Education Matters—Sanford School's Private School Blog

The school year has just flown by, and spring sports are already upon our young athletes! The spring sports season is an exciting time, as our player's transition from their previous indoor setting and venture back to the outdoor fields of their respective sports. With all of this excitement and the abrupt downtime of spring vacation, early season injuries can be very common. However, by pacing one’s self and properly preparing the body, any athlete can take the initiative to ensure that they will start their season on the right foot.

As any former adolescent can tell you, teenagers can be defiant at times. This resistance often comes from being constantly told what they can and can't do. We are evolutionarily wired to push the boundaries during adolescence, when, more often than not, we hear “You can’t do that!” rather than more positive enforcers. The article, "Can Teenage Defiance Be Manipulated for Good?", supports that defiance can be harnessed in a way that allows for enlightening learning opportunities and avenues for inquiry.

I try to keep this in mind while planning how to teach To Kill a Mockingbird, the story of young siblings coming to grips with the hypocrisy and racial injustice of their small Southern town. Students become more engaged when the Tom Robinson plotline is introduced. The obvious facts behind the case point towards a not guilty verdict, which are ignored by the all-white jury. This clear miscarriage of justice is tough for my students to wrap their heads around. How can this happen in the United States, where, as Atticus Finch states in his closing argument, “All men are created equal”?

With Martin Luther King Jr.’s birthday in January and Black History Month in February, I have spent the past few weeks talking to my children about classic figures in Black history.  However, this time of year also reminds me how necessary it is that my kids see themselves in the world even when it’s not Black History Month.  Sometimes this can feel like it’s easier said than done. The Cooperative Children’s Book Center found that of the 3,400 new children’s books published in 2016 only 287—less than 9%—featured Black main characters.

As an educator, I know it’s critical for my kids to see themselves in the books that they read. Professor Emeritus Rudine Sims Bishop at The Ohio State University, discussed the importance of children having both “windows and mirrors” in their books, so that they can learn about the world (windows) and, just as importantly, see themselves represented in it (mirrors). There are several excellent blogs and websites that I’ve used to help me find more mirrors for my kids. I was further inspired to keep making Black children’s literature a priority for my family when I learned about 11-year-old Marley Dias, her desire to see more Black girls and women in literature, and the #1000BlackGirlBooks book drive she started last year.

Beat the winter blues by getting high…naturally!

Sanford is looking forward to welcoming Dr. Matt Bellace to campus February 28th. Dr. Bellace is a psychologist, comedian, and passionate public speaker who has been involved in youth drug and alcohol prevention for many years. In his book, A Better High, he shares the acronym L.E.A.D., which lists four ways to focus on achieving a natural high. Today, we’re taking his LEAD to share our thoughts on natural highs.

“Transform a wish into a goal by putting a date on it.” Peter Turla

Managing time is a universal issue; certainly, it is not confined exclusively to students. However, school provides the perfect place, along with limitless opportunities, for young people to begin to form habits to effectively use their available “free” time that will assist them throughout their lives.

The benefits that come from supporting one's community are ageless. Community service fosters empathy for people with different needs and encourages good deeds in every aspect of life. No matter the age, students should have the opportunity to experience the sense of fulfillment gained through community service.

The efforts of even one person can be invaluable when it comes to volunteering. Just one student can mobilize a task force, raise money, or advocate for a cause with stunning results. Students are uniquely qualified to take up such a cause as they have access to a serviceable community and willing participants. Schools can provide many outlets for volunteering such as service clubs and fundraising groups. This is an easy way for students to get started helping their community without having to break from their routines.

High School is one of the most important influences on the lives of adolescents. It becomes a student’s world at an age when they are still developing their identities, growing into adults, and learning about life. The teachers, students, and learning material serve to influence how teenagers think and view society as they adopt more responsible roles in their own lives. Something that has such a large impact on students' lives should be chosen with careful consideration. A student’s school should be welcoming and tailored to their needs with many exciting opportunities to take risks, make connections and be creative. There are many factors in this monumental decision to consider in order to get the most out of the experience, including:

Classroom sizes
Whether big or small, this choice should be influenced by a student’s learning style. If they do well working in groups with more peer input, having many classmates may be best suited to them. If they do better in a calmer environment with more personal attention from the teacher, a small number of classmates may be the right choice.

The holiday break is finally here, giving our students time off from school to enjoy being home with family and friends. While breaks are intended to be a time for rest, they are also often a time of get-togethers that extend past bedtime, long car rides to visit relatives, and second (maybe third) helpings of holiday treats. As we interrupt our normal school and work schedules for a few weeks, it is important to pay attention to healthy routines for our bodies and our minds.

Hang up and hang out! Have you ever ignored your real-life family and friends in favor of phones or devices? Let’s face it—we’ve all been there. And without parental limits over break, our children and adolescents may be tempted to settle into hours of video games, TV, and social media. Take some time to work with your children to create a plan regarding screen time. Encourage everyone to put down those devices during family mealtimes and spend time telling stories or catching up on the day. The American Academy of Pediatrics has an interactive tool that can help you set appropriate expectations for electronics and media-based devices.

There are several ways to make a private school education an affordable option. 

One way is through need-based financial aid.
Prospective families are often surprised to learn that many higher-earning private school families receive some form of tuition assistance simply because the tuition costs are so high. For many (or most) families, it is a true sacrifice to send a child to private school.

A second option to help make tuition more affordable is through merit scholarships.
These scholarships do not take financial need into account. They simply allow your child to shine. Private schools approach merit scholarship awards in a variety of ways. Some schools will base decisions on standardized admission test scores. Others may look at a child’s academic success in the school they currently attend. Still, others may choose to look at the bigger picture. Luckily, we understand this and want to help. 

Why choose a PRIVATE SCHOOL?

• Seemingly endless and individualized opportunities in arts, athletics, club activities, and leadership
• Exciting and engaging academic programs
• Small class sizes of motivated students
• Teachers who love their work and care deeply about each student
• State-of-the-art facilities on beautiful campuses.

While many children would thrive in an environment like this, often the high tuition cost is a significant obstacle for families—how can we pay for private school before our child even goes to college?