Selecting schools is not like shopping!

In writing my last post on community I’ve come to reflect on a phrase I used on school tours “please shop around before considering this school”.

I’m wondering whether I contributed to a consumerist way of looking at education or schooling.  In saying “shopping” where you buy goods was I painting a similar image of schooling where you notionally select (buy) an education at this institute?

I say to parents that selecting a school for your child is about aligning your head, heart and stomach. Your hear and read about all the programs a school offers (head), you listen to responses on how a school caters for children when they make mistakes or need help (heart) and you try and feel is a person will care for “my” child  (stomach where it hits you if you feel they don’t care – sort of an empty stomach pain). How does this align to “shop around”?

Well the simple answer is don’t use the phrase – talk about as I did in the post on the school orchard – about joining a learning community (our school motto). Words can portray misleading images.

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