Top 5 Reasons to Attend Private High School

Top 5 Reasons to Attend Private High School Not everyone considers attending private school. The truth is, the private school vs. public school debate is a popular one. You might not think private school is worth a second look,  especially if the  public schools in your area are pretty good, the teachers are qualified, and the high school seems to get lots of graduates into good colleges and universities. Your public school might even offer plenty of extracurricular activities and sports. Is private school really worth the extra money? It's Cool to Be Smart In a private school, its cool to be smart. A top-notch education is why you go to private school. In many public schools the kids who want to learn and who are smart are branded as nerds and become the objects of social ridicule. At private school, children who excel academically will often find that the school they are attending will do its best to meet their needs, with advanced courses, online school options, and more.   Focus on Personal Development While the major focus at most private high schools is getting your child ready for college, the students personal maturation and development go hand in hand with that academic preparation. That way, graduates emerge from high school with both a degree (sometimes, two- if there is an  IB program at the school you choose) and a greater understanding of their purpose in life and who they are as individuals. They are better prepared not just for college, but for their careers and their lives as citizens in our world. Superb Facilities Libraries, which are now called media centers, are a focal point of the very  best private high schools  such as  Andover,  Exeter,  St. Pauls  and  Hotchkiss. Money has never been an object at those and similar older schools when it comes to books and research materials of every conceivable kind. But media or  learning centers  are also the centerpieces of just about every private high school, large or small. Private schools also have first-rate athletic facilities. Many  schools  offer  horseback riding,  hockey, racquet sports, basketball, football,  crew, swimming, lacrosse, field hockey, soccer, archery as well as dozens of other sports. They also have the facilities to house and support all these activities. Besides professional staff to manage these athletic programs, private schools expect their teaching staff to coach a team. Extracurricular activities  are a major part of private high school programs as well. Choirs, orchestras, bands and drama clubs can be found in most schools. Participation, while optional, is expected. Again, the  teachers guide  or coach extracurricular activities as part of their job requirements. In  tough economic times, the first programs to be cut in public schools are the extras such as sports, arts programs, and extracurricular activities. Highly Qualified Teachers Private high school teachers  usually have a  first degree  in their subject. A high percentage (70-80%) will also have a  masters degree  and/or a terminal degree. When a private school dean of faculty and head of school hire teachers, they look for competence in and passion for the subject a candidate will teach. Then they review how the teacher actually teaches. Finally, they check out the three or more references from the candidates previous teaching jobs to ensure that they are hiring the best candidate. Private school teachers  rarely have to worry about discipline. Students know that if they cause problems they will be dealt with swiftly and without recourse. A teacher who doesnt have to be a traffic cop can teach. Small Classes One of the top reasons why many  parents  begin to consider a  private high school  is that the classes are small. The teacher to student ratios are typically 1:8, and class sizes  are 10-15 students. Why are small class sizes and low student to teacher ratios important? Because they mean that your child will not get lost in the shuffle. Your child will get the personal attention he or she needs and craves. Most public schools have classes numbering 25 students or more, and teachers are not always available for extra assistance outside of normal school day hours. At private schools, especially boarding schools, the expectation is that teachers are more readily accessible to students, often coming in early and staying late to accommodate extra help sessions with groups or individual students.   Among other considerations to think about as you investigate a private school education for your child, one point to consider is that  most private high schools  are fairly  small, usually 300-400 students. Thats much smaller than the typical public high school which will have 1,000 students or more. Its very difficult to hide or just be a number in a private high school.

The Dancing Raisin Experiment

The Dancing Raisin Experiment Raisins may be dehydrated grapes, but when you add a certain liquid to them they become hip-hoppin’ dancers- at least, thats how they look. To demonstrate the principles of density and buoyancy, all you need is a little carbon dioxide gas  to get those raisins doing the jitterbug. To create carbon dioxide in the kitchen you can use baking soda and vinegar or with the less messy (and less predictable) clear, carbonated soda. Materials This is a low-cost project, and the materials you need are easy to find in the grocery store. They include: 2 to 3 clear glasses (depending on how many versions of the experiment you want to run at the same time)A box of raisinsClear, well-carbonated soda (tonic water, club soda, and Sprite all work well)  or  baking soda, vinegar, and water Hypothesis Start by asking following question and record the answer on a piece of paper: What do you think happens when you put raisins in soda? The Dancing Raisins Experiment Decide whether you want to use soda or baking soda and vinegar to conduct the experiment or if you want to compare what happens in both versions of the experiment. Note: For the baking soda and vinegar version of the experiment, you’ll need to fill the glass halfway with water. Add 1 tablespoon of baking soda, stirring to make sure it dissolves completely. Add enough vinegar to make the glass about three-quarters full, then proceed to Step 3. Put out one clear glass for every different type of soda you’ll be testing. Try different brands and flavors; anything goes so long as you can see the raisins. Make sure your soda hasn’t gone flat and then fill each glass to the halfway mark.Plop a couple of raisins into each glass. Don’t be alarmed if they sink to the bottom; that’s supposed to happen.Turn on some dance music and observe the raisins. Soon they should begin dancing their way to the top of the glass. Observations and Questions to Ask What happened when you first dropped the raisins in the glass?Why did they sink?Once they started dancing, did the raisins stay at the top?What else did you notice happening to the raisins? Did they look different?Do you think the same thing would have happened if you put raisins in water?What other objects do you think would dance in soda? Scientific Principles at Work As you observed the raisins, you should have noticed that they initially sank to the bottom of the glass. That’s due to their density, which is greater than that of liquid. But because raisins have a rough, dented surface, they are filled with air pockets. These air pockets attract the carbon dioxide gas in the liquid, creating the little bubbles you should have observed on the surface of the raisins. The carbon dioxide bubbles increase the volume of each raisin without raising its  mass. When the volume increases and the mass does not, the density of the raisins is lowered. The raisins are now less dense than the surrounding fluid, so they rise to the surface. At the surface, the carbon dioxide bubbles pop and the raisins’ density changes again. That’s why they sink again. The whole process is repeated, making it look as though the raisins are dancing. Extend the Learning Try putting the raisins in a jar that has a replaceable lid or directly into a bottle of soda. What happens to the raisins when you put the lid or cap back on? What happens when you take it back off?