Private Schools: Making the Grade
Statistics
Canada's latestYouth in Transition (YIT) Survey provides clear evidence that most high schools
are not preparing students properly for university. Approximately 14 per cent
of first-year university students in the study dropped out and abandoned their
studies. Fifty-five per cent of university professors surveyed in Ontario
reported that their students today were less prepared for university work than
students just three years earlier. Professors cited a decline in writing and
numeric skills, an over-reliance on internet resources, lower maturity levels and
poor work habits as some of the main reasons why students are failing to make
the grade in post-secondary studies. While public schools grapple with ways to
make the system work, the best private schools focus on university preparedness
from a young age.
Public school
students have even identified their own short comings with the education they
receive. They complain of having earned high grades with minimal effort;
feeling as though teachers are "hand-holding.” Top students feel teachers gear
course material down to the level of the "C” student. With this type of
education, it's not surprising that many students are unable to keep up with
the demands of post-secondary education. More than one-third of students find
their studies "really stressful,” according to the YIT study.
Educating Through
Engagement
Families who
expect their children to continue on to post-secondary education are assessing
their options carefully. While motivated students do well in public school
settings, they may not be receiving the quality education they deserve. Even
public schools that deliver a good curriculum do not create a culture of
excellence, which is one of the key ingredients in encouraging academic
achievement.
The best private
schools have always been actively engaged in preparing students for their place
in the larger world. Many private schools set high standards for the level of
education their students receive. Through these high standards, students are
confident upon completing their secondary education. With this confidence and
preparedness, students graduating from private schools are more likely to
succeed in their first year of university.
To this end, top
private schools work to instill in students the value of knowledge and
achievement. They require students to take responsibility for themselves and
their work, while emphasizing the importance of possessing a superior work
ethic. Private schools aim to create a highly motivated environment, where
students will want to reach their full academic potential. The best private
schools contend that attitude, knowledge, skill and responsibility are all
essential to academic excellence.
Challenging
courses at private schools set the academic bar high and far surpass provincial
requirements. Skills such as reading comprehension and writing for purpose,
numeracy and data interpretation are basic for private school students. Many
schools offer advanced courses, which resemble university-level classes in
scope and method of delivery. Public secondary schools streamline courses and lack
a focus on university-level learning. Toronto’s private schools provide
realistic marking scales that ensure students know where they stand
academically and extra help is always available for students who require it.
Laying the
Foundation
The best private
schools in Toronto see secondary education - not as an end in itself but as a
foundation for life-long learning. University-bound students and their parents
will enjoy exploring the possibilities of Toronto’s wide variety of private
schools.