Classical And Modern Day Schools: Long-Standing Tradition Of Boarding Schools

Boarding Schools (6-8 pgs)
Although they weren’t referred to as Boarding Schools, the practice of sending children to other families or schools, so that they can learn together, is a long standing tradition. Today you can find records of this tradition in classical and modern day literature. Some of the most well-known books include Harry Potter, The Catcher and the Rye, and The Series of Unfortunate Events. If you were to journey to the UK, you would find that the tradition of sending boys away for school dates back over a thousand years. In Europe the practice was developed in early mediaeval times when boys were sent to be taught by literate clergymen, either in monasteries or as pages in great households. Seeing as the tradition has lasted …show more content…
The term “boarding” is used to signify “bed and board” meaning the students are fed at the school and sleep in dorms on campus. This type of scenario is very similar to college, although the children are generally younger. Some boarding schools however have “day students.” These students do not conform to the traditional sense of what a boarding school is and instead return to their family’s off-campus at the end of the school day. Boarding school students (a.k.a “boarders) generally only return home for school holidays, summer break, and, depending on the school’s policies, weekends. Because of the design of boarding schools most boarders spent the majority of their childhood and adolescent life away from their families. In the United States, boarding schools are comprised of various grades, beginning as young as second grade and moving all the way through high school. The most typical type of boarding school found in the United States house grades nine through twelve. These schools are known as “college-prep” schools. The typical size of a boarding school in the United States houses somewhere around three hundred to four hundred students. However there are schools that house as few as one hundred students as well as a few who house as many as one thousands two hundred students. Overall …show more content…
The first and most significant reason is that highly qualified, enthusiastic teachers can be found at boarding schools. The typical teacher at a boarding school holds a degree in their subject area and most likely holds an advanced degree in their field. This knowledge combined with their enthusiasm of the subject as well as an enjoyment of teaching young children results in an incredible learning environment for the students. Boarding Schools also hold less strict guidelines as to what and how teachers teach their subjects. This makes the curriculum more flexible and teachers are able to focus more and delve deeper into topics that interest their students while skimming over less interesting topics. For the students a major reason to go to a boarding school are the great sports and sport facilities. Because boarding schools are so expensive, they generally have the most up to date equipment as well as a knowledgeable staff and experienced coaches. Another reason for children to want to go to boarding school is the opportunities available to them in the arts. Whereas most public schools are more focused on teaching to the test and are required to stick closely to common core standards, boarding schools, who don’t have this type of restriction, are able to provide more opportunities to students who are interested in the arts (theatre, dance, music, and