the Wider Community?
An active parent-teacher organization is valuable. Parents should be welcome to sit in on a class, help out with activities, and share experiences and expertise. A good school interacts with the larger community in a variety of ways.
That’s a summary from Ken Robinson’s excellent book (1). There is much more in the book. I recommend it.
Many learning programs would get high marks on the questions and elements highlighted here. As parents, we can have confidence that we are not looking for the impossible. No program is perfect; many are good; and some are great! With persistence and care, we can narrow down options to a few that could work well. In some cases, it is possible to take learning to an even higher level. In some cases, we can find (or develop) the learning program that moves into the truly, profoundly wonderful. What I hope for my children, and what I hope for yours, is that we will find the right setting that works extremely well for a particular child. When we find that really good fit, the child develops joyfully.
Reference
- Chapter 6 in Robinson, K. and L. Aronica. 2019. You, Your Child, and School: Navigate Your Way to the Best Education. Penguin Books