A school is an educational establishment designed to offer various learning spaces and learning settings for the education of students under the supervision of qualified teachers. Generally, most developed countries have centralized systems of formal school, which can be mandatory or voluntary. In such systems, children progress through a succession of elementary schools run by different organizations. In the United States, the publicly funded private schools are called private schools. In other words, the school system is privately run in the US.
Private schools differ from public schools in the provision of various facilities. For instance, students in private schools may follow a grade-appropriate timetable. Teachers are also more experienced and are often more motivated than their public school colleagues. In addition, children may be assigned their own teachers who are responsible for their teaching as well as their development. Public schools have uniform class schedules, where all students may receive the same level of academic support. Students may move from one grade to another throughout the school year.
Besides receiving instruction from teachers, children may also attend classes inside the premises of a school building. There are some private schools that allow parents to send their children to pre-school classes, while others require that children remain in the classroom during school hours. However, many of these schools encourage the parents to join in the teaching, thereby increasing the opportunity to interact with other students. Some schools, however, do not provide any special classes for small children.
Most children attend schools run by duly appointed teachers who are responsible for planning instructional activities, conducting classes, supervising students, teaching reading and writing, preparing assignments, instructing the classroom, and preparing lessons for the next day. The National Association of School Psychologists suggests that, for the best instructional environment, teachers need to be highly skilled and cooperative, work well with their students, possess a sense of humor, and understand their temperaments. For students, teachers should be supportive and involved in their learning activities. Pre-school teachers, special education teachers, and vocational teachers all play important roles in the instruction of young children. All of these teachers should consider the age and interests of their students when planning their instructional schedules.
In some cases, it may be necessary to combine several instructional strategies to achieve desirable class levels, development, and progress. An example of this is combining kindergarten classes with English language classes to facilitate early reading and language development. Research has shown that exemplary schools created organizational structures that maximize student growth and contribute to achievement.
A school system’s curriculum and instruction should aim at meeting the educational needs and interests of students. In order for an elementary school to be considered an exemplary institution, it should attract and retain a large number of children and enable them to develop into tomorrow’s leaders. In most cases, exemplary schools were designed and developed by experts who used a wide range of research techniques to identify and evaluate learning institutions that have proven successful. These experts also identified elements of instruction and teaching that are essential to creating a school system that teaches children to become well-rounded, responsible citizens.