I believe that choosing the right school for your kid can make or break your kid’s future. Most of urban India thinks so too, but for very different reasons. I have always found people to choose schools for their kids based on a few aspects.

1. The Popularity of the school
2. The board results of the school ( 10^th and 12^th standard)
3. The social standing of the school.

If these aspects are covered, we think we have made the best choice of school for our kids.

Choosing a school is never that simple. More important than any of the above mentioned points, is the temperament of your child. It is imperative that we understand the psyche of our children in regards to the schools that we consider for them. The outlook of the school can bring out the best or worst in a child depending on the latter’s disposition. A child sees himself/ herself as the school regards them. The school is a child’s first mirror of the society. We cannot base the future success of our children who will grow up to be very distinct individuals with a unique personality of their own, on the current year- ending results of a school.

There is more to schooling than just academics. A 3 year old toddler who takes her/his first steps into a school depends on the school for a lot more. The attitude, personality, confidence, moral tone everything depends upon the school as this is where your very impressionable 3 year old is going to spend most of their waking hours.

A Small Example to drive home my point:

A set of siblings were enrolled in the same reputed school by a parent who wanted the best for his children. The first kid was happy, outgoing, careless , confident and not academically inclined. The second child was silent, reserved, meticulous, shy and hid behind his books. The academically oriented school was able to bring the best out of the second child making him a topper, confident of himself, clear in his goals and brought him out of his shell. They used the same methods on the first child who felt inadequate, inferior, stopped being confident, happy and ended up a non performer and his self esteem took a beating.

The school was the same, the methods were the same. The Children were different. If the parent had analyzed his children and evaluated the pros and cons of the school he might have made a difference. Even if he realized the same later at some point of the child’s schooling he could have minimized the damage. The child could have turned out very differently, had he been handled differently.

The upwardly mobile middle class Indian has changed a lot from his previous generation but our obsession with education remains.

Today lots of schools offer non-traditional teaching methods. Spend 10 minutes each day analyzing the traits in your kid and his/her developing personality and guide them to a school and life accordingly. Lets’ try and give our kids a chance to hold on to their individuality and make a life and career out of it.

• Written by Vidya VijayKrishna.
• In category General.
• 13 years ago.

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