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09.04.19, 15:40 PM General Topics
16 replies
We switched from public to private elementary this year. Anyone else? If so, why did you switch? [ Reply | Watch | Flag ]
General Topics 09.04.19, 03:40 PM Flag
 

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Why? May I ask which public? Or just which private? We are about to start private K and would love to hear more about how you made your decision since our public elementary is supposed to be great and it was a tricky one for us! [ Reply | More
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General Topics 09.04.19, 03:57 PM Flag
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What was the reason you chose private school vs. your zoned elementary? You made that choice, so something was driving you. [ Reply | More
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General Topics 09.04.19, 04:52 PM Flag
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Op: my DD got bit, it was very loud and chaotic, teacher always seemed annoyed and stressed, there were movies alll the time [ Reply | More
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General Topics 09.04.19, 04:53 PM Flag
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We had that too, but it was NBD in K, most kids are ok with that. By 2nd grade it was totally clear that easier kids without discipline issues or academic issues were getting no attention at all and were considered "zero-needs" kids who just should swim along. While it makes it easy for parents, it's not for every family that wants higher standards for their kids or more engagement. [ Reply | More
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General Topics 09.04.19, 05:04 PM Flag
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ITA [ Reply | More
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General Topics 09.04.19, 05:26 PM Flag
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Omg, where do you live that your public schools are like this? Neither the school I teach in nor the schools my children attend are like this. Movies????? My principal would fire a teacher for showing movies (other than perhaps 1x a year, connected to curriculum and with signed parent permission). And yes, she'd find a way to get rid of tenured teachers, no problem. My kids' public school teachers send home positive notes about the kids, meet with us anytime we ask, the classrooms are calm and kids really learn. I teach in a low income school and it is the same thing. We have differentiation set up among grade levels to ensure our highest kids get harder work by 2nd grade. (and us early primary teachers have a wide spread of abilities and still meet all their needs) [ Reply | More
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General Topics 09.04.19, 11:49 PM Flag
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op: where are you located? We were in an NYC public school on the upper west. [ Reply | More
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General Topics 09.05.19, 01:09 AM Flag
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Chicago public in not the best area either. [ Reply | More
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General Topics 09.05.19, 02:38 AM Flag
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NYC public in not the best area would be a failing school with some exceptions, OR was talking about a bougie school and so was I. [ Reply | More
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General Topics 09.05.19, 02:28 PM Flag
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Same experience as you, a well rated zoned public elementary in D2. Chicago lady has no idea, our good schools are overcrowded to the max, hard to control chaos unless you introduce draconian rules, there is nobody ensuring highest scoring kids get to do harder work, nobody cares about highest scoring kids, teachers need to focus on those needing help, and that is with all the affluent/educated NYC parent body. Our poor schools are simply failing. [ Reply | More
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General Topics 09.05.19, 02:19 PM Flag
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Our biting experience was in private & we switched to public. So it goes. [ Reply | More
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General Topics 09.05.19, 02:23 PM Flag
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Private schools are not perfect either, but you would expect that they at least should give more attention to kids and lessen a chance of this happening due to a more favorable student/staff ratio. You cannot unfortunately completely prevent your kid getting hurt from some other kid's behavior ANYWHERE, be it any school or a public place or even in your own extended family. The only thing you can expect from a good school public or private is that they won't ignore it and resolve the problem preventing it from happening in the future. [ Reply | More
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General Topics 09.05.19, 03:38 PM Flag
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I have no cash for that, but otherwise, I would switch. My reasons to go with a private vs. public would be less nonsense dealing with overcrowded classes, applying to MS/HS, more attention for my kid, and also hopefully no draconian attendance policy where I am forced to send sick kids to school because they don't have fevers to get a doctor's notice, or where we cannot leave on vacation a couple of days earlier to avoid paying crazy prices, etc. Generally, I would honestly choose private school to have a more relaxed family life and less institutional environment with all that it involves. My kids are very good academically, find school easy, and don't have behavioral issues, I feel like in a public school environment they are the most ignored category. [ Reply | More
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General Topics 09.04.19, 04:42 PM Flag
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Thank you for sharing this. Sometimes this board gets so hostile about “public is so amazing don’t do anything else or you’re crazy.” You’ve summed up some of the differences and challenges well. [ Reply | More
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General Topics 09.04.19, 06:43 PM Flag
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Seriously, I cannot imagine what kind of neighborhoods you all live in where "high kids" get ignored. Aren't most kids reading several grades levels ahead and doing Algebra in 6th or 7th? That the case in my area. Instead of the low kids pulling everyone down, the high kids pull everyone up. Don't your kids teaching teams meet every 5-6 weeks to discuss, in detail, every kids' progress? We do. [ Reply | More
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General Topics 09.04.19, 11:52 PM Flag
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Not every kid is reading several grade levels ahead and doing Algebra, what universe do you live in where it's the majority of kids? We have plenty of smart kids in NYC, but high scoring kid is someone who is maybe one or two grade levels ahead if that. You are talking about kids in early elementary who should be going to MS, these are a tiny minority and nobody accelerates them so, no school can do this, only parents. Regular high scoring kids have no problems, so nobody has resources to spare for them as they are low need when there are kids who do need help. Classes are overcrowded, over 30 kids per teacher after K (in K it's 25 kids). PTA pays for assistants, if they don't there are no assistants unless it's an integrated class with special needs kids. There is a G&T system where you can test your kid at age 4 to go to a more rigorous school, regular schools don't focus on high performing kids, not at all. G&T also doesn't teach several years ahead, so geniuses like you describe aren't accommodated there either, it's just for regular bright kids. Spots in G&T are limited, so not every capable kid gets in and then they go to zoned schools where they breeze through and hopefully get into a selective MS, some parents also supplement outside of school, which is considered a norm to stimulate kids who need more, nobody expects the school to do this. Did I sum this up correctly? [ Reply | More
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General Topics 09.05.19, 02:37 PM Flag
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