Every parent wishes the best for their kids, starting with a good home, enough life comforts, and education, with the latter being a top consideration to ensure a good future for the child. There are many learning institutions around, which differ in type, size, and offers.
In Singapore, parents have an option to enroll their kids in a public school, a private one, or an international school with a globally recognized GMP program from the Montessori preschool in Singapore which is a top choice for expats and parents who wants to instill global mindset to their children.
Regardless of school choice, students need to feel safe, engaged, connected, and supported to thrive. These facets of learning are the elements of a school’s environment that contribute to students’ academic achievement and success and easily linked with good grades and test scores as well as strong attendance; positive relations with others; and even minimized engagement in risky behaviors.
Safety. Students need to feel safe in all aspects before they can be expected to succeed academically. Schools differ in measures to ensure students’ physical safety. Data shows that the rates that teens experience crimes in schools have declined, issues like racial bias still prevail though and can impact the effectiveness of school safety measures, this is why international schools like global Indian international school (GIIS) are growing in number throughout countries where expats families can ensure the safety of their kids.
Safety goes beyond physical well-being. Students must feel welcomed, supported, and respected to have a safe learning environment.
Engagement. A trending report shows that K-12 education has caused increasingly less engaged students. Students reaching eleventh and twelfth grades only reports one-third of the size as feeling engaged. A growing number of parents expressed concern that students’ individual learning needs are not being met.
Thankfully, schools now are adapting personalized learning as an instructional approach to reverse these trends. A student-centered approach to learning customizes instruction to students based on their unique strengths and needs and engages them in exciting academic content. Personalized learning assists students in learning skills including critical thinking, using knowledge to solve problems, work collaboratively, communicate effectively, and developing academic mindsets.
Connectedness. Students need to feel connected to fellow students, teachers and other school staff. Schools can nurture these connections via a focus on a students’ social and emotional learning (SEL), which helps students manage their interactions with others and build the necessary skills to communicate and resolve conflicts. SEL programs can improve self-awareness, social competence, positive interactions with others, and academic performance.
Teachers are a vital part of fostering the type of learning environment in the classroom that can support student success. Educators and administrators must take professional development opportunities and training to meet the academic, emotional, and social needs of students to create a positive school environment.
Support. Students need to feel supported by people who are connected to their learning experience. This includes classmates, teachers, school administrators, family, and community members. School leaders can engage their teachers, students, community members, and parents in school environmental improvement via meetings, surveys, conversations, and creating school-community partnerships.
So how can you, as a parent help create a positive learning environment for your kid’s school?
As a lifelong learner, you too should learn more about personalized learning and advocate for it to engage your children. Find a school that encourages these facets. If you have a preschooler, this becomes more important and you should enroll him in an appropriate Montessori preschool in Singapore, then ask the school about the training and professional development opportunities available that focus on social and emotional needs of students.
Remember, your child’s growth and eventual success will be a reflection not only of his life at home but at school.
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