Making a decision about schooling for my children has forced hubby and I to think about our priorities and what is really important to us.  Private school is a huge expense and will require us to live a simpler life.  We live pretty simply now, but it takes off the table the possibility of moving out of our litte house anytime soon.  It takes off the table our hopes of buying new cars.  It takes off the table any aspirations and dreams we have of fabulous international travel or extravagant vacations to Hawaii, Belize, Costa Rica, Europe, etc. 

We had to ask ourselves if these were things we would be willing to live without.  We are.  Once these things are off the table it is easy to not think about them as possibilities.  Our kids are the most important things in our lives and we want them to have a great education and a fun education.  An education that teaches them not fact and figures (at some degree these are really erroneous things that simulate teaching and learning but don’t embody the essence of teaching and learning) but teaches them how to learn; how to explore; how to create and construct their own learning.  And most importantly an education that focuses on each child as an individual and allows and encourages each individual to learn who they are and to find their passion.  I know it’s a tall order and as you can clearly see explain why public school really isn’t an option for me to consider–regardless of how awesome a district we might live in some day. 

We have also begun to admit that diversity is really important to us and not just in the student body but also in the staff.  This is harder than one would think.  There are sadly, not a great deal of African American teachers in private schools–this is another issue that is larger than this post.  So many things to consider, but it is nice to have our priorities coming to the front of the line ad losing everything else. I feel a little lighter and a lot more hopeful that this will help us make the right decision.