DING
BY HEADMASTER,
ED KIDD
Amidst all this doom and gloom, it is important to pause and note that Ridley has been bucking this trend over the last 10 years. Proudly, our school has witnessed a decade of incremental growth in domestic boarding numbers; Canadian and American families are choosing Ridley boarding and recognize its value. However, it would be unwise to ignore the sector-wide statistics and trends. The numbers don’t lie. In addition to NABI, Ridley belongs to a national effort known as the Canadian Boarding Collaborative (CBC). The reasons for this decline in domestic boarding are somewhat ambiguous—rising tuition is one possible culprit, the rise of quality public education, charter schools and homeschooling another. Some point to a change in social dynamics, perceptions and parenting styles as yet another phenomenon that undercuts the strong tradition of boarding from past generations. Many fear boarding schools are offering a product that is increasingly seen as socially unacceptable in certain parent networks of middle class North Americans. Altering this perception is the central challenge facing NABI and CBC. THE BENEFITS OF BOARDING The tangible benefits of boarding are clear. In 2013, research conducted by the Arts & Science Group of Baltimore for TABS revealed much of what we already knew intuitively: there are significant and tangible benefits of a boarding school education compared to a strictly day school experience (public or independent).
One survey question compared a student’s use of time throughout a typical week. Comparing where boarding students spend their time to where private day and public school students do, the survey provides compelling results that confirm our anecdotal experience with student engagement: Boarding school also provides a unique opportunity to develop the skills needed for college. The TABS study found that 78 percent of boarding school grads felt well-prepared for the non-academic aspects of college life, such as independence, social life and time management, compared to 36 percent of private day and 23 percent of public school students. THE POWER OF PEERS One of the powerful (and often indescribable) aspects of boarding schools like Ridley is the influence of positive peer interaction. By and large, being smart and ambitious is cool within our environment. Being labelled a “try hard” is not an aspersion at Ridley, rather a compliment. Students are stimulated intellectually in ways they never were in their previous schools and tend to be more motivated when surrounded by success-oriented peers. The TABS study found that 78 percent of boarders reported they are motivated by peers compared to 49 percent of public school students. Living with talented students with big dreams from diverse backgrounds informs the dialogue in their common room, in the Great Hall or in the library. Increasingly, educators understand the simple truth that learning rests on a solid foundation of relationships. The more one feels they belong, the deeper their engagement and more effective their learning. In a boarding school, community and relationships take centre stage. What better place to learn than in a school where relationships are 24/7?
TIGER | WINTER 2020
41