The ongoing debate: Private School vs Public School
Context: High School only
Gives the child a sense of belonging that she can be proud of
- is it a headstart? I believe it is
- does it gives the child confidence? I believe it can
- the pitch to the child: look, it really doesn't matter which school you go to, the most important is you put your own effort into it. but the school is alright.
- the pitch will NOT be - its an expensive school! u gotta do well in it or else!! - I don't plan to pitch it this way
Quality of environment
- naturally, the fellow students, the fellow parents, the fellow school community - are more affluent
- either they are affluent or they work very hard to put their kids to expensive school
- naturally that means there will be more of well-sufficient, productive, efficient people that make up this community
- generally speaking - majority of the population - parents tend to work hard (often dual income in today's age) to provide - their minds are filled with work, work, work. they don't have enough time / mental space to invest into their child. but i beg to differ, Work is not a priority to me anymore. i would try to provide that education, dedicate that time, starting from home. This does not necessarily mean public school or private school, but definitely want to surround myself with more like-minded parents
Quality of teachers
- better teachers go to places that are better paid
- teachers that are passionate, that takes pride of their quality of teaching
- there will be an expectation of support towards the child, should the child have shortfalls / weakness
International opportunities / broaden your world view
- if you are good enough to go to Oxford or Cambridge for a school experience, then why not? Its like you are automatically being put into a fast bullet train that gets you to explore the world.
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Downsides - money
The money that can be spent elsewhere... so many other things..
Downsides - travelling
Can we afford to move closer? Who knows...
Downsides - risk of snobbiness - unable to cope
This is just a possibility. Often you don't feel that snobbiness, provided you hangout with the right groups within your class. But the effect of this really depends on the individual. The risk is for the individual to
- feel inferior because everyone else seems richer than her
- feel jealous because everyone else seems to be able to afford nicer things
- feel low self esteem because getting snubbed by condescending people
There is definitely a risk of that what I would call, unnecessary, dynamics. But at the same time, if you can get through that:
- you will be strong
- you will grow a backbone to say "its your parents that are rich, not you"
- it propels you to study harder
- you stay above the peer pressure, that is, you simply recognises these people, but you don't feel the need to "be like them"
If she is strongly the kind of child that is prone to it, even from primary school (i.e. no backbone, have severe confidence / jealous issue) then this is the time when I will reconsider withdrawing her enrollment into private school.
Downsides - risk of snobbiness - too proud
The other effect is for you to be delusional, that you belong to this "elite group", for you to end up feeling too proud of yourself and you look down other people. Well guess what child, mama is the type that can shoot you back down to the ground - keep you grounded.
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How about public school ?
Not ruling out public school completely.
Of course when it comes to a very good public school, it will also have nice environment, good teachers, good students too - it meets the needs. But in my case, I have to move house to get close to whatever that good public school is. Otherwise it may be hard to get in. Moving house is something we can contemplate at a later time, if it work out that way, then why not. Too stressful in the meantime.
Does it has to be a very good public school? How about just "any" public school? Well I would think, if I can put my child into the "better train", have more opportunities, broaden her horizons more, get her to meet more quality people, then why not?
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