Private school for the kids.

[mmmmm...beer 691]

We moved here from Minnesota, then bought a house halfway through the school year, which put us in another district again. *sighs* 3 schools in two years for the kids.

 

Really not impressed with the school system. No homework cause it's not fair to the kids with a lesser support system at home. Wtf? I don't care about them kids. Mine gotta stay behind with them? 35-40 kids a class. Just didn't like the environment either out here in liberal loopy land.

 

It's a private Christian school. Only accept 20 kids per grade. The kids start Latin in 4th Grade, and know it pretty well by 8th. By the time they Grad High School they know Latin, Spanish, and Greek. SAT scores are about 360 pts higher than average for the area.

 

Our son is going into 8th.. starting a Latin tutor for the next 6 weeks prior to school starting.

 

Spendy for us, but the wife just started her job so one of her checks covers a month for both kids.

 

Just feel like they are dumbing down public school, and we want to give them every chance to excel. I think just the smaller class sizes will help that.

[wiffleball 4,629]

Latin?

[titans&bucs&bearsohmy! 2,745]

1. Homework is the most overrated thing going in education. They should not need it after eight hours in school.

 

2. Latin? Why? I did it myself. Totally useless. Have em take a language they may use someday.

[Djgb13 2,338]

1. Homework is the most overrated thing going in education. They should not need it after eight hours in school.

 

2. Latin? Why? I did it myself. Totally useless. Have em take a language they may use someday.

The Latin is for summoning demons

[titans&bucs&bearsohmy! 2,745]

The Latin is for summoning demons

Well, lot of pedophiles speak it I guess.

[penultimatestraw 473]

I'm public school educated all the way, but HI has some of the worst in the nation. Though I don't have kids, I hear all my coworkers complain there is no other choice than spending 20K+ per year to keep their kid(s) in the "best" private schools. They act like public schools create savages who are destined to failure.

 

I believe smart kids with supportive parents will do well in almost any environment, but marginal students will do better in a private school setting. Also, don't private schools emphasize a little more "well-rounded" education, including a bunch of libruhl arts?

 

I've also heard private school kids just get exposed to higher quality drugs.

[RaiderHaters Revenge 3,563]

have them learn Chinese or Arabic instead and it sounds ideal

 

also liberal pub schools and there no homework wtf

[supermike80 1,282]

1. Homework is the most overrated thing going in education. They should not need it after eight hours in school.

 

2. Latin? Why? I did it myself. Totally useless. Have em take a language they may use someday.

This is one way a private school can fleece you financially. By teaching something like Latin. Utterly useless but seems smarty

[TimmySmith 2,782]

Really depends on the kid and the school system. The average kid in the average private school will get a better education than the average in public. The overachiever will probably be a wash. The intangibles in private are 180° from the intangibles in public. If your kid struggles to make friends, you might benefit from going public. Type A? Go private. Learning Disability? Probably public. Latin? My son took it for 2 years. He liked it but didn't embrace it. I'll assume it was beneficial.

 

Finally going private (especially pre HS) is a family move, not a kid move. You are entering a tiny world of cliques and those families are going to size you up quickly. Particularly a religious school. It is a must that you are prepared to volunteer. Approach the 1st social situation cautiously and slowly and friendly to all and try to stay neutral until you find your people. Do not be the people who drop their kid off and are never seen.

[mmmmm...beer 691]

We know about the family thing. Had our son in Catholic school earlier.

 

If you know Latin you pretty much can figure out most romantic languages, ie spanish, italian, french. Were looking at the vocab last night and the Missus speaks fluent spanish.

 

Haha... love the comments. Again the guys with no kids are my favorites.

[MDC 5,874]

I really like Catholic school for my son. It is very inexpensive as compared to a Friends school or non religious private, the principal and teachers are engaged, great group of parents and good kids. Very little tolerance for misbehavior etc.

 

Long term we will move to a town with a better public school district but for now I am really happy with our choice.

[mmmmm...beer 691]

I really like Catholic school for my son. It is very inexpensive as compared to a Friends school or non religious private, the principal and teachers are engaged, great group of parents and good kids. Very little tolerance for misbehavior etc.

 

Long term we will move to a town with a better public school district but for now I am really happy with our choice.

Yup, the teachers actually seem to care. You kid isn't just a number in an exceedingly more babysitting type environment to dysfunctional brats. They teach.

[TimmySmith 2,782]

I really like Catholic school for my son. It is very inexpensive as compared to a Friends school or non religious private, the principal and teachers are engaged, great group of parents and good kids. Very little tolerance for misbehavior etc.

