EDUCATION MATTERS—SANFORD SCHOOL'S PRIVATE SCHOOL BLOG

If you have ever been to a child's birthday party, you know firsthand how different children are from each other. Imagine your five-year-old neighbor's Spider-Man-themed party. There may be games, food, cake, presents, and no matter how well all that is going, as soon as Spider-Man shows up, there is bound to be drama. Some children are going to be incredibly excited, some so scared they may start crying, some may not know who Spider-Man even is, and some will become instantly shy and want to hide behind their parent's legs.

Now imagine those same children in their kindergarten classroom. They may be equally as different when it comes to learning how to read. Differentiated instruction is the act of teaching individuals differently based on their needs, their interests, their readiness, and their strengths. The goal to have everyone learn how to read remains the same but how that happens depends on who the children in the class are.

It may seem like the best students are those who breeze through classes without breaking a sweat--acing the tests without studying and writing papers in only one night. But when those same kids come across a class that they can’t pass in their sleep, they may quickly crumble in the face of a challenge. While it could feel a bit counterintuitive, sometimes the best way to teach kids to be successful is by making things a little more difficult for them.

The holiday season often brings with it feelings of immense gratitude. We make lists of the people in our lives that mean the most to us and find ways to show our appreciation for them. Whether it’s a holiday card, quality time spent together, or a classically wrapped present, the holiday season is filled with the giving spirit. This year, consider adding your child’s school or alma mater to your gratitude list.

Gifts to a private school’s annual fund are used to support elements that make it even better equipped to meet the needs and talents of each student. Tuition provides a great percentage–but not all–of the income necessary to meet a school’s expenses. Charitable contributions from parents, alumni, past parents, grandparents, and others who believe in the school’s mission help to complete the equation. Here are three reasons why philanthropy is important for private schools:

The end of the school year is here, and while that might mean lazy days by the pool or family vacations, it’s also the perfect time to start preparing your child for the upcoming school year. Here are six fun ways to promote learning and to make sure your child makes the most of this SUMMER so that they can roll smoothly into the fall.

When the pandemic impacts nearly every aspect of student learning, how can we help our children survive and thrive? Finding ways to motivate students and providing the best teaching strategies during hybrid learning is not easy. Whether children are attending class in person or online, participating in “school” is a great way to provide a sense of normalcy in their lives.

For more than a year, children across the country have been learning in atypical school settings. Faced with remote, hybrid, and in-person teaching and learning options along with major changes resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic, some students have fallen behind academically. In addition, many miss their typical routines, others are suffering from Zoom fatigue, and the majority are longing for social interaction.

As your family prepares to wrap up this school year and makes plans for next year, consider enrolling your child in a summer enrichment program. Strong enrichment programs, even during a traditional school year, offer many benefits for PreKindergarten through high school students. Learn about five ways a summer enrichment program can help your child:

While it is wonderful to be back to school in person, COVID-19 has made the school experience drastically different, so you may need to switch up the routine that you have relied on in the past. Below are some suggestions for what you should do the night before school and in the morning to ensure that you and your child have a smooth start to the day. Depending on your child's age will dictate how much guidance they will need when preparing for the school day.

Winter Break is a great time to cuddle up with your kids and do some reading! Below we have a list of holiday reads for young children that celebrate holiday traditions from all over the world. Use these books to revisit holidays that you know and love or to learn about a new celebration.

When you’re pursuing a college preparatory education, the academic courses of math, science, English, history, and a modern language are pretty much set in stone. You may have some flexibility around what novel you’ll read for a classroom book club or what project you’ll do for the science fair, but if you really want to stretch your wings in terms of making choices, you can turn to electives and clubs. Find out why electives are an important part of your child's education.