My Boarding School Blog

The Association of Boarding Schools (TABS) showed in their recent post that 8 percent of U.S. Rhodes Scholar recipients are graduates of boarding schools. In the last five years it has reflected that the chances of getting a scholarship in college from a boarding school skyrockets to 3,000%.

Every year the Rhodes Trust awards 82 scholarships and 32 of those goes to Americans. The Rhodes scholarship is a prestigious one that it screens highly qualified applicants that attains exemplary scholastic achievements.

The highly competitive curriculum that most boarding schools offer is the key factor that contributes to the high percentage of scholarships granted to students who had prepared for college through boarding school education. Boarding schools promote an exclusive environment that caters to mold an individual to be ready for college life. With its highly demanding academic curriculum to its highly qualified professors who take part in the learning of students and the overall feel of independency of living away from home and making it on your own has greatly influenced boarding school graduates to their advantage. With this more parents are feeling that they have made the right decision in investing in a boarding school education even with its high price tag.

An important factor to consider as one of the qualification of the Rhodes scholarship is its requirement that an applicant should be truthful, courageous and has a moral force of character that is potential for leading his or her fellow students. Most boarding schools are equipped with the necessary trainings and workshops on instilling camaraderie, leadership and moral responsibility in its students. Aside from teaching academics they are immersed into the values of being responsible, independent, and reliable in their various extracurricular activities.

A graduate from The Hill School in Pennsylvania, who is a recipient of the 2010 Rhodes scholarship, attested that he owes much of what he has to his boarding school experience. Not only did it prepared him for the vast academic curriculum he will be facing in college but rather more of a preparation into the person he needs to become to survive college. The ability to be able to interact closely and work together with colleagues, teachers, staff and administrators and be able to adapt to different cultures, beliefs and values of everyone else without sacrificing individuality is the best lesson in life.

read comments (0)

Students transitioning into High School are faced with loads of challenges ranging from change in curriculum, choice of major subjects, peer pressure and extracurricular activities in school. Not included are the personal changes an adolescent at this age experiences, all of these bring a churn of emotional and physical stress. A teenage student can cope with this stress if she has a solid support system which includes her family, peers and mentors.

With all these transitions and changes happening, a student needs to be able adapt to changes by maintaining a high self esteem and encouraging them to build their social network that can provide the necessary support and assistance. A high regard to peer pressure often times causes trouble for high school kids as they try desperately to fit in resulting to misconduct and behavior problems. Students are caught in trouble and worried parents are often seen called to school for their students’ disciplinary sanctions.

Students who find themselves in this scenario will benefit belonging into a group that fosters leadership skills in an individual. Leadership is defined as the ability to provide guidance and gear everyone to a common goal. Leaders are not born rather they are molded into being a person who can follow what he preach. A good leader is a person who leads by example.

Here are a few simple steps to teach students in becoming an effective leader.

1. Set an example. To teach how to become a good leader you must practice what you preach and uphold the principles of leadership yourself. By doing this you teach kids effortlessly and much effectively rather than telling them what they should do.
2. To get the attention of high school students to listen to what you have to say you must be able to grasp their curiosity. You can develop ways into teaching them with the use of technology like multimedia presentations, movies and internet resources. Movies that teach courage and leadership are fun to watch and useful in trying to teach lessons on leadership. Among the good movies is “Lord of the Rings”, “Remember the Titans” and “Saving Private Ryan”.
3. Encourage students to participate in interactive exercises to apply principles of leadership as it is best learned through experience.
4. Teach students how to address conflicts and provide resolutions through collaboration with team members. Emphasize that good leadership entails being an active listener to your members and team mates. You are not to dictate but instead lead them and provide guidance from their own ways and suggestions.

read comments (0)

In an article from The Independent UK it was discussed that parents who send their children to boarding school may be doing them more harm than good. A psychotherapist, Nick Duffell, believes that the separation into boarding school may produce psychological damage in a child.

A support group called Boarding School Survivors (BSS) offers workshops for students who are experiencing the “boarding school syndrome” characterized as intimacy problems, work obsession and hatred of the opposite sex for most non-coed boarding schools.

The syndrome talks about the trauma that children undergo when they are separated from their families that they tend to keep their emotions to themselves making it difficult for them to form new and fulfilling relationships when they grow up. In the early days, boarding schools are associated in movies and literature with cold showers, strict teachers, creepy school halls and bland cafeteria food. But these are far from the real picture. Middlesex School in Massachusetts boasts of state of the art facilities that cater to a lifestyle for the rich and famous. They have dining services that serves delicious and enticing menus fresh everyday. Some boarding schools like the Concord Academy even have summer camp activities for their students to enjoy off campus. Boarding schools offer an environment wherein students feel independent at the same time the value of being responsible and accountable for own actions is observed. Boarding schools also has high tech facilities that enable the students to be in constant communication with their parents, families and loved ones through the Internet and advanced telecommunication. These are just among the good things that boarding school students enjoy.

