Saint Richard Catholic School Blog
A School For Everyone: Why Non-Catholics Choose Catholic Education
Public vs Private vs Catholic: What’s The Big Difference?
- Class Size is typically a difference between the two school systems. Most public schools average 25 to 30 or more students per class, while most private schools average keep class sizes around a 10 to 15 student average. The teacher-to-student ratio is also higher in most private schools, which means more attention paid to each student.
- Teacher Certification is required of public-school teachers, but that level of certification isn’t required of private school teachers. However, many private school teachers hold advanced degrees in their fields, and some private schools independently require their teachers to be certified.
- Who Pays The Bills is another major difference between the schools. Private schools are funded by tuition, grants, and endowments, while public schools are funded by tax-dollars, allowing students to attend free of charge.
- Independence in Curriculum is an advantage private schools hold over public schools. While public schools follow state-mandated curricula, private schools typically have more freedom in deciding what to teach, which allows for more specialized programs.
- Unique Learning Environments can be chosen with a private school. For example, parents can choose to send their children to a school that will teach Catholic values and tradition, such as Saint Richard Catholic School.
Difference Between Private Schools and Catholic Private Schools
- Religious Focus is the primary difference between Catholic schools and other private schools, specifically focus on the Catholic religion, values, catechism, and tradition. Prayer is a standard part of the day, and weekly masses are part of the curriculum. In no way are students required to be or become Catholic, and converting non-Catholics to Catholicism is never a goal, but all classes are taught within the Catholic framework.
- A Higher Graduation Rate is another highlight of Catholic schools. Private schools in general boast a very high graduation rate (95%), but Catholic schools in particular take that average even higher (97%). And after graduation, Catholic school grads have higher college enrollment and higher college completion rates.
- An Emphasis On Technology is a something unique to most Catholic schools, thanks to help from groups such as The Catholic Foundation and the Catholic United Fund. As technology becomes a bigger and bigger part of students’ lives, incorporating that technology into smart classrooms becomes even more important.
- Church Assistance can be found in many religious schools, but it particularly stands out in parochial Catholic schools. The church (and diocese) offer help in tuition assistance, fundraising, religious instruction, and volunteer hours. And attending the same church with other student families allows for additional bonding and fellowship.
Identifying Your Child’s Primary Learning Style
Identifying Your Child’s Primary Learning Style
According to the experts, there are three main learning styles—auditory, visual, and kinesthetic (touch). These can impact how we best learn as adults, but more importantly, they can help identify how to best teach our kids.
Most children use a combination of the three learning styles to grasp a concept, but one of the four is usually the primary style—or the one most effective for your student. A child whose main learning style is visual, for example, may learn better seeing a demonstration of a concept rather than just reading about the concept. A kinesthetic learner might struggle with an idea when it’s first explained, but once she gets her hands on the subject matter and can explore and experiment, everything clicks in her mind.
For parents and teachers alike, it’s very helpful to understand the learning style of students. Lessons and help with homework can both benefit. But sometimes identifying your child’s primary learning style can be tricky. Below are some common traits that might help you figure it out.
What Type Of Learner Is My Child?
A Visual Learner…
· Prefers books with illustrations
· Is an excellent copycat—they do best after seeing an example of a task
· Is curious and observant of the world around them
· Excels at art and other visual subjects
· Doodles
· Has a vivid imagination
· Is easily distracted by visual stimuli
An Auditory Learner…
· Is blessed with the gift of gab
· Is great at expressing his or herself verbally
· “Musically doodles” by tapping, making sounds, or humming
· Likes to solve problems by talking them out
· Responds well to verbal praise
· Is easily distracted by background noise
· Can repeat instructions, lines, poems, and songs back with high accuracy
A Kinesthetic Learner…
· Uses lots of gestures and facial expressions when talking
· Tends to have strong balance and coordination skills
· Prefer to try things by touching and feeling
· Try to touch everythingas they walk past
· Like to perpetually be in motion and dislike sitting still
· Enjoys taking things apart and putting them together again
· Prefer athletic activities in their free time
Once you have an idea of your child’s primary learning style, you can explore new ways of explaining ideas within that context. Or explore other styles as well—who knows, you may find one that works just as well!
We always want to find the best ways of teaching and reaching our kids, of course, but remember—no child can ever be defined by a single category. As Catholics, we know that all our little ones are unique and perfect in their own way.
Our kids are beautiful, our kids are complex, and our kids are always, always learning.