Academic expectations at Beauvoir versus other indep schools

[Anonymous]

The last poster on the Beauvoir thread had this to say (in part):

'The curriculum at Beauvoir is way too advanced and not developmentally appropriate in my opinion. I woundn't send my child there unless she has a birth date before December. A lot of kids at Beauvoir are given extra help ("learning resources"). Not sure why kids are being pushed -- it is supposed to be the only school in DC that caters to young children. Not too sure that they really do that. I think the administration wants to be seen as turnign out smart kids to be fed into STA and NSC. All well and good but then on the other hand so much pressure is being put on the children to excel academically beginning from pre-K."

Is the curriculum at Beauvoir more "advanced" than at other leading independent schools? For ex, I have heard a couple of posters voice disappointment with the Sidwell lower school--is that because because they don't put as much emphasis on academic goals?

[Anonymous]

bump

[Anonymous]

Would love to hear more about the rigor of the Beauvoir academic program especially after Kindergarten? The above post is very interesting; I was under the impression that the academic program at Beauvoir was not academically rigorous from recently reading other posts and threads.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Would love to hear more about the rigor of the Beauvoir academic program especially after Kindergarten? The above post is very interesting; I was under the impression that the academic program at Beauvoir was not academically rigorous from recently reading other posts and threads.

[Anonymous]

When you say academically rigourous, what does that mean for a preK, K or first grader. Would you be happy or proud if your first grader was doing multiplication? Is this about bragging rights at dinner with friends and relatives that DS can do ___?

Not trying to incite or flame. Just really trying to figure out how academically rigourous can elementary school be. I thought college was rigourous but only because once I was able to major in something the learning was in-depth. By my definition I would find it hard for young children to get a rigourous education learning so many things at such a fast clip.

Really, what would your ideal day of learning be for a preKer or K or 1st grader?

[Anonymous]

I have absolutely not heard that Beauvoir's expectations are are higher than other schools. The math & reading programs at most of the top schools are basically the same, no?

[Anonymous]

Beauvoir supposedly has a good early reading program. The British School has a good one too.

[Anonymous]

I did not send my child to Beauvoir simply because I thought the curriculum was not rigorous enough. The inexperienced teachers talk to the kids in "Barney" voices. Current parents tell me that they do not think their children are well-prepared for the next step.
My children had come from Montessori school, so they were way ahead in reading and math. Beauvoir would have been a big step back. We opted for Sidwell, but I also considered Maret. Both are more rigorous than Beauvoir.
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