Although some doesn’t share the enthusiasm of boarding schools especially those who were reported to be abused and those who suffered from traumatic experiences such as bullying and sexual abuse. Some will argue that this is an isolated case and does not prove that boarding schools directly harms an individual psychologically.

According to Dick Davison, a spokesman for the Independent Schools Council said that efforts have been made to improve the relationship between students and adults in boarding schools. Strict implementation of school rules and regulations are observed and selection of schools staff, teachers and administrators are carefully screened to avoid such untoward incidents of child abuse. Boarding schools have dramatically changed from way back then and most of these changes reflect a better and improved system.

read comments (0)

Technology has certainly changed the way the world works. It has greatly influenced the various aspects of life and redefined our day to day living. Without a doubt, technology plays a critical role in our lives. Thanks to technology, many tedious tasks have become easily performed through automation. A lot of complex and critical processes can now be performed with ease and efficiency. The fields of education and industry are no exception. They have undergone a major change and surely have changed for the better.

Technology, particularly the arrival of personal computers and the Internet have revolutionized education. It has made it easier for the teachers to supply knowledge and for the students to understand it.

Computers have interactive audio-visual media. PowerPoint presentations and animation software programs can be utilized to render information. These result in inviting a larger attention from the students. These software programs can also serve as visual aids to the teachers. These audio-visual teaching techniques have brought about significant improvements in student attendance and concentration. Interactive media have proven to be helpful in enhancing the concentration of students.

The Internet is a huge information base. This could be one of the most effective tools in acquiring knowledge. All the students need to have is a search engine where they can type in their search queries. There are loads of different websites and web directories that offer information on a wide variety of subjects.

Today, computer education is a part of our school and college curricula. The wide range of different applications and computer programs has made it necessary for almost all of the students to become knowledgeable about these programs. Considering the advantages, it’s critical that every student at least have the basic knowledge in operating the Internet and different computer programs.

Technology has also given birth to online education and distance learning. Today, students do not necessarily require being physically present in classrooms. Many educational organizations offer online courses. Majority of the schools and colleges have online facilities where the students can perform and submit their assignments. There are universities that have programs that allow students and teachers interact with one another and access different reference materials via the Internet.

The importance of the computer and Internet technology in education cannot be stressed enough. The introduction of computer technology and the Internet in the educational field has made the process of learning and teaching an interactive and exciting activity. Computer and the Internet technology is indeed two of the most greatest inventions of mankind.

read comments (0)

We study hard because of many reasons like achieving a status quo, landing a high paying job, venturing into business and for our own personal fulfillment. In the economic crisis we are experiencing today a solid educational background is necessary to survive in the real world. As we grow up to be mature thinking individuals we learn how to be responsible for ourselves and to become independent. Part of this acquired independence is the accountability for our own sake and future. Not all will become famous or renowned but a good number of us would need to be employed to pay for bills, buy groceries and pay rent. Money is not everything but money is significant to live a comfortable life and with a good education a successful career is likely to be achieved.

Most students graduating from secondary school and those lucky enough to enter college often are clueless of what they would like to study in preparation for their chosen career. Some just don’t know what they like while others are torn between what they want and what their parents want for them.

Knowing what you want to be when you grow up is not something that comes to you in a short span of time. It is stated in the developmental career theory that there are 3 stages wherein factors determine your future career choice.

1. Fantasy state – involves role playing and imagination evident in early childhood.
2. Tentative stage – an individual grows and there is increase awareness of his own interest and abilities.
3. Realistic stage – the individual can identify his career choice. This often happens to a grown up individual.

The stages are not strictly met because of certain factors such as personal values, emotional factors, kind and availability of education and other environmental pressures. These can affect in making a decision for a career choice.

Some colleges and universities offers career counseling for students who are having a difficult time in their studies with underlying reasons that their courses are not apt with their own interest and capability. Most of the time parents impose their own career choices to their children. For example, a doctor would like his son to be like him and encourages him to take up medicine. Unconsciously the father puts pressure to the child to follow his chosen field withstanding what the son really likes to be.

Good thing colleges, government educational agencies and other educational institutions offers career development for ongoing students and other individuals who would like to take the opportunity to improve their lives. Organizations offer courses on career development for supplementing their income to further support their families. The Career Development Initiative (CDI) provides assistance in training and providing resources to locals to increase their chances of getting employed. They are coordinate with the U.S. Department of Labor in fulfilling the goals of this project.

read comments (0)