they offer practical training which will help students get a well-paying
job. They are interested most in satisfying their customers - the
students. To remain in business they must give students what they want
to learn - at a fair price. The students themselves normally pay for the
cost of the training. Generally, the training lasts from six months to one
year.
In the United States, proprietary schools number about 10,000 and
that number is growing to meet increasing needs. Courses in
proprietary schools include training not only in business and technical
skills but also in self-improvement such as painting, crafts, speech and
physical development. At present, the field with the most students is
cosmetology, with nearly 3,000 schools in operation.
Teachers in proprietary schools generally wofk longer hours for less
pay than in public schools. However, the quality of instruction is high
because teachers work closely with students. Some schools ask
students to evaluate the teachers. Proprietary schools emphasize applied
rather than theoretical knowledge. They often are willing to experiment
with new ideas in their teaching. The teachers themselves come from
the real world of work. Most of them are professionals and they know
what the students will need on the job.
Courses are given in short segments. This helps to give the students
a sense of accomplishment. In other words, they achieve what they
want in a short time. Automated education is used with success and
team teaching is common.
The student, of course, is interested in the result. Will he get a good
job? Generally, most of them do and this can be counted as success in
education!
