It’s possible to go an entire year at a public high school without anyone knowing your name.
You have to be strategic – sit in the back, put your head down, don’t ask questions, wear nondescript clothes – but it’s doable. You can fade into the background.
At a private high school, it’s nearly impossible to be overlooked. Classes especially are kept small so that teachers are able to invest in and teach each student – in addition to learning their names.
This comes down to something called teaching load, which is the total number of students a teacher sees in the course of a typical day. Let’s take a closer look at the teaching loads of two teachers:
- Teacher A is an exceptional teacher who works in a public high school. She teaches five sections of Biology that average 30 students each, for a total load of 150 students.
- Teacher B is an equally exceptional teacher who works in a private high school. She also teaches Biology, but she has four sections that average 18 students each, for a total load of 72 students.
Teacher A has twice as many names to memorize, twice as many tests to give, and twice as many lab reports to grade as Teacher B. Both teachers are capable of teaching, giving feedback, and fostering a natural curiosity in your student, but one simply doesn’t have the time to do it all.
The University High School Advantage
Many high schools with seven class periods require teachers to teach five of them. This gives teachers only two prep periods during the day to grade, meet with students, and put the finishing touches on their lessons.
At University High School, your teachers only teach four of the seven class periods. This gives them three periods during the day to grade your assignments and answer your questions. Plus, this frees up time during the day for you to meet with your mentor. University High School puts relationships at the forefront of the learning process, and it structures the schedule to give your teachers time to work with you.
