THE OUR KIDS REPORT:
J. Addison School

Through extensive group work, projects, and activities, Reggio Emilia schools provide the kind of social and collaborative learning environment many extroverts crave. Since it’s believed children learn well through social interaction, they’re given plenty of time to interact, listen to each other, ask and answer questions, and work on their communication skills. This can nurture their curiosity and imagination, improve their social skills, and enable them to form close and fulfilling friendships. While most Reggio Emilia schools also give kids quite a bit of unstructured social time, make sure you ask about this.

At a boarding school, your extroverted child will likely enjoy seeking out and interacting with peer groups from different backgrounds, away from home. In fact, studying and living with other kids for an extended period of time, as many alumni tell us, provides the unique opportunity to form close relationships that can last well beyond the school years. Many boarding schools also have large student populations and more extracurriculars—including activities like student council, team sports, and arts programs—which will give your outgoing child a broader scope of opportunities to feed off the energy of others, and possibly even become a leader, in a dynamic environment.

Keep in mind, though, “Being an extrovert can be a catalyst for getting involved in lots of activities, which can sometimes be hard to manage,” says Joanne Foster, Toronto-based education consultant and author of ABCs of Raising Smarter Kids. “For instance, a particularly extroverted child may try to end up juggling too many people and activities. While they still may thrive at a boarding school, it helps to know your child and how much social interaction they can handle comfortably.”

In Reggio Emilia schools, teachers consider each child’s relationship to one another and aim to promote positive connections between them, a blessing for introverted kids (as it is for extroverted kids). The warm, community feel of the Reggio classroom—which is set up to promote lots of interaction—can enable your child to feel at home, connect with classmates, and overcome their shyness. Given the social and dynamic environment of the Reggio classroom, make sure your child will get enough time on their own, in and out of class, to replenish their energy and psychological resources.

At a boarding school, your introverted child will be more motivated (and virtually compelled) to seek out and interact with different peer groups. Away from home and in a new environment, they’re more likely to take the initiative to form close friendships, which can boost their independence and confidence, and help them develop critical social skills.

"Consider, though, whether your child will be comfortable and confident while living away from home, and while having to navigate the various, and sometimes unforeseen social-emotional experiences, alongside the academic challenges,” says Joanne Foster, education expert and author of ABCs of Raising Smarter Kids. Finally, ensure support systems are in place to promote their social and emotional development, and that your child is willing and prepared to take advantage of them. Your child will often need to advocate for themselves at a boarding school, and they’ll need confidence and perseverance to do so.

In Reggio Emilia schools, teachers consider each child’s relationship to one another and aim to promote positive connections between them, which can be great for highly focused kids (as it can be for less focused kids). The Reggio classroom is set up to promote lots of interaction and group learning, which helps focused kids engage even more fully with their work.

That said, make sure any Reggio Emilia school provides the right balance of learning opportunities for your child. For instance, if your child prefers individual to group learning, make sure it provides plenty of opportunities for them to work on their own.

Many focused kids find the diverse and vibrant student community of boarding schools stimulating. Working and interacting with a group of kids away from home and in a new environment can open up new learning and social pathways. Just make sure to inquire about a school’s teaching and learning approach. For instance, ask how much independent learning and individualized support a school offers, as many focused kids find this beneficial. Also, ask about class sizes, as smaller classes with low student-to-teacher ratios can help ensure your child won’t get lost in the shuffle.

In Reggio Emilia schools, teachers consider each child’s relationship to one another and aim to promote positive connections between them, which can often help distractible kids stay engaged in class. The warm, community feel of the Reggio classroom—which is set up to promote lots of interaction—can help your child feel invigorated, focus on their work, and be more productive.

Just make sure any Reggio Emilia school isn’t too stimulating: know your child and how much stimulation they can handle. And more generally, make sure the school provides the right overall environment for your distractible child: for instance, if they’re likely to benefit from plenty of individualized learning and one-on-one support, ensure this is provided.

Many distractible kids enjoy the vibrant student community of boarding schools. Interacting and working with kids away from home and in a new environment can open up new learning and social pathways, which can be stimulating and can cultivate sustained concentration.

Just make sure a school’s teaching and learning approach is suitable for your child. “For instance, your child may benefit from extra individualized attention and one-on-one support,” say Ann and Karen Wolff of Wolff Educational Services. “If so, you’ll want to make sure a school provides these things and implements whatever other educational practices suit their academic profile and personality.”

Through extensive group work, projects, and activities, Reggio Emilia schools provide the kind of social and dynamic environment many physically active kids thrive in. Since Reggio educators believe children learn well through social interaction, they’re given plenty of time to interact, play, and explore their environment together.

