DC private middle schools with excellent writing instruction?

[Anonymous]

Does your DC's private middle do a good job of teaching writing? We are deciding where to apply for 6th next year for our DD. She's always been a big writer and reader and I'd like to send her somewhere she can learn more about the writing and editing process and more about grammar and style. She's a good student, very outgoing, and a big joiner of clubs and activities. She plays some sports but is definitely a far better student than athlete, so we don't need somewhere that has a great high school athletic path. We are in DC and would ideally keep her in a DC private, preferably somewhere with decent mass transit access since we do not live in NW.

[Anonymous]

Our kid is at often-named competitive K-12. Although MS had a fair amount of writing, I would not say that it did a good job teaching grammar or disciplined writing. The fact that 9th grade English involved a lot of grammar instruction was eye-opening. On the other hand, the sophistication of the issues explored in the MS English classes was remarkable, but my view is that students should have the basics down cold first.

[Anonymous]

Capitol Hill Day School

[Anonymous]

Holton. Buses from pretty much everywhere in DC.

[Anonymous]

NCS

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Our kid is at often-named competitive K-12. Although MS had a fair amount of writing, I would not say that it did a good job teaching grammar or disciplined writing. The fact that 9th grade English involved a lot of grammar instruction was eye-opening. On the other hand, the sophistication of the issues explored in the MS English classes was remarkable, but my view is that students should have the basics down cold first.

The problem is that they don't because elementary schools have stopped teaching the basics of English.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Does your DC's private middle do a good job of teaching writing? We are deciding where to apply for 6th next year for our DD. She's always been a big writer and reader and I'd like to send her somewhere she can learn more about the writing and editing process and more about grammar and style. She's a good student, very outgoing, and a big joiner of clubs and activities. She plays some sports but is definitely a far better student than athlete, so we don't need somewhere that has a great high school athletic path. We are in DC and would ideally keep her in a DC private, preferably somewhere with decent mass transit access since we do not live in NW.

GDS 100% no question

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Our kid is at often-named competitive K-12. Although MS had a fair amount of writing, I would not say that it did a good job teaching grammar or disciplined writing. The fact that 9th grade English involved a lot of grammar instruction was eye-opening. On the other hand, the sophistication of the issues explored in the MS English classes was remarkable, but my view is that students should have the basics down cold first.

Why even bother if you aren’t going to name it

[Anonymous]

NCS is very rigorous. Students are still
Doing novel studies and writing five-page papers as final assessments of what they’ve read. Students also generally complete at least one research project per year. Teachers keep standards high. The assignments require a lot of out-of-class hours, but graduates know how to write well.

[Anonymous]

NCS has a great focus on writing--while rigorous this is a true strength

[Anonymous]

We are not yet to middle, but I have been impressed by the explicit grammar and writing instruction at Potomac. A lot of attention to parts of speech, sentence construction, and practice with different writing styles in elementary. Potomac has a very good (and required) bus system so it might be easier than any other schools with respect to commute.

[Anonymous]

Gds writing is excellent in the high schools. For middle school not so much

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Gds writing is excellent in the high schools. For middle school not so much

Why not starting in middle school?

[Anonymous]

Sidwell

[Anonymous]

Holton’s writing instruction is top-notch, including in MS. That’s the main value added from the school, IMO.