To me, it's really about personal preference. All teachers in public schools in almost all states and provinces in North America are required to have some form of federal, state or provincial certification along with a bachelor's degree. Also there is no 'opt-out' of sex ed classes. Learning is standardized, as are assessments - both of students and educators. I hope this helps, and I'd love to hear other people's thoughts and opinions on the subject, because I know mine is biased towards my own personal experience! I've work at a private school and it's been a great experience so far. With what was already said, there are a few things that you need to take into account. I have many friends who are in the public system who enjoy the security of their pension as well as having a union to support them. Financed through federal, state, and local taxes, public schools are part of a larger school system, which functions as a part of th… Most of the time, when I ask for a resource, it's approved within the week. Also the minimal bureaucracy is a huge plus when it comes to purchasing or arranging field trips. Private schools can give a lot more freedom, but there can also be a lot of restrictions. Most public schools are run by the city board of education. Smaller budgets mean fewer resources, and teachers end up wearing many different "hats" (math, history, and gym teacher). Depending on where you're at better pay, better benefits, better job security (re: tenure). The bad news is that public schools are complicated, often underfunded operations influenced by political winds and shortfalls. There is zero expectation to use class time to teach to any tests other than having students ready for SATs...but even specific prep for that is up to them, they take the PSAT and can go from there on their own. What are the pros and cons? 2 years ago. That holds extremely true for public vs. private. Checks off the "meaningful" and "pays well" boxes (then again, I was single at the time working in a district that paid well above the average in the surrounding area) but it wasn't very fun. Pros of private school: more freedom to teach your interests. Certain school districts may have variations to this rule. There were no bells to si… I did my licensing and student teaching, as well as all my training for public school, and now I teach at a very small private school. Public schools can be really flexible in what you get to teach. It’s important to take some time to consider how these factors will play into your family’s lifestyle. I spent a couple years in public schools. Overall, private schools have an advantage over public school in athletics. Now, I (from Europe, in Japan since 2015) am on the fence of deciding whether or not to send our 2nd daughter (9yrs) on a japanese private middle school (私立中学校). First year teacher here. Schools can be good or bad wether private or public. You have to act as a unit (can't really negotiate or do back room deals and the wind isn't always blowing in the direction you want to go). All things education and teaching! Private school vs public school has long been a debate topic and probably always will be. These are all unpaid. The good news for parents is that public schools cannot charge tuition. Private school surround you with better players which make you feel like a better player. Checks off the "meaningful" and "fun" boxes. Christopher and Sarah Lubienski’s new book, “The Public School Advantage”, claims that public schools are better at teaching math than private institutions. “Due to higher salaries and better benefits packages, teachers gravitate toward public schools,” says Dynarski. Which can be common, bad students stay if their parents are donating a lot. These posts will be manually approved as soon as possible. Are you independently wealthy? However... class sizes that approached 40, broken air conditioners during the spring time, pressure from administrators, from department heads, from parents... at some point, I just realized that I don't get paid enough to deal with all this. Normally a private school charge tuition and don’t accept no funded from the government. I️ hear retirement options for private school teachers is bad. I consult with the school's curriculum coordinator when I want to make significant changes, and there are only a few things that are set in stone; otherwise, I'm free to make changes. So the topic of private schools is somewhat new to me. Professional development held by the school tends to be tedious and boring. The faculty dressed in professional attire. Press question mark to learn the rest of the keyboard shortcuts. eating and shelter optional? It really just depends on what you're looking for. I had some awesome kids, some of whom kept me updated on their progress through school even after I left. I have seen a private schools declare bankruptcy and everyone lost their jobs. Maybe married to a famous actor, professional athlete, Fortune 500 CEO? Competitive private schools have salary and benefits that rival local public schools and there is a lot more autonomy. Public schools are not regarded as 2nd class. All things education and teaching! Some of your colleagues should have retired years ago. This being the case, it is entirely possible to find that the education and experience of public-school teachers in your area surpasses that of your private school … Curriculum-wise, I have near total freedom. It is neither pro private nor pro public. I work at a private school and it is quite a good experience. Private Christian Education. However, you have almost no behaviour issues. Not every school pays or provides benefits at this level, but some do. However, if you have a supportive administration they can also really help you identify what you need to improve. I worked for one as an aid and some teachers made the same as local public while others made a huge amount because they had experience and negotiated it. Unlike public school, private school does come with a tuition bill, and sometimes (though not always) you may need to drive or carpool outside your neighborhood to get your child to your top choice. You don't get to select who your students are. It really depends on the private school and sometimes what your resume looks like. Their beliefs can have a lot of impact on what you are allowed to talk about. But, because we don't have a pension, I have to be more diligent and deliberate about planning for retirement - which to me isn't a bad thing. # 1 A private education or # 2 A public education and a choice between a free, comfortable retirement at 50 or a luxurious retirement at 60? My school requires an after-school activity (at least once a week for 24 weeks) from each teacher, which is fine. You also