I'll start by saying I am a product of public school, and a very good one if I don't say so myself. It has been brought to my attention, however, that public schools are not what they were when I was in school. So I'm considering private school.
But now I'm freaking out because, it turns out in my area (which might not even be my area once DS starts school) you have to get your kid on the waiting list at age 3! So a decision I thought I had a few years to make needs to be made now! The other decision that has to be made is whether or not we want to start him in school at 5 or 6 (his birthday is in August and he's on the smaller side). So I'm a little overwhelmed.
I know that private school can be far superior from an educational standpoint, I guess I just worry about the social implications. Opinions?
I went to parochial school - Lutheran K-12. I felt so much better prepared for college than my public school roommates in the dorm in terms of reading, writing, spelling, sentance structure, etc. They were much better prepared to party and taught me plenty about beer.
I went to a crappy public school, like really crappy. I was actually pretty self motivated so I was able to fill in own gaps in my education especially once I was in high school and figured I needed to in order to go to a good college. My mom was a busy single working mom so it was hard for her to figure out how to supplement my education.
My husband on the other hand, also a byproduct of public schools, worked with his father to supplement his education and I'm kind of amazed at the things that they were able to do. Also, in general, I'd say that the smartest people I know went to public school. I know some private school people but I don't know any 'crazy smart' people that went to private school.
So personally, I'm a big fan of public schools and I really don't think private schools are far superior. I do think that people that send their kids to private school are more involved in their education, which is a good thing. I think though that you can also be an involved parent with your kid going to public school.
You are in Calif. We used to have one of the best education systems in the country. It has all gone to pot. We are 48th now. That should tell you something. Now, it seems educators (if you want to call them that) are not allowed to teach any more. This is not just in Calif. All across this nation the schools are "required" to teach to the test. It is part of that "no child left behind" crap.
That is one reason there is a waiting list for private school. Another is the quality of the private school. Montessori used to be good schools. I have no idea if they are now. You might want to get your kid on a waiting list and consider home schooling for a bit. However, the problem I see with home schooling is the lack of interaction with other kids unless you are in a church based or some other based system where you meet with other families.
I'm glad my days of schooling are over. I don't envy you and the hard decisions you have ahead of you.
Seeing that you are from California, and well being an Ohioan myself, I do not know too much about your system. However, I do feel that I have some knowledge that will help you because I am a high school math teacher in a public school district. In the state of Ohio, it is typical that public school teachers will receive higher salaries, more security when it comes to retirement, and at times much better benefits than their private school counterparts. It was never an option for me to decide whether or not to teach in a public vs. private school. I do not know any fellow colleagues that decided to go work in the private sector. Therefore that leads me to believe that their are EXCELLENT teachers in our public schools. If it is a question of having more opportunities, most public schools now a days offer AP courses as well as post secondary opportunities at local colleges. I am not yet a parent, however, when I do become one, my children will most likely also attend public schools. The only exception would be if we were living in a very dangerous area where I felt the child's safety would be in concern.
Sorry that I wrote way too much for a post. I didn't write this trying to sway you one way or another, just wanted to help out as you start to think about this stuff. I guess the teacher in me continued to ramble a little too much. Just do what you think is best, and you can't go wrong!
I'm not sure which private schools you're looking at, but I have an insurance broker who's wife once worked at Marywood Palm Valley. IMO it's a good school BUT you're going to have to deal with the other parents there. Can I just say snobby? I've heard some interesting stories. I don't think that is the issue with the Catholic schools around town.
That said, I think one of the major problems with our school system is the focus on standardized tests. Totally unnecessary and time consuming.
First and foremost you cannot rely on teachers to teach everything you want your child to learn. You have to do it yourself, follow up yourself, and make sure your child does the work. While I don't necessarily advocate home schooling, I know kids that are home schooled here and they are way ahead of the track to either private or public schooled kids, and I think it is only because the parents have such a huge stake in their kids' education.
For what it's worth, my kids both went (one still attends) public schools. Once I gave my DD the option of changing to private and she said no and she's very, very happy she didn't. She's a music ed major in college now and her honors thesis is all about the lack of motivation and creativity in public schools. You know the story about the little girl in kindergarten? Her teacher said to draw a flower and she drew a page full of flowers and the teacher said, no, not like that and showed her the way she wanted the little girl to draw it. Later when asked to draw a flower, she would only draw the one like the teacher showed her. She lost all her creativity. We as parents need to make sure that we keep our kids motivated and allow them to be creative.
Well it certainly depends on the quality of the public schools in your area. Either way I think that regardless of which way you decide to go school isn't the only environment where your child can learn. I went to a fairly mediocre public school, but my parents put me in several programs to enrich my education. Also, my school had a "gifted" program that created some amazing opportunities for me as did the AP courses I took in hs.
im not planning to have children for quite awhile however I, personally, am torn on this issue as well.