Some Reggio Emilia schools also have a nature focus, which can enable your active child to get outdoors, learn about their surroundings, and take part in activities like gardening. Note: since Reggio schools aren’t based on a strict and unified set of principles, be sure to ask any prospective school about its focus on nature, the outdoors, and physical activity in general.

At a boarding school, your physically active child will enjoy interacting with different peer groups drawn from a large student body. Through a wider range of supplementals—such as sports, hiking, and nature clubs—they’ll have the opportunity to feed off the energy of others in a dynamic and active environment.

Keep in mind, though, “Being active and social can be a catalyst for getting involved in lots of physical activities, which can sometimes be hard to manage,” says Joanne Foster, Toronto-based education consultant and author of ABCs of Raising Smarter Kids. “For instance, a particularly energetic child may try to end up juggling too many activities. While they still may thrive at a boarding school, it helps to know your child and how much physical activity they can handle comfortably.”

If your child is looking to get more physically active, most Reggio Emilia schools offer plenty of opportunities to do this. They tend to offer plenty of unstructured social time as well as exploratory field trips and activities (e.g., in nature).

In Reggio Emilia schools, teachers consider each child’s relationship to one another and aim to promote positive connections between them, a blessing for less active kids (as it is for more active kids). The warm, community feel of the Reggio classroom—which is set up to promote lots of interaction—can help your child feel at home, connect with classmates, and develop important social skills.

Given the social and dynamic environment of the Reggio classroom, just make sure your child will get enough time on their own, in and outside of class, to replenish their energy and psychological resources.

If your child is looking to get more physically active, they’ll benefit from the wide range of extracurriculars at these schools—such as sports and nature walks. This can improve their physical and mental health. It can also help them broaden their horizons and come out of their shell. Your child may join one or more of the many non-physical supplementals these schools offer, such as an after-school robotics or book club.

Ensure, though, that the school will give your child ample downtime to rest and replenish the energy they expend. “Consider, too, whether your child will be comfortable and confident while living away from home, and while having to navigate the various, and sometimes unforeseen social-emotional experiences, alongside the academic challenges,” says Joanne Foster, education expert and author of ABCs of Raising Smarter Kids.

The Reggio Emilia classroom is set up to promote lots of interaction and group learning, which many academically-focused kids find engaging. Also, “Since it has an individualized approach to learning, a Reggio school will ensure your child can pursue areas of interest and acquire important skills and knowledge,” says Stacey Jacobs, Director of Clear Path Education.

If, however, your academically-focused child prefers individual to group learning, ensure the school provides plenty of opportunities for them to work on their own. And more generally, make sure the school offers the right overall learning environment for your child: for instance, if they’re likely to benefit from enrichment and acceleration opportunities, confirm these are provided.

Many boarding schools have a broad scope of specialist courses for your child to choose from, to pursue their interests and develop new ones. They also tend to have a lot of academic diversity in the classroom, where your child will find many opportunities to challenge themselves with other kids who enjoy school and have high academic aspirations.

Just make sure to inquire about a school’s teaching and learning approach. For instance, ask what kinds of independent learning and enrichment opportunities a school offers, as many academically-focused kids benefit from these. Also, ask about class sizes, as smaller classes with low student-to-teacher ratios can help ensure your child won’t get lost in the shuffle.

Finally, since they’ll be living away from home, ensure support systems are in place to promote their social and emotional development, and that your child is willing and prepared to take advantage of them. Your child will often need to advocate for themselves at a boarding school, and they’ll need confidence and perseverance to do so.

In Reggio Emilia schools, teachers consider each child’s relationship with one another and aim to promote positive connections between them, which can help many kids engage with the curriculum, including less academically-focused ones. The warm, community feel of the Reggio classroom—which is set up to promote lots of interaction—can help your child feel invigorated, focus on their work, and develop a love of learning

Just make sure any Reggio school isn’t too stimulating: know your child and how much stimulation they can handle. And more generally, make sure the school provides the right overall learning environment for your less academically-focused child: for instance, if they’re likely to benefit from plenty of individualized learning and one-on-one support, ensure this is provided.

Many less academically-focused kids enjoy the vibrant community of boarding schools. They’ll be able to interact with a large and diverse student body and participate in a wide range of extracurricular activities, which can help them become more well-rounded.

Just make sure a school’s teaching and learning approach is suitable for your child. “For instance, say your child can benefit from extra individualized attention and one-on-one support,” say Ann and Karen Wolff of Wolff Educational Services. “You’ll want to make sure a school provides these things, and implements whatever other in-class practices suit their academic abilities and learning needs.”

Reggio Emilia schools’ decentralized, collaborative learning environment is often a nice fit for unconventional learners. Conventional learners, however, tend to prefer more teacher-led instruction, textbook learning, and structure than some Reggio Emilia schools provide. However, since different Reggio Emilia schools operate according to different principles, ask a school about its teaching and learning approach to assess your child’s fit.

