As a student and a teacher I have had the opportunity to experience both public and private schools. In many ways schools are schools, but there are some definite differences between the two as far as teaching is concerned.

Probably the biggest difference that most people do not realize is the difference in pay. In most cases private schools pay considerably less than public schools. After teaching for five years at an all boys Catholic school I went to a nearby public school and received a 40% pay raise. People generally think the private schools would pay more because the high tuition costs but that is usually not the case.

The reason for the big disparity is probably due to the fact that public school teachers are members of unions. The collective bargaining is something private school teachers can not use to their advantage. On the other hand, private schools often offer different perks to help off set the pay differential. Often teachers receive tuition for graduate school, or have smaller classes or fewer classes to teach. In my first job, full time was considered teaching four classes.

Surprisingly, the opportunities for professional development are often greater at public schools. In five years at a private school the only professional development I received was when the school was changing from a traditional to a block schedule. In seven years at a public school I was trained in two different college preparatory programs, literacy skill development and other pedagogical trainings. Some private schools do specialize in particular programs so the professional development in that area is generally very good.

The one question I heard repeatedly after going to a public school from a private school was, "Do you notice a big difference in the students?" To be honest, for the most part, I did not. Teenagers are teenagers. There are extremely bright students at both kinds of schools, and there are struggling students at both kinds of schools. The biggest difference in the students was the bottom ten to fifteen percent of achievement levels. Public schools must accept all students regardless of ability or motivation. Private schools, unless they specialize in struggling students, can be selective about who they want to accept and retain. If a student was continuously under performing or in trouble they are simply not invited to return.

The biggest advantage private schools have over public schools is academic freedom. Private schools are not required to give all of the national and state tests that have become so prevalent because of the No Child Left Behind Act. This freedom allows private schools to develop their curriculum for their own reasons not to prepare for a standardized test.

My experiences at both public and private schools have helped me develop greatly as a teacher. There are things I like and dislike about both kinds of schools and I am a better teacher for having both experiences. Ultimately, each teacher needs to develop their own idea of what kind of school would best fit them and their career.