tend to have smaller class sizes, less meetings, more focus on content with less focus on current teaching trends, less discipline issues. No office politics, no constant state standard testing. Only public school for me, and I can say that I truly enjoyed it. I don’t have to worry if I mention God or if I don’t mention God. As with all industries, location can influence salaries for public and private school teachers. Private school teaching salaries are commonly a major disadvantage for teachers. To them, that's worth the larger class sizes and different classroom composition. New comments cannot be posted and votes cannot be cast. Public school teachers are required to be properly certified while private school teachers typically don’t need any formal certification. I've taught private, public, and charter and my favorite is private. I have not been in a public school teacher's lounge that has a positive atmosphere. Better chances at union membership and collective bargaining, so the direction. My school is totally secular in outlook; evolution is taught as fact and religious beliefs are relegated to history or literature classes. Notes: We welcome new accounts, but posts from accounts with low ages or karma levels will be automatically removed by the filter. More students means more grading which is a nightmare, especially for new teachers. Evaluations in public schools can be nerve-wracking. I have a friend at one private who loves it, the environment, pay, co-workers, etc. Most private schools typically follow the same requirements as public schools. Teacher workload (in my experience) is less in a public school, because there are more bodies to spread the work evenly. A recent study found that even A-rated public schools in New York City have remediation rates of over 50 percent for their graduates who attend the City University of New York. Both schools will benefit a student; however, a private school may benefit an athlete more. You can find really supportive, positive schools, both private and public, and you can find absolutely horrid ones as well. It really depends on the school itself, but at the school I work at: There is more of an expectation to get involved with extracurricular activities, There is no pension, but there is RRSP matching (I work in Canada), The health care benefits are very comparable to a public school's. Private schools allow creativity and skill development more than relationship building. willing to commute in any weather via bicycle? Publi… What are your views on teaching at a private school vs a public school? Learning is standardized, and teaches students to test, rather than how to learn and function in society. Private school curriculums, on the other hand, tend to focus on each individual student and what subjects they need in order to succeed. I technically teach fewer hours in a week, but I also feel that there's more of an unspoken expectation to offer extra help outside of class times, as well as an expectation to do more in terms of extra-curricular activities. You know how they say that when it comes to job, you have to pick two between "fun," "meaningful," and "pays well"? A Public school is funded and run by the government. I had friends in both types of schools, and it always seemed like the public school kids were a little more 'adjusted' to the real world. This article will go through the pros and cons of the two school systems. The pay is within 2% of the public schools and it’s worth every penny. I've never asked for a parent to come in for a conference or addressed an issue that was totally ignored at home. We use no standardized tests other than PLAN/ASPIRE for an overall picture, and SAT/ACT. I feel better supported by administrators. But it's not for everyone, and certainly the public school setting provides numerous benefits and opportunities that private schools do not! I work at a Catholic high school. Due to cost of living or level of community wealth, a teacher in California earns an average of $50,438, while one in Florida earns a lower average of $39,187, according to PayScale, December 2010. Private School: Teachers. Nov. 12, 2013 Read More One other major factor can be extracurricular expectations. DeVos has called traditional public schools a “dead end” and long supported the expansion of voucher and similar programs that use public money for private and religious school education. Press question mark to learn the rest of the keyboard shortcuts. tl;dr It really depends on the school itself, so it's difficult to compare the two. I would look at what you want as a teacher, ranking them to determine what fits you better. A different friend same school hated it and left. Press J to jump to the feed. You're beholden to the standards, not to whether parents/students absolutely love and adore you. Pay can be a huge factor in many schools...my school isn't elite by any measure, but our pay is better than the public school right down the street. I'm happy to do either of those things, so I'm quite happy where I am. The percentage of new teachers (less than four years of teaching experience) is higher in private schools at 16 percent, compared with public schools at 11 percent. Public School vs. I love teaching in a private school setting. The most obvious discrepancy between public and private schools comes down to cold, hard cash. Depending on the state, the public school teachers may have pretty nice retirements and insurance. Wages are typically higher in a public school, and teachers are unionized. My kids will be attending public school (even if I can pay for private school). Private school teachers generally earn less than their public school counterparts, with teachers at parochial schools at the lowest end of the salary range. As a first year teacher, having fewer kids to teach the same material to is a real blessing. Teaching at a public vs a private school is somewhat difficult to compare, since a lot of it depends on the school itself. Private schools don't have to follow the same guidelines on evaluations, which can be a huge weight off your shoulders. The kids are required to stand for prayer and the pledge of allegiance. What state do you teach in if you don't mind me asking? Wages are typically higher in a public school, and teachers are unionized. Cons of public school: administrative oversight is notorious for being negative and restrictive more often than not. If the answer to any of the above was "sure" then by all means, consider private school. I get compensated more in terms of salary. I make about 30% less than what I could be making in a public school... but I figure that's more than a fair price for being able to go home stress free. 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