Private schools are notorious for “teaching” character strengths such as determination, perseverance and resilience yet they do so without ever mentioning them. Here we look at this elusive paradox and consider whether private schools are better than state schools.
Are Private Schools better for Academic Achivement?
Much is made of academic achievement in schools. Across the country examination results are the measure for the success of each school, with primary and secondary schools alike striving for ways to improve.
Naturally private schools have very high academic achievement, although how far this can be attributed to provide schools being better is debatable. The high price tag ensures the vast majority of students come from affluent backgrounds with supportive families, which is recognised as a leading influencer for strong academic achievement in schools.
A recent analysis suggests that school type accounts for less than 1% of the variance in examination scores at GCSE, moreover family background powers the superior academic achievement.
So when considering academic achievement, perhaps private schools are no better than their state school counterparts. Strong academic achievement is undoubtedly important to students’ futures, especially when considering further education. However, the real currency for success in life lies in strength of character.
Can Determination and Resilience be taught?
Initiatives in education policy about teaching determination and resilience by persevering through failures are likely to fall on deaf ears. Progressive thinking suggests that character strengths are not developed through teaching; rather they are nurtured through certain environmental dynamics, which are influenced both through home and school life.
An integral part of this theory is that determination and resilience are developed through autonomous learning and a sense of belonging. This is where private schools have the edge over their state school counterparts.
How do Private Schools create a sense of Belonging?
Let’s face it, when it comes to nurturing a sense of belonging private schools have a lot of the work done for them already. Due to the cost, private schooling is largely only available to socially advantaged students from affluent families and they tend to benefit from strong family support.
In an analysis across 65 countries, PISA has found that advantaged students tend to feel more socially connected at school than disadvantaged students. So we can assume that the vast majority of students starting at private school will already have a sense of belonging. Nonetheless private schools have an excellent record of nurturing further what is already there.
Small class sizes ensure good teacher student relations and disciplined classrooms are often effortless for teachers. It is not uncommon for private school students to go through a whole year of study without a single disruption in class! According to PISA, learners who report that teachers treat them fairly, support their learning and work in disciplined classrooms have a stronger sense of belonging at school.
Teachers are able to focus their passion for their subject into their teaching and give individual help where needed. Students feel like teachers care about their learning, they can succeed if they persevere and they belong in the school community.
For those students who don’t naturally excel academically, private schools are better equipped for offering a whole range of extra-curricular activities and clubs including sport, music and the arts. Achievements are recognised and celebrated, from the playing fields to the classroom to the concert hall everybody belongs in a strong cohesive community.
How can State Schools nurture a sense of belonging?
Unfortunately replicating the same environment in state schools can be difficult. Developing a sense of cohesion with different social classes in the same community is a challenge in itself.
Students coming from adverse family backgrounds are unlikely to feel like they belong in the school setting from the outset, they might struggle to make social ties and feel accepted. This ultimately culminates in falling behind in class and can lead to behavioural problems. With so many students requiring additional attention, teachers just don’t have the time and resources to build the strong teacher student bonds that might repair the damage.
Negative perceptions of teachers and the school can quickly develop and with frequent disruptions in class the cohesion and sense of belonging in the school is hard to maintain.
Creating an Autonomous Learning Environment
It is not a new idea that the best way for children, young people and even adults to learn is by making mistakes. There is something in our brains that ensures that we don’t make the same mistake again
Essentially for students to learn through their mistakes, they need to be in an environment where they feel confident to be adventurous with their learning and make mistakes without fear of failure and this will be embraced by students and teachers alike.
Such an environment is more easily achieved in a community where academic achievement is considered socially desirable among students, like in a private school.
Students in private schools are encouraged to take risks with their learning, make mistakes and learn from these small setbacks all the while nurturing determination and resilience in their character
Small class sizes ensure that students don’t fall behind and teachers are able to develop autonomous learning strategies for them to break down barriers to learning and persevere.
Within a highly disciplined teaching environment, teachers are able to relax control and give students more autonomy in their learning, creating the right environment for determination and resilience to be developed.
Should State Schools give students more Autonomy?
Teachers in some state schools are constantly in a battle to control the classroom. Giving the students more autonomy would mean relaxing control, which can be a daunting challenge.
With several students lacking a sense of belonging they are unlikely to have the confidence or desire to take risks in their learning. The fear of failure or facing the ridicule of the class is a barrier to autonomous learning and opportunities to develop character strengths are lost.
Summary
Private Schools are no better than state schools for academic achievement but when it comes to nurturing character strengths like determination and resilience they have the edge.
Strong family background plays a part but significantly school is the first place in a child’s life wherein society is properly experienced. A strong sense of belonging and an autonomous learning environment are major factors in further developing a student’s positive view of themselves and their future.
In addition, private school students benefit from sharing their schooling experience with peers that almost all have a positive view of the world and high aspirations for the future. Let’s not forget that optimism is intrinsically linked with character strengths like determination, perseverance and resilience.
All this points to an undeniable fact that private schools are at the heart of inequality in the UK. Yet if you have the money, and you want to give your children the best chance of success in the future, sending them to private school is definitely worth considering.