 

Long term we will move to a town with a better public school district but for now I am really happy with our choice.

As long as you can afford it and your kid is happy, I doubt you'll go anywhere else. Once you start to think about going somewhere without dress codes and discipline, with questionable parental involvement, it's going to be tough to leave.

[Voltaire 4,550]

The one thing that could push me out of China at this point the schooling for my kids. Massive homework and Chinese Communist Party indoctinatrion bullsh*t. I don't want this.

 

As for mmm....beer, I endorse what you're doing. If I were in the US and had the money, I would choose a Catholic school over a public one even though I'm an atheist. I don't mind my kids being Bible literate. The Catholics don't put up with the nonsense and coddling and they get so much better results. Further, unlike other denominations, the Catholics have made peace with modern science which takes my biggest worry off the table.

[parrot 789]

Yup, the teachers actually seem to care. You kid isn't just a number in an exceedingly more babysitting type environment to dysfunctional brats. They teach.

 

Rose-colored glasses. Many public school teachers care deeply for their students and many private school teachers aren't worth a fock. Last year a Catholic school in my area had a teacher take some girls to a band festival, get them drunk, and sexually assault at least one of them.

[mmmmm...beer 691]

As long as you can afford it and your kid is happy, I doubt you'll go anywhere else. Once you start to think about going somewhere without dress codes and discipline, with questionable parental involvement, it's going to be tough to leave.

My Doc sends his kid here, he's who I heard about it from. Actually soumds like quite a few of his fellow docs sent their kids here as well.

 

It's the structure and discipline I like.

[mmmmm...beer 691]

 

Rose-colored glasses. Many public school teachers care deeply for their students and many private school teachers aren't worth a fock. Last year a Catholic school in my area had a teacher take some girls to a band festival, get them drunk, and sexually assault at least one of them.

Of course many care... but they are overbooked and hand tied with little @ssholes taking up all their time. The other 95% of the kids have to be disrupted.

[cyclone24 1,787]

My Doc sends his kid here, he's who I heard about it from. Actually soumds like quite a few of his fellow docs sent their kids here as well.

 

It's the structure and discipline I like.

Just my opinion but that comes from home not school. In no way am I insinuating you don't do that but my personal view is I am the one responsible for my girls education. The school just helps me. Not the other way around.

[mmmmm...beer 691]

Just my opinion but that comes from home not school. In no way am I insinuating you don't do that but my personal view is I am the one responsible for my girls education. The school just helps me. Not the other way around.

I can't choose what teachers teach, and what peer groups decide is good for herd. I have however seen the cirriculum at thw new school and am good with it.

 

Of course it starts at home, but a decent school environment makes for better learning imho.

[cyclone24 1,787]

I can't choose what teachers teach, and what peer groups decide is good for herd. I have however seen the cirriculum at thw new school and am good with it.

 

Of course it starts at home, but a decent school environment makes for better learning imho.

Absolutely.

 

Part of me likes the idea of a private school for those very reasons. But Another Part of Me likes the public school so she understands and learns about other people. Maybe more difficult kids to deal with and how to approach that. Different nationalities Etc.

 

What's your take on that?

[listen2me 23 1,529]

Latin?

First thing I thought of as well. WTF?

 

I'm not opposed to private schooling if the options in your area are not up to par. But generally I would hope any future kids I may have would be able to go to public school and get a decent start on education.

[TD Ryan2 314]

my kids go to Catholic school - it's not a vote against public school, it's simply that the Catholic school is better suited for our kids/family, our personalities, beliefs, styles, etc.

 

My wife and her family were Catholic school educated.

I was public school educated.

 

Mrs. TD and I have talked a lot about the differences we've experienced with our educations and school environments... simply put, I'm more street smart, "tougher", better with change and chaos. She and her family are much more organized, analytical, structured, planners... they are better suited for the rules of the world once you become an adult - I am better suited for a fight in the playground or to handle crisis situations.

[TD Ryan2 314]

RE: Latin

 

it's the root language of most Western Languages.

You want your kid to understand words, language, vocabulary, etc? If he knows Latin, he can break down almost any word and have a pretty good idea what it means or refers to.

I wish I had studied Latin.

 

and no, my kids don't study Latin but I wouldn't mind if they did.

[mmmmm...beer 691]

Absolutely.

 

Part of me likes the idea of a private school for those very reasons. But Another Part of Me likes the public school so she understands and learns about other people. Maybe more difficult kids to deal with and how to approach that. Different nationalities Etc.

 

What's your take on that?

Oh yeah we discussed that. We want them to meet and learn to deal with their fair share of @ssholes, because in life they are everywhere. The boy has dealt with that throughout his life and my daughter a bit already as well.

