We live in a time when, according to the public media, schools are said to be promoting questionable curricula such as Critical Race Theory and denying parents to be informed should their child comment about being ‘gender confused.’ So, no wonder many parents are wondering about the value of sending their beloved offspring to be influenced by ‘state run’ schools!

However, as a parent, veteran teacher and administrator with over 30 years of experience of teaching in inner city schools I remain a powerful advocate of sending children into the public school system, and I sent my own! Of course, there is always a need for careful oversight of what is going with your child on as individual schools can be as varied according to the individual teachers employed and schools can indeed be influenced greatly by local demographics.

Let’s be clear here, the majority of teachers are in the profession not to make money but are motivated by something far less tangible but far more rewarding.

That is to make a difference!

Schools are also far more than just a place of classrooms and textbooks. They are vibrant ecosystems where students learn not only academic subjects but also essential life skills. I have often told my students that the ‘soft skills’ they learn in school will shape the way they handle their lives as adults. While the people they will have to interact with would be older their attitudes often remain exactly the same.

So in this blog post, I want to delve into the non-academic advantages of attending school, focusing on social interactions and the dynamic environment that shapes students’ futures. At the end I will touch on Homeschooling to allow parents and other caring adults (frequently grandparents!) to consider what is the best choice to make.

Intra School Social Interactions: The Crucible of Growth

1. Building Relationships

• Friendships: School has always provided a fertile ground for forming friendships. These connections teach the essential soft skills of empathy, cooperation, and conflict resolution. These interactions help form the all-important self – image that will set the direction of the adults they will become. All too frequently friendships forged during school years often last a lifetime.

• Teacher-Student Bonds: Interacting with teachers cultivates respect, trust, and mentorship. Significantly they introduce youngsters to the skills to be able to interact with adults who are not their parents. A good teacher : student relationship can also inspire students to pursue their passions and overcome challenges. (I recall being contacted by a former biology student, who was studying ecosystems in the Indian Ocean and having a fantastic time, telling me that he “had followed my advice’… and my being jealous lol!)

 Communication Skills

• Verbal Fluency: If provided by the teachers’ lesson structure classroom discussions, group projects, and presentations hone students’ ability to express themselves clearly. In a previous post addressing teaching styles I strongly advocate that teachers promote small group discussions in their classrooms as effective communication is a cornerstone of success in any field.

• Active Listening: Similarly, the engaging with peers and teachers promotes active listening—a skill vital for understanding diverse perspectives and collaborating effectively. Again, these are, in my view, best developed in small group work and in the presentation of projects for rubric evaluation.

3. Navigating Diversity

• Cultural Exposure: With the plethora of comments on Race in the media most of which seems sadly to promote more divisive outcomes than harmonious ones, public schools naturally bring together students from various backgrounds. A consequence of this exposure to different cultures and ethnicities readily fosters tolerance, broadens horizons, and dismantles stereotypes and truly aids in the formation of students being racially colorblind.

• Inclusion: Similarly, by learning alongside classmates with varying abilities, interests, and personalities as well as ethnic backgrounds prepares students for a diverse workforce in their adult life.

Coping with the School Dynamic

1. Adaptability

• Crowded Halls: I have taught in high schools with 1500+ students so I know that maneuvering through bustling hallways teaches adaptability. I have seen how this makes students learn to adjust their pace, avoid collisions, and maintain composure due to the unique nature of their environment.

• Changing Classes: Perhaps the biggest transition from elementary to middle/high school is the frequent transitions not only of subjects but of teachers. This experience I consider mimics real-world scenarios where adaptability is crucial.

Conflict Resolution

• Cliques and Friendships: Navigating social circles exposes students to conflicts. Learning to resolve disagreements peacefully is a lifelong skill.
• Group Projects: Collaborating with diverse classmates requires compromise and effective conflict management.

. Time Management

• Balancing Academics and Social Life: As most of the simplistic / routine jobs in society are now being automated, the learning how to successfully Juggle homework completion, attending extracurricular and social events teaches time management. As most career jobs require such adaptability in its personnel, learning these skills now will serve students well in adulthood

• Deadlines: The successful acquiring of balancing commitments, such as meeting assignment deadlines instills discipline and responsibility and can therefore be considered an essential skill for adulthood.

Strategies learned for Adult Life

1. Networking

• Alumni Connections: As a consequence of belonging to a particular year group school alumni are established which in turn networks can provide job opportunities, mentorship, and professional advice.

• Social Capital: The skillset of experiencing building relationships, by belonging to sports teams as well year group etc., during school lays the groundwork for how to form future networks within a field of work as adults

2. Emotional Intelligence

• Empathy: Understanding classmates’ emotions fosters empathy. In adulthood, empathy enhances relationships and teamwork, a treasured quality that comes under the umbrella of ’emotional intelligence’

• Self-Regulation: Coping with stress, disappointments, and successes in school prepares students for life’s emotional rollercoaster.

3. Conflict Resolution Redux

Workplace Dynamics: Just being in the everchanging school interactions and bustle of school life with its changing of year groups as children’s bodies transition into adult hood school mirrors in a unique way the adult world of dealing with colleagues, supervisors, and clients mirrors.

Homeschooling: A Different Path

As I believe I have accurately described there are a LOT of benefits to sending your child to a public school. Parents who choose homeschooling often prioritize personalized education, flexibility, and avoiding certain aspects of state-run schools according to the significance of these aspects. Certainly students who have gone through homeschooling have not been at all disadvantaged by colleges when applying. Also, the degree of academic learning often is a lot higher among homeschool students as may be expected in a much closer 1:1 student : mentor relationship.

At first it may seem that what homeschool children lack are the benefits that accrue from the social dynamics of being in public schools. However, homeschooling doesn’t inherently lack social interactions. Here’s how parents can ensure their homeschooled children develop essential social skills:

Community Involvement: Participate in local clubs, sports teams, or community events. Homeschooled children can engage with peers and adults outside their immediate family.

Cooperative Learning: Arrange playdates, study groups, or co-op classes with other homeschooling families. Collaborative learning fosters teamwork and communication.

Online Communities: Utilize online platforms for virtual interactions. Homeschooled students can join forums, book clubs, or interest-based groups.

Volunteer Work: Engage in community service or volunteer activities. Volunteering teaches empathy, responsibility, and teamwork.

Field Trips: Explore museums, historical sites, and nature parks. Field trips provide educational experiences while allowing interaction with others.

It is clear to me that homeschooling your child is a significant decision to be made, particularly when the children are younger and are far more impressionable.

It does, I perceive, require a lot of parental management aka time to make this work effectively, so for those with busy work schedules this may not be an easy task to ‘take on.’ However, there are a lot of resources to help.

Conclusion

Beyond textbooks and exams, being in schools shape all students into well-rounded individuals. Social skills acquired during these formative years become the strategies they employ throughout their adult lives. So, unless there’s a significant challenge to what curriculum is being taught there, let’s celebrate the hidden gems of school—the friendships, the crowded hallways, and the lessons in empathy—and recognize that education extends far beyond the classroom walls.