Pros and Cons Of Boarding School

BOARDING SCHOOL!! a place that is very overwhelming for kids, thinking of leaving their family, and friends, and stepping out into an entirely new world leaving their comfort zone. 

The concept of boarding school can simply be understood as an institution where students live on campus with faculties and staff members. 

This environment teaches you life skills like punctuality, discipline, independence, resilience, and much more, blesses you with friends who are nothing less than a family, and exposes you to various sports, academic opportunities, and many more.  

Although boarding school offers many benefits to build you as a person, certain challenges can’t be ignored like limited family time, homesickness, loneliness, and living in isolation which make them emotionally vulnerable. 

Understanding the pros and cons of boarding school and preparing kids for it can be a very transformative journey for them. 

Why Choose Boarding School?

It’s human nature to pick up things and learn when it comes to their survival and this can only be learned when they are subjected to a new environment.

When it comes to life skills as well as academics, boarding school provides an environment that is new to kids and they are the only ones who have to take care of themselves.

They develop a sense of responsibility, discipline, accountability, and many more inherent qualities that will stay with them forever. 

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This part of the life spent in boarding school prepares them for the real world. In this era, with both parents working, it is always better and more convenient to choose a boarding school for kids for their proper growth. 

As a matter of fact, just like the two different sides of a coin, there are some pros and cons of boarding schools as well. Let’s delve deeper into this article to focus on the following points:

Pros of Boarding School

Undoubtedly, the benefits of boarding school are immense and significant in the holistic development of a child. Let us go through this in detail to understand the pros of boarding school.

1. Structured Environment

The structure of boarding school is designed in a way which ensures the success of students academically as well as in their life. It fosters discipline, independence, resilience and personality development. 

The days are already planned in a way to maintain a fair balance between study time, extracurricular activities and their own time.

They are taught to be punctual, and stick to the schedule for every activity until and unless there is an emergency.

The presence of guards and teachers around ensures their immediate safety. On top of it, they can get guidance and support anytime from their teachers who also share the same campus with them.

2. Holistic Approach to Education

A holistic approach to education is about focusing on the development of a child as a whole taking emotional, mental, physical, academic, social, and moral well-being into consideration. 

Boarding school provides an apt environment for the holistic growth of a child. It shapes a child’s character in every possible aspect. Along with their coursework, they excel in sports, gardening, basic life, and social skills. 

They learn a sense of responsibility and accountability. Kids don’t only focus on getting good marks and succeeding in competitive exams but their energy is channelised to succeed in life no matter what challenges they have to face.

3. Cultural Diversity

Living with people of different backgrounds and cultures promotes social skills, communication skills, and understanding of different cultures. Usually in India no matter how developed we are there still is a sense of caste and creed discrimination in our society.

Away from this negative impact on society, kids learn to respect every religion, caste, and the people of diverse backgrounds. They are all getting the same opportunities and care in the same environment. It promotes peer-to-peer education as well.

They take care of each other and are taught to recognize a person by their work not by their background. These are the kids going to change the notion of the society in future. 

4. Decision-Making

At home, kids often argue, when they have parents to take care of every decision for them, but as they leave and step outside the grass is greener.

Decision-making is a good learning opportunity for them to analyse, and understand the situation and make decisions accordingly.

This develops a sense of accountability and critical thinking. Sometimes they fail, sometimes they succeed and that’s how they learn.

They also learn to make decisions and make them right rather than thinking of making the right decisions. This prepares them for making big decisions in their life. 

5. Making Lifelong Relations

The relationships that are made in boarding schools are for life. These are the people with whom kids have shared a fair part of their lives.

They know each other very well as they have been there in all the situations. Even after school is over they are like a family.

Cons Of Boarding School

Everything precious needs a price to pay. Likewise, as the benefits of boarding schools significantly contribute to a child’s personality few cons can not be avoided that a child faces when they are admitted to boarding school.

Let’s discuss them in detail.

1. Homesickness

Initially, this is the big issue with the kids. They feel homesick, Most of the time they end up crying and missing their family members and their friends. It is not easy to get accommodated easily with new people.

Sometimes there are conflicts among them, and they get sick and miss their family even more. Homesickness goes away with time when kids start making friends and get engaged with their daily routines.

2. Limited Family Time

There was a time when kids used to see their friends and family all the time. With the strict structure of boarding school now they are allowed to visit their home during vacations or any emergencies.

They get limited time with their family when they visit them in person. The idea behind this is to make kids independent and self-reliant but this often leads to homesickness and loneliness.

Boarding school takes good care to bridge this gap by allowing letters and phone calls to the parents such that kids remain connected with them despite physical separation.

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3. Isolation  

Some kids are very introverted and struggle to express their feelings. They struggle to make friends easily and often end up isolating themselves. It takes time to develop bonds and feel homely with new people around. 

4. Boarding School Fees

Boarding schools are costlier than the usual schools. One has to pay a good fortune to study in the best boarding schools. All the facilities provided contribute to the cost of living in boarding schools.

Conclusion 

In conclusion, boarding schools provide a structured environment for the holistic growth of a child, contributing to their independent, disciplined, and successful life. Kids learn various life skills that become inherent and help them in the future.

They make new relations, understand various cultures, and be empathetic and respectful to the people around them.

Teachers not only teach them the coursework but also teach them to survive in a new environment with their constant support and guidance. Kids develop strong connections with their mentors as well.

The pros and cons vary from kid to kid according to character and need. What may seem a problem for one may not be for the other.

Ultimately, it is a life-changing experience that one can get in a boarding school. You can get a chance to discover yourself and with guidance & resources streamlined it can transform into a successful future for any kid.

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