What Are Boarding Schools?

by Lyn Newton | More from this Blogger

28 Sep 2007 09:39 AM

After hearing my husband jokingly comment that we needed to send our children to boarding school, I began thinking about the term boarding school. What is a boarding school? I had a basic idea in mind but I had never researched the topic. Therefore I decided to put some time into the characteristics of boarding schools.

According to dictionary terms a boarder is

somebody paying for food and bed: somebody who pays for a room and usually for daily meals, in a private home or boarding house.

In my research I found several different types of boarding schools. The traditional boarding school begins at the academic level nine. This level begins the typical public schools' high school level. Like high school, boarding school students usually take five or six courses and they work with a guidance counselor to determine which classes fit the students' needs.

Students at traditional boarding schools live on campus. The boarding schools in the United States of America are closed during vacations and long weekends. Therefore, students must leave campus. Even international students who attend the school are asked to leave. Many international students have local families in which they visit during the school's closings.

Typically boarding schools put much value into their sports teams and facilities. Many private boarding schools have well kept fields and an indoor pool. Some even have an ice hockey rink.

In addition to sports, arts and crafts and drama are also given emphasis. Students draw, paint, and perform in school theaters.

Boarding schools are also not lacking when it comes to technology. The teachers use computer often during instructional lessons. On occasion homework must be completed on a computer. In most cases, students have voicemail, Internet connections, and computers in their rooms.

Look for more articles to discuss different types of boarding school that students may attend.

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Learn more about Lyn Newton

Lyn is a kindergarten teacher and mommy to a girl and a boy. In her spare time, she enjoys informative and creative writing.

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