 

We actually discussed this with the headmaster for the school. He said, oh we havebjerks here as well. The differencenis we actually teach conflict resolution skills. How to interact and reconcil with a person you've had beef.

 

Also those folks arenheld accountable. The numbers arenheld low for a reason, and the children are not allowed to run the school.

 

Men are "Sir", ladies are "Ma'am or Mrs." They still value and help instill integrity, honesty, trustworthiness, etc and speak to such virtues.

[mmmmm...beer 691]

RE: Latin

 

it's the root language of most Western Languages.

You want your kid to understand words, language, vocabulary, etc? If he knows Latin, he can break down almost any word and have a pretty good idea what it means or refers to.

I wish I had studied Latin.

 

and no, my kids don't study Latin but I wouldn't mind if they did.

Very much this... it's not just knowing Latin to be snobby or get into angry almost gunfights, but as a basis of learning other languages. It's taught from 4th-8th grade, then it's on to Spanish and finally Greek.

[listen2me 23 1,529]

my kids go to Catholic school - it's not a vote against public school, it's simply that the Catholic school is better suited for our kids/family, our personalities, beliefs, styles, etc.

 

My wife and her family were Catholic school educated.

I was public school educated.

 

Mrs. TD and I have talked a lot about the differences we've experienced with our educations and school environments... simply put, I'm more street smart, "tougher", better with change and chaos. She and her family are much more organized, analytical, structured, planners... they are better suited for the rules of the world once you become an adult - I am better suited for a fight in the playground or to handle crisis situations.

 

I just think public school and what you got out of it...is much more valuable in the real world for the average American. Most people are going to see chaos in their lives at a few different points. People are going to need a common understanding of how things go and how people can react (street smarts). Again if the public school choices suck then I see where any parent would try to get them out of there.

[mmmmm...beer 691]

 

I just think public school and what you got out of it...is much more valuable in the real world for the average American. Most people are going to see chaos in their lives at a few different points. People are going to need a common understanding of how things go and how people can react (street smarts). Again if the public school choices suck then I see where any parent would try to get them out of there.

Not saying they suck, just saying we want what we consider to be better educational opportunity and environment.

 

From what it sounds like , this focker is hard. No coasting. I like that.. hell I coasted through math in HS and had teach myself catchup in college to get a B.

 

All I'm saying is, wtf wouldn't we give them the opportunity to get the best education and "leg up" we can afford?

[DankNuggs 305]

RE: Latin

 

it's the root language of most Western Languages.

You want your kid to understand words, language, vocabulary, etc? If he knows Latin, he can break down almost any word and have a pretty good idea what it means or refers to.

I wish I had studied Latin.

 

and no, my kids don't study Latin but I wouldn't mind if they did.

Exactly, latin is extremely valuable.... Learning a foreign language less so IMO.. when i was in middle school, japanese was the hot language as it seemed like they would be a business superpower... before that it was french, now its spanish. Next it will be something else, maybe chinese.

 

Latin was much more useful that writing in hiragana katakana and kanji...

 

Watashi no beiru wa bimasu

[listen2me 23 1,529]

Not saying they suck, just saying we want what we consider to be better educational opportunity and environment.

 

From what it sounds like , this focker is hard. No coasting. I like that.. hell I coasted through math in HS and had teach myself catchup in college to get a B.

 

All I'm saying is, wtf wouldn't we give them the opportunity to get the best education and "leg up" we can afford?

I don't know all the stats. I had one friend growing up from a private school, he seemed decently educated but a little awkward. I can see where you would say private school has the best opportunity to not be distracted or held back by other kids. But the kids who paid attention and went for it in high school came out pretty smart and took advanced classes left and right in 10th 11th and 12th grade. So I'm not sure where the main factor of attitude of said kid starts and stops. I would imagine a kid who didn't care to pay a ton of attention or give it their best would not get the full education you would be paying for. But all in the same a kid who wanted to push themselves has a better chance hitting obstacles in a public school I suppose.

 

I just think the interaction with kids and situations in a public school sort of is scary but valuable. I'm sure I'm making private schools out to be much more rigid than they are these days.

[Cloaca du jour 2,064]

If the kids have to take any life science, Latin is key. Saying Latin is worthless is stupid. Most people have no idea how the brain works so they just spout off nonsense about what they "think" about stuff. There is so much stuff about the brain that has to do with the left and right halves. Music is just as important as math, or a foreign language etc. The biggest problem with education is that they try to cram to much crap into the younger grades instead of just working to master in reading, writing and arithmetic. That is where all the problems lie. Kids who don't know their times tables struggle in math and science because they have to work at a slower pace while they look up 7x6. There are tons of papers written about the importance of being well rounded and how it helps you become more analytical and a good thinker. Im not going to go into here. Kids who have no thinking skills become impulsive and thus end up having behavior problems. They cant think before they act. Education is a hot mess, irregardless if its public or private.

