My Experiences: Different Ways to Gain an Education

As a student, there are many different ways to gain an education. As a parent, it is important to look into which school board you would want your child to be brought up in. These boards could range from the Public system, the Private system, religion-based system, and many others. This post will be a reflection on my personal experiences in the education system growing up.

From Kindergarten to Grade 12, I attended 3 different schools. I have always lived in Toronto and within the TDSB. I attended Blythwood Junior Public School from Kindergarten to Grade 3 (Age 4 - 8/9). Due to the fact that I was extremely young, I will focus this reflection on grades 4 - 8 and 9 - 12.

When I was in grade 4, I switched to the private school Crescent School. I stayed in the private school system from Grades 4 until Grade 8. From a facility perspective, Crescent had every facility a student could ask for. Being a massive sports fan, and participant, Crescent had multiple gymnasiums, an astro-turf field, and many other state of the art facilities. They also had many opportunities for students with an interest in arts, with a performance center equipped for art shows, music performances, and many others.

In terms of education, Crescent offered a fantastic education. Not only did they use the most up-to-date technology when teaching material, but they also offered exceptional support systems when students fell behind. Services like tutoring, extra help, and constant communication with parents and students together. For students who were advanced in certain subjects, there was material offered that was advanced for their grade level. For example, the IB program (International Baccalaureate). Giving the students the chance to expand their learning if they had already understood the standardized concepts being taught.

When I entered high school, I switched over to the public system. I attended Lawrence Park Collegiate and experienced a different way of education. Facility-wise, the school is one of the oldest high schools in Toronto. Therefore, the facilities were a little outdated, and in need of a renovation. However, educational-wise, I felt they were very comparable to the private school. One thing that the public system offered that the private system did not was the opportunity for French immersion. The major difference I experienced was the way that teachers showed interest in their students. Although my teachers at Lawrence Park, for the most part, were excellent teachers and good people, there was a difference in the way they instructed. For example, I felt as though the private school system offers more support systems, and ensures students do not fail or fall behind their peers. In the public system, I felt as though it had a closer feeling to university, where students are counted on to be able to manage their education priorities and responsibilities on their own. Although I personally fell victim to this in the beginning, I feel as though it better prepared me for university. 

Although these two experiences are my opinion and reflection, I understand there are different factors that contribute to each. For example, the private system is funded by the students and their families. Therefore, the school is able to fund its own wishes in terms of building facilities, offering support systems, and other factors. Lawrence Park, being from the TDSB, had to go through the provincial government in order to get their request granted. I am so thankful that I was able to experience both school systems, not only as a student but to take influences from both and implement them into my classroom as a teacher. 

Spencer @NU