I grew up in California and I went to private and public schools over the years, every time i went from private to public i was far enough ahead in the curriculum to skip a grade.
but the private schools were filled with many kids that had parents that believed: giving them money =love and many of the kids ended up in various kinds of trouble that comes from being rich and bored and feeling ignored, drugs, going through cars, trouble with the law due to shoplifting etc.
the public schools i went to the problems depended on the area of town, bad areas meant gangs, better areas not so much.
that said i was in advanced classes, GATE (gifted and talented education) classes, AP classes and skipped a grade so my mom was never concerned about my curriculum unless i was bored. I know that now they are teaching to the test and i think that is one of the biggest issues in the current education system.
what my S/O and i have decided is when we have children, if the system hasnt gotten better, we will look into Charter and Montessouri schools and if we cant find one we like then we will home school and put our children in all kinds of other classes like dance, soccer, gymnastics, summer camps etc to get them the social interaction.
My daughter went to both private and public school and we also did some home schooling.
She was very frustrated at the public school. She wanted to learn so much more than what they were providing. Don't even get me started on the advanced classes! They were a total joke in our school system.
The private school she spent the most time in was a Montessori school and she loved it. She was a different child when able to work at her own pace and truly be creative!
I would recommend visiting the private schools in your area. You will know right away after going to each school which ones feel like a good fit for your child. You may like the structure of the larger schools, or you may prefer the flexibility of the smaller schools.
You guys make a great point about being an involved parent. I think my parents pretty much completely relied on the school system to teach me and they lucked out by my being very self motivated. They did not help me with my homework or choose the right classes. They had nothing to do with me getting into a top college or figuring out how to get into college at all, let alone paying for it.
I'd always thought I'd send DS to public school, especially since he's really into sports, not even 3 yet and he's obsessed! So I want that to be a possibility for him as well and a lot of the private schools don't tend to have programs that are as visable to the college system. Oh! SO much to think about. I guess I was just not expecting to have to think about this NOW.
Allison - I would not send DS to Marywood if you paid me! We've done work with them in the past and when you say snobby parents - OMG! I know they have some pretty serious drug problems over there too. Or at least they did when I was in school - oh so long ago But I guess drugs are a problem everywhere so...
I went to both public and parochial(Lutheran) schools.K-2 public,3-8th parochial and public for high school.I feel,and have talked to someone else who felt the same as me,that I didn't get the basic learning information in parochial school.I don't know about others,but the school I went to seemed to concerned about the religious aspect,that learning Math and English were an after thought.
That's just my experience though and that was back in the early 80's.
Ditto the involved parent idea - behind the scenes, my parents picked out every teacher I had through the 9th grade. My mom even became the school librarian so she could keep an eye on my elementary teachers!
A year and a half ago, we yanked our son out of the middle of his fifth grade year in what's considered a very good school system. It's not the school at all - it's about his individual needs, and unfortunately, they couldn't deal with it. He'd figured out how to come in just a smidge above the average, and that if he didn't cause disruption, everybody would just leave him alone. In a class of almost 30, he was fading into the background, was bored silly, and "losing his academic mojo". After a year and a half in a tiny independent school, where the whole 6th grade is only 14 kids, he has nowhere to hide. He still has some catching up to do, but we have two more years before he comes back into the public system. I have high hopes that with properly challenging classes, a solid knowledge of how to study, and experience with meeting high standards, he'll be very successful. Sometimes being involved, or even over-involved, as a parent, may not be the full answer! Good luck - it's definitely a balancing act!
would not send DS to Marywood if you paid me! We've done work with them in the past and when you say snobby parents - OMG! I know they have some pretty serious drug problems over there too. Or at least they did when I was in school - oh so long ago But I guess drugs are a problem everywhere so..
Drugs are a problem everywhere. DD went to high school with a congresswoman's son (I think you know who I mean) who was usually high...my son goes to PDHS and he refuses to use the boys room because "there's always smoke and it doesn't smell right."
I actually know a few kids that went to/go to Marywood. One--total spoiled brat, but then it came from her mom who was worse. The other three, not so much. In fact, two of them only went there until high school and then went to PDHS where one graduated 2nd in her class last year (it was her choice to leave Marywood because she wanted to do more journalism and was on the HS newspaper all 4 years).
I know a lot of kids that went to different Catholic schools here, Xavier seems to be a shining star! And I know a teacher at Sacred Heart and that seems like a great school. There's also a Catholic school in Indio that seems good, too (can't remember the name).
I was raised in the best of both worlds. I spent most of my elementary school years in private school and then I moved to TN and was put in public school. Socially I had just as many friends in private school as I did public. Of course I was older in public school so it meant more but I mean I still talked to my friends in private schools. and let me just say, I partied with them just as much growing up!
I think that private schools are great on the educational side and the social side comes from the child, not the school.
Some people are going to just not be social butterflies, regardless of the school.
Public or Private?
Just do what you think is best, and you can't go wrong!
But I guess drugs are a problem everywhere so...
