Private Versus Public Schools

Being a teacher I have paid close attention to the claims made about the merits of private schools and the apparent deficiencies of public schools. I have read many articles in newspapers, heard many people's opinions, and have spoken with teachers who work in public as well as private schools. In this year I have had the opportunity to directly compare the two by teaching in a private school after four years in the public school system. I have come to the conclusion that comparing private schools to public schools in the ways that are most often done by private schools and those who attack the public schools is an impossible feat.

Private schools have customers that have chosen to be there. The parents have made a conscious choice and sacrifice to place their children in this environment. The act of making that choice places more importance upon the outcome of the child's education for the parent.

On the other hand, in public schools the parents have, for the most part, had little or no choice in where their children attend school. It is simply a matter of the school boundaries within which the family lives. Since the family has not chosen that school, there is less ownership by the family of the schooling experience.

There were a few disadvantages to private schools that I found as a teacher. Because the parents were paying for their children to attend the school, some of them felt they could use the threat of pulling their children out of the school if things did not go as they liked. Grades could be a major problem. In addition, I found that some private schools adhere to teaching methods that were come up with by the very first teacher to have the job many years ago. A particular method of teaching writing, for example, is considered the only acceptable way to teach the students.

Of course, in public schools there is often a set of state guidelines instructing the teacher which topics must be covered during that year. Perhaps within the school district there is a method of teaching that is focused upon, but I have not found those methods to be so restricting. They are more of a focus to base instruction upon.