Do you have a child who just doesn't fit nicely into a conventional classroom? Are you one of those parents who doesn't see the point of standardized testing? Do you want to let your child explore and discover things for himself in a less structured learning environment? Do you believe that children learn by doing? If you have answered affirmatively to any or all of these questions, then you probably should be looking at progressive schools.
Parents consistently select progressive schools such as Montessori, Waldorf, and Reggio Emilia for the pre-school and primary years. However, when it comes to middle and high school, they tend to feel that they have to follow a more traditional college preparatory model based on Advanced Placement or International Baccalaureate curricula. Why? Most parents seem to think that a test-oriented educational approach ensures their children a better chance of getting into a good college.
Standardized tests are a very common feature of American professional and academic life. It's been that way for the past forty or fifty years. But should children in K-12 schools be subject to standardized testing? You get the feeling that teachers have to teach to the test, as opposed to being able to teach their subjects. Now, most private schools have developed enriched curricula which far exceed the requirements put forth by most of the common high school standardized tests, e.g., SAT and ACT.
Is your child very intelligent? Is she gifted? Does