Keep in mind, the Reggio Emilia classroom is set up to promote lots of interaction and group learning, which helps students engage more fully with their work. This tends to be a plus for all kinds of learners, including conventional ones.

Boarding schools can be a nice fit for conventional learners, who tend to prefer whole-class lectures, direct instruction, textbook-based learning, and graded work. While some boarding schools offer more alternative approaches—e.g., student-centred, inquiry-based, and individualized learning—these are more the exception than the rule. Asked detailed questions about a school’s teaching approach to ensure your child’s academic needs will be met, bearing in mind that learning preferences vary even among conventional learners. 

Reggio Emilia schools have an individualized approach to learning, which will give your child the flexibility to explore areas of special interest. Also, “Reggio Emilia schools tend to celebrate unconventional learning and thinking,” says Stacey Jacobs, Director of Clear Path Educational Consulting. “They tend to really emphasize creative expression—they strongly encourage students to express themselves and their ideas through a wide variety of media.” Finally, the Reggio Emilia classroom is set up to promote lots of interaction and group learning, which many unconventional learners (and conventional learners) find stimulating. 

That said, if your child prefers individual to group learning, ensure a school provides plenty of opportunities for them to work on their own. And more generally, make sure it offers the right overall learning environment for your child: for instance, if they’re likely to benefit from math enrichment, confirm this is provided.

If you’re considering a boarding school for an unconventional learner, make sure it offers them plenty of opportunities to pursue their interests. Often, small- to medium-sized classes with lots of individualized learning work well, since this gives your child the freedom to carve out a fulfilling academic niche. Ask a school about its class sizes, teaching approach, and amount of individualized learning, to confirm whether it’s the right fit.

With larger student populations, boarding schools often have more extracurriculars for your child to explore their passions outside of class. Ask what opportunities are available, focusing especially on your child’s interests and needs: for instance, if they love computer programming, inquire whether the school offers an after-school or lunch program to boost their coding skills.

Reggio Emilia schools have a child-focused, individualized learning approach, which gives kids the freedom to pursue activities and tasks of interest. Also, “These schools strongly encourage students to express themselves and their ideas through a wide variety of media,” says Stacey Jacobs, Director of Clear Path Educational Consulting. This is a great way to cultivate independent thinking and learning.

Since Reggio Emilia schools also prioritize group learning, ensure a school provides enough time for your child to work on their own. And more generally, make sure it offers them the right overall learning environment: for instance, if they’re likely to benefit from science enrichment opportunities, confirm these are provided.

If you’re considering a boarding school for your independent learner, make sure they’ll have ample opportunity to explore their passions. Often, small- to medium-sized classes with plenty of individualized learning work well, since they give your child the freedom to pursue unique learning pathways. Ask a school about its class sizes, teaching approach, and curriculum, to ensure it’s the right fit.

With larger student populations, boarding schools often have more extracurriculars and supplemental learning options. Find out what’s available, focusing especially on your child’s areas of interest: for instance, if they love robotics, ask whether the school offers such a program. 

Also, “If your independent learner is a competitive student who likes to measure themselves against their peers, they’re more likely to find this in a boarding school,” says Janyce Lastman, Director of The Tutor Group. ““Since they have diverse student bodies, it will be easier for your child to find academically-focused peers to compete with.”

Finally, “Boarding schools also promote self-reliance and resourcefulness since students live away from home, and these are valuable attributes for independent learners and other kids to have,” says Joanne Foster, education consultant and author of ABCs of Raising Smarter Kids.

Reggio Emilia schools enable kids to work alongside their classmates in a variety of contexts. Collaborative learning is a major focus: kids often work in groups on tasks, assignments, and projects, and aim to explore issues and solve problems with their peers.

In Reggio Emilia schools, teachers consider children’s relationships to one another and aim to promote positive connections between them—a blessing for collaborative learners (as it can be for other types of learners). Classrooms are set up to promote lots of interaction and group learning, which can help your child engage fully with their work and develop key social skills.

Boarding schools have a wide range of learning environments. While some prioritize collaborative and group learning, others don’t. Of course, since they often have more classes and bigger student cohorts, they can normally accommodate a broad scope of learning styles, including both collaborative and independent learning.

Since boarding schools tend to have larger student populations, they often have more extracurriculars which involve group or collaborative learning, such as debate and student government. Also, “Due to their large numbers of students, they offer more opportunities to find a group of like-minded peers,” say Ann and Karen Wolff of Wolff Educational Services. This can give your child the opportunity to explore interesting and dynamic social learning opportunities, in and out of class.