Empowering Parents to Choose the Right Fit
This is part two of four in the School First “Best School Fit”series. It is a movement where we are encouraging parents, educators, and admissions leaders to prioritize student belonging, well-being, and long-term success over prestige and rankings. The launch comes as families spend thousands of dollars navigating an increasingly stressful admissions process, often at the expense of their children's mental health and sense of belonging. Read Part 1: The Child
Empowering Parents to Choose the Right Fit
Growing up in a family of six was, in hindsight, fascinating in many ways that have become more clear to me now, as an adult. My three siblings and I had a blast together during the summers and while on vacations and enjoyed our time over the holidays with family. Afterall, we had built in friendships and organic playdates with each other. We all had so much in common as most siblings do, but we were also very different. We were certainly different types of learners, which my mother somehow became aware of early on. To that end, when we left for school in the mornings in New York City, we would all head in different directions; in our own directions, to our own separate schools. Because we lived in a city that had many different independent school options, my parents, particularly my mother, felt empowered to go on a journey to find the best fit schools for each one of us. Of course, at the time I was simply going to “my” school, completely unaware of the thought that was put into giving us what we needed to thrive individually; for us to be successful as learners and as citizens of the world.
When I became a kindergarten teacher, I unknowingly brought my parents' approach to education and the nuances of each student's learning styles to my classroom. It was always fascinating to watch and learn how each of my students would move through their activities and how they would respond to projects, truly based on who they were as learners. I loved this! I loved it because once I discovered how they learned best, I was able to take the curriculum and shape it in ways that would ensure their success, individually. One of my favorite things was watching them grow, develop, and change from the first day of school until the last, and every day in between. I was so honored to have been a part of their learning journey- this gave me such pride and truly remains one of the best times in my life as an educator. I felt so empowered to provide them with an enjoyable learning experience!
I also brought my parents' approach and my experience as a kindergarten teacher to my role as Director of Admission. Within the independent school world, this position is all about shaping community; creating a class of students who would learn well together, both academically and socially. Putting a class together of students who would work well together and parents who would be good partners and whose values aligned well with school was always the goal. If I were to create a similar school experience to mine, this goal was key.
For our family, my mother felt empowered to choose the school that was the best fit for her children and this led to each one of us feeling empowered as students to have a sense of ownership over our educational journeys. As a result we all fell in love with education and the process of learning, in fact some of us love education so much that we have chosen careers in that very field, (obviously) myself included!
About Linda Talton
Linda has over 35 years of experience in the field of education. Her passion for education began when she was an assistant teacher at Trinity Preschool Wall Street, which was founded by her father in 1981. After graduating from Howard University with a degree in Human Development, she continued her career in education as a kindergarten teacher, then as Director of Admission and Director of Placement in several independent schools in San Francisco and New York City.
Linda holds a Master Degree in Administration and Policy from Howard University, and as the founder and co-president of School First, she has a true passion for helping families navigate the admission process to find their best fit day and boarding schools. Linda has served families applying to independent schools all over the country, including those who are relocating within the US and from abroad.