For many parents, a quality education for their children is a top priority. Unfortunately, not every school in the nation is equipped to deliver a high caliber curriculum, leaving some parents wanting more for their child.
For decades, educators have battled over the quality of private versus public schools, no one coming to a conclusive decision over which one is better for a child. While there are private school grants and private school scholarships, private schools are often criticized for their high costs. Public schools are knocked for their high student to teacher ratio, and lack of individualized attention.
But regardless of the pros and cons each type of school presents, parents can agree that elementary school enrichment programs are beneficial for all students. Elementary school enrichment programs are typically offered after school, and give students extra support, both socially and academically.
Here are some of the benefits of these programs.
- Creative Outlet. During a typical day at school, it can be hard for teachers to implement a continuous slew of fun, creative, exploratory activities into the daily routine. While many private schools do have the time for this because their curriculum is independent, teachers from any institution usually say there is never enough time in the day to do what they want to. With the help of after school enrichment programs, educators can introduce new, innovative ways to think about any subject, and have extra time to develop these interests in students.
- Social Skills. Students don’t always have time to talk to their friends during the school day, but with an after school program, they have ample time to learn and collaborate with others. This helps them build critical social skills in a relaxed setting that can easily translate into their every day interactions.
- Additional Academic Support. In a classroom full of students, teachers have the daunting task of touching base with every student to gauge their progress on a daily basis. While teachers do their best to accomplish this, an enrichment program could make it much easier. This allows teachers to earmark conversations and problems for the after school program, where they can sit down and work with the student more extensively.
Both public and private elementary schools can do their students a major service by implementing enrichment programs. For parents interested in giving their child the best overall educational experience, it may be worth it to invest in one of these programs.