 

 

[TD Ryan2 314]

Education is a hot mess, irregardless

indeed

[Bier Meister 1,512]

i believe that the level of public education is going to very district-specific. even if you are in a good school, you still may end up with an unmotivated, overwhelmed teacher. there is a lot of truth in creating your own experience regardless of private vs public. this is tougher for younger children, as they are still developing their habits. so, i can understand the motivation to find an environment with a lower student/teacher ratio, more structure, and more motivated students.

 

i have attended very pricey private and public grammar school; private catholic high school and college. my wife has attended public grammar school and high school; and private catholic college.

 

i grew up in san francisco. she grew up in colorado. her area (littleton) provided better public education than mine in san francisco (and i was in an affluent neighborhood). hers was also more homogeneous, mine more diverse if you leave sf, there are very good public schools in the bay area burbs.

 

 

our current city has very good public education for grammar school, but less so for high school. our residence places us in a bad grammar school. we petitioned to have her attend a school in a neighboring district. it has worked out well. this past year she happened to get a teacher who could not control her classroom and it impacted her a little bit. we are on her about study habits. she is now pretty self disciplined ... every once in a while she procrastinates, but knows the value of getting things done so we can enjoy the evenings.

 

we are pro homework, but have noticed that she has been given a lot (some just busy-work from this teacher this year). it just seems like the amount is quite a bit more than i would get at her age. i remember being able to participate in my activities, have dinner, do home work, play outside, and still have family time as a child. it seems a little excessive these days.

[IGotWorms 3,297]

I'm currently wrestling with whether to send my 3 year old to private school (and later his little brother) when it's time or put them in public school.

 

I'm leaning towards the latter right now. Part of its money but I also worry private school kids will grow up snobby and elitist. Also out of touch if you've been raised in a very calculated environment which simply does not reflect the world at large.

 

But those are just my own concerns. I don't think there's any right or wrong answer and it's just up to every parent to decide what's right for their family.

[DankNuggs 305]

I'm currently wrestling with whether to send my 3 year old to private school (and later his little brother) when it's time or put them in public school.

 

I'm leaning towards the latter right now. Part of its money but I also worry private school kids will grow up snobby and elitist. Also out of touch if you've been raised in a very calculated environment which simply does not reflect the world at large.

 

But those are just my own concerns. I don't think there's any right or wrong answer and it's just up to every parent to decide what's right for their family.

Same deal, we moved to a town with good schools, but it is really kid specific. My approach is to start in public grade school and see how it goes, but not to be afraid to pull the trigger if things start to go sideways.

 

If the kids are self starters and academic go getters need to make sure they are being challenged. If they are are more like middle school me, need to make sure the structure and expectations from the school keep them on the right path. If the school can't manage that, will find a better fit.

[mmmmm...beer 691]

Where is "here"?

Portland, OR/ Vancouver,WA

[vuduchile 1,940]

Education is a hot mess, irregardless if its public or private.

 

 

It sure is. Apparently, they're not even teaching people that irregardless isn't a word.

[Baker Boy 1,469]

If you have the finances to send your kid to a good private school you do it. Read some of the idiotic posts in this thread and you will see what a public education does to people.

[TD Ryan2 314]

IMO, Public Education is simply another "system" that we created in the industrial revolution and it doesn't really work for our modern world.

And don't get me wrong.. Private and Catholic schools are still essentially following the same outdated formula/methods... but I do believe they can change/adapt much easier than the glacial Public system can.

[jerryskids 5,151]

Absolutely.

 

Part of me likes the idea of a private school for those very reasons. But Another Part of Me likes the public school so she understands and learns about other people. Maybe more difficult kids to deal with and how to approach that. Different nationalities Etc.

 

What's your take on that?

 

Our kids started private then went public when it became financially unviable. I would agree that there are positives to exposing them to a more... diverse student body has benefits. Heck, my daughter did theater, those kids were the biggest band of misfits possible.

 

One benefit of private is you have more control. If you aren't happy with a teacher or the curriculum you have a voice. In public (we learned the hard way) you need to know who the good and bad teachers and pods are in grade or middle school, and get your kids into them.

[vuduchile 1,940]

The right public school system is a fine option for most kids.

 

The problem, of course, is that well funded, highly effective public schools are becoming more rare with each passing year.