Best Practices

[Anonymous]

There are soooo many well-informed people on these boards, and I for one would love to start getting myself educated on education. Can we collectively compile some lists (and of course dissent is welcomed) about best practices that might offer a guide for evaluating schools that are good fits for our kids? No doubt some "best practices" will also vary depending on whether a child is gifted, less advanced, assertive, wallflower, etc. so discussion of those issues is also welcome. Looking for ideas on the following themes that have appeared throughout the boards, and anything else that others can add:

1. Class size -- including whether it's optimal to combine a large homeroom with smaller and varied breakout groups, or stay small and cohesive throughout the day.

2. Spiral curriculums -- both for math and other subject matter.

3. Optimal strategies for literacy.

4. Subject matter for which progressive approaches are best suited, versus those for which a more traditional approach may be best.

5. Optimal role (if any) of homework.

[Anonymous]

Ooops, forgot to add:

6. Importance of differentiation?

[Anonymous]

All OP's topics are important ones but each one has been addressed by many volumes of books! Perhaps some recommended reading would help, in addition to informed comments from this group's participants. I would recommend books by E. D. Hirsch (What Your <insert school grade here> Should Know) and Alfie Kohn's The Schools Our Children Deserve. These two authors represent views on the opposite ends of the spectrum, yet they both have very valuable insights on education "best" practices.

[Anonymous]

1. The smaller the better. Even one on one is best from an academic standpoint.
2. Do not spiral math. Science a little, History ok (good) to spiral.
3. The more phonics the better. The earlier the better. Practice Practice. Parents read.
4. Won't touch that.
5. Homework useless before grade 3. Some say grade 5.
6. Differentiation, no difference in the LONG run.

[Anonymous]

Smaller class size isn't always better. Yes, too many kids for one adult to control is not good, but when a school has to choose between competing goals with limited funds, sometimes the most bang for the buck is something else - science equipment, better breakfasts for the students from poorer homes, fix the roof, replace the math curriculum and train the teachers, keep the reading specialist....

It is always about trade-offs.

[Anonymous]

Fortunately in this area, we don't have to make those choices mentioned by pp.

[Anonymous]

PP here:

No, actually, we do make those choices here - every day. A recent report in the Metro section discussed school districts in the area pulling back from serving fruits and veggies at lunch due to increased prices. Virginia is trying to make cost saving changes in Special Education. Montgomery County just laid off three teachers from a magnet program. Fairfax county is also making deep cuts. DC is clearly struggling.

No, most of us live in reasonably well off districts, but even our districts face real trade-offs every day. Just watch the next few years - flat housing prices plus inflation will put some serious pressure on the schools.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:There are soooo many well-informed people on these boards, and I for one would love to start getting myself educated on education. Can we collectively compile some lists (and of course dissent is welcomed) about best practices that might offer a guide for evaluating schools that are good fits for our kids? No doubt some "best practices" will also vary depending on whether a child is gifted, less advanced, assertive, wallflower, etc. so discussion of those issues is also welcome. Looking for ideas on the following themes that have appeared throughout the boards, and anything else that others can add:

1. Class size -- including whether it's optimal to combine a large homeroom with smaller and varied breakout groups, or stay small and cohesive throughout the day.

2. Spiral curriculums -- both for math and other subject matter.

3. Optimal strategies for literacy.

4. Subject matter for which progressive approaches are best suited, versus those for which a more traditional approach may be best.

5. Optimal role (if any) of homework.

1. i would think different kids will handle class size differently. Just like college-some will do better in a large setting, others in a small.
2. Spiral curriculums? never heard of it
3. Huh?
4. This can vary from kid to kid
5. Does anyone really know/

What is the goal for being obsessed with your child's education. i want my child to have a good education, but i can't see going to this level of extreme behavior. It is strange for me to think of expending this much energy trying to analyze and predict how my kid will do in school.

[Anonymous]

pp, one option is to not post an answer to OP's question.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:pp, one option is to not post an answer to OP's question.

No - I agree with 23:42 - I think people in this area are overly obsessed and controlling re: his issue. There is no perfect way to educate and as a matter of fact - I put my faith in the fact that I have a bright child and I hope he will do the best with what is available to him. Most of the smartest people I know come from traditional reading/writing and arithmetic backgrounds. Hell, I spent the entire first grade with nuns making sure I had perfect penmanship! Spiral Mathmetics? What? I still graduated from a great institute of higher education and went onto a dynamic career where I like to think I am making a contribution to society. I plan to give my kids the best options I can - but I am not going to micromanage this. I don't even know what kind of math they teach at my sons school - I do know he seems to be learning math and he is reading and writing very well 1st grade) - that's enough for me.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:What is the goal for being obsessed with your child's education. i want my child to have a good education, but i can't see going to this level of extreme behavior. It is strange for me to think of expending this much energy trying to analyze and predict how my kid will do in school.

Honestly, I'm not obsessed and I don't think I'm exhibiting extreme behavior. I'm not going to slit my wrists if my child doesn't get into school X or anything like that. I just find this stuff really really interesting, and have learned a lot in a short period from reading these boards. Some people find playing the markets really interesting, whereas for me that one is something I would much rather delegate to a financial advisor. For others it might be politics -- I care very much about issues, kept myself abreast and vote, but don't understand people who follow elections like a sporting event. Different strokes.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:pp, one option is to not post an answer to OP's question.

No - I agree with 23:42 - I think people in this area are overly obsessed and controlling re: his issue. There is no perfect way to educate and as a matter of fact - I put my faith in the fact that I have a bright child and I hope he will do the best with what is available to him. Most of the smartest people I know come from traditional reading/writing and arithmetic backgrounds. Hell, I spent the entire first grade with nuns making sure I had perfect penmanship! Spiral Mathmetics? What? I still graduated from a great institute of higher education and went onto a dynamic career where I like to think I am making a contribution to society. I plan to give my kids the best options I can - but I am not going to micromanage this. I don't even know what kind of math they teach at my sons school - I do know he seems to be learning math and he is reading and writing very well 1st grade) - that's enough for me.

OK, then we should try to seek the schools that use the worst practices, and be happy.
OP is trying to hone in on something that interests her/him. If no one took an interest in anything, life would be boring.