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Vera Stalker

Dr. Jackson

Writing II

19 October 2018

Small School Advantages

Is it time to put your child in school but you haven’t found a great school to go to? You

don’t know whether to pick a small school or a big one? Which one should you pick? You

should choose a smaller school. There are so many advantages of being in a smaller school. You

can get one on one time with your teacher, have more of a relationship in your school and home

life. Lastly, you can work on your leadership skills. These aren’t the only reasons that small

schools have advantages.

Some students don’t get the one on one time with their teachers because of the amount of

students that are in the class. According to St Andrew’s school, in Rhode Island, which it was

“established in 1893. It is rated 5 out of 5 for the best boarding school and day school”(St.

Andrew's School Alumni). One on one times helps the teacher to see the weakness and strengths

of the student. This helps teachers get the students at higher expectations. High expectations

from gets you better grades. St. Andrew’s School points out “Additionally, teachers are able to

provide the support students need to meet those high expectations by collaborating with

colleagues, maintaining consistent professional development, and having regular contact with

parents”(“4 Advantages of Small Schools: Why Small Schools Do So Much More Than Improve

Test Scores”). In my experiences, being in a small school, I love one on one time with my

teachers. It gives me time to talk to my teacher and see what I can improve in that subject. I have

a learning disability called dyslexia, which is a writing and reading disability. I need that time
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one on one with a teacher. It gives me more time to explain to my teacher what I meant in a

paper or a time where I can get some clarification from a lecture that we had that day or couple

days before. A small school, like Tirana International School and International School of

Bishkek, gives one on one with a teacher. If you like this kind of personal attention, then a small

school is for you. This effect gives you a gain of being in a smaller school. This isn’t the only

effect of being in a little school.

In a small school, you are very close to your school environment. I knew everyone in my

school last year from preschool to twelfth grade. In Harman High School, which was three or

four times more students than International School of Bishkek. I didn’t know half of the kids. I

would like to know everyone in my school. If I don’t know everyone I feel like we aren’t

separated into small family but that we are one big happy family. My relationship with people in

last school was so tight. The relationship was like Mickey Mouse to Minnie Mouse or Calvin to

Hobbes from the amazing Calvin and Hobbes comics. Students at a smaller school have more of

a meaning in the school. St Andrew’s School states,“Strong student-teacher relationships help

students feel comfortable taking risks both academically and socially and can lead to greater

social-emotional development”(“4 Advantages of Small Schools: Why Small Schools Do So

Much More Than Improve Test Scores”). The teachers and students knew each other more than

classmates and peers but as a family. For example, I considered my last school, that had about 97

students, my family. When my grandfather died, my parents left the country to go to his funeral.

Two single teachers stayed at our house to take over while my parents were gone. At school,

everyone knew what happened and everyone was there to help us through the tough times of the

week. For example, two of the teachers provided delicious food for two nights out of the week.

Some amazing teachers and friends brought us to school everyday. Barbara Bush, the former first
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lady of the United States or George Bush’s wife, once observed, “I think togetherness is a very

important ingredient to family life”(“Barbara Bush Quotes”). The school being together to

support my family is what made me happy. Students and teachers were there for moral support. I

remembered feeling loved by a family that I wasn’t really blood related to or wasn’t in my

family circle. This school got closer into my family circle. That is positive effect that always

helps me. That is a positive effect that I always loved about being in a smaller school.

Kids can learn skills that can be used outside and inside of school. Big schools don’t do a

lot of outside of school project that help the environment and other society in the country. In a

smaller school, I felt engaged in every activity and event, in quote by St. Andrew’s School back

me up by saying, “Students begin to internalize values of care and respect and model a critical

and engaged citizenship”(“4 Advantages of Small Schools: Why Small Schools Do So Much

More Than Improve Test Scores”). Students at small schools are more likely to be highly

engaged in their school community, leading to a sense of personal responsibility for the

community. The success orientation are Independent Endeavor, Responsibility, Aesthetic

Appreciation, Kindness and Politeness, Concern for Others, Group Interaction and

Trustworthiness. These are the seven keys of how to be a thoughtful and noble person. In my

last school, we did a lot of leadership projects. We planted trees for the elderly at a nursing

home. We also picked up trash near the school. We had assemblies for the success orientations.

My leadership skills got stronger after doing all lot environmental projects and other projects

during the school year. The school fostered us to be better students and even better people in the

world. If you want to learn how to have good leadership skills. You should go to a smaller school

for it. In my experience, big schools don’t do well doing outside projects involving the earth or

other societies in the world. This is another advantage of being in a smaller school.
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In conclusion, being in a smaller school, you can get a lot more one on one instructional

time, stronger relationships in the school, and you can learn about leadership and being a better

person in the world. These are some of the advantages of being in a smaller school. These effects

can also help you to pick a college. Have you considered picking a small college? Colleges, that

are smaller would give advantages as well.

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Works Cited

“4 Advantages of Small Schools: Why Small Schools Do So Much More Than Improve Test

Scores.” St. Andrew's School, 6 Mar. 2017, www.standrews-ri.org/page/news-

detail?pk=873026.

“Barbara Bush Quotes.” BrainyQuote, Xplore,

www.brainyquote.com/quotes/barbara_bush_383682.

St. Andrew's School Alumni. “St. Andrew's School Profile (2018-19) | Barrington, RI.”

Boarding School Review, 8 June 2018, www.boardingschoolreview.com/st-andrew-s-

school-profile.