Any benefit of private elementary school?

[Anonymous]

Today I visited a good public elementary school in DC. While I understand that kids in public high schools may have some behavioral issues, what I saw at the elementary level was that this public school is much better than my current private school.

To begin with, it has four different teachers specialized in math, science, social studies, and English. At our current private school, which is considered “elite,” the homeroom teacher teaches all of those subjects, and not especially well to begin with.

Yes, class sizes are slightly bigger in the public school, but are there really any meaningful benefits to a private elementary school? At least compared with our current private school, I could not see any major advantage.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Today I visited a good public elementary school in DC. While I understand that kids in public high schools may have some behavioral issues, what I saw at the elementary level was that this public school is much better than my current private school.

To begin with, it has four different teachers specialized in math, science, social studies, and English. At our current private school, which is considered “elite,” the homeroom teacher teaches all of those subjects, and not especially well to begin with.

Yes, class sizes are slightly bigger in the public school, but are there really any meaningful benefits to a private elementary school? At least compared with our current private school, I could not see any major advantage.

The main draw of private elementary is not having to deal with kids with behavior problems. (Refer to the dozens of dcum posts regarding how to deal with chair throwers, regular class evacuations due to a kid losing it, etc at our top public schools.)

Secondary perks include not having to deal with tons of standardized testing, getting more person attention due to smaller class size and having little Connor exposed to way more music, art, non-academic classes than he would have gotten in public school.

Other than that, it’s not worth it.

[Anonymous]

Some private schools are conducted in another language, churning out bilingual kids. When your kid is 30 will it be more useful for them to know detail about mitochondria or speak fluent Spanish/French?

[Anonymous]

Slightly bigger class sizes?
I feel like you are just stirring the private/public debate once again

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Today I visited a good public elementary school in DC. While I understand that kids in public high schools may have some behavioral issues, what I saw at the elementary level was that this public school is much better than my current private school.

To begin with, it has four different teachers specialized in math, science, social studies, and English. At our current private school, which is considered “elite,” the homeroom teacher teaches all of those subjects, and not especially well to begin with.

Yes, class sizes are slightly bigger in the public school, but are there really any meaningful benefits to a private elementary school? At least compared with our current private school, I could not see any major advantage.

The main draw of private elementary is not having to deal with kids with behavior problems. (Refer to the dozens of dcum posts regarding how to deal with chair throwers, regular class evacuations due to a kid losing it, etc at our top public schools.)

Secondary perks include not having to deal with tons of standardized testing, getting more person attention due to smaller class size and having little Connor exposed to way more music, art, non-academic classes than he would have gotten in public school.

Other than that, it’s not worth it.

I understand the potential benefits. But I don't see those in my current elite private school. Maybe in other private school that benefits is more tangible.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Slightly bigger class sizes?
I feel like you are just stirring the private/public debate once again

In public there are 20 kids per classroom, and in our private 12. Yes, slightly bigger.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Some private schools are conducted in another language, churning out bilingual kids. When your kid is 30 will it be more useful for them to know detail about mitochondria or speak fluent Spanish/French?

Our kids learn more on foreign language during weekend school than in the private school. The level in the private school is too basic.

[Anonymous]

It sounds like your "elite" private school might be the problem. Either find a better school where you see the value or send your kid to public.

We pay $60k for elementary and if we didn't see the value, you'd best believe we would be saving that money and our kid would be back at public.

[Anonymous]

As a perspective parent who is looking at "elite" schools and private. I agree that some don't feel worth it, but I'm curious which one yours is because I may want to take a 2nd look... and who is sending their kid to weekend school on top of private??? I had no idea that was a thing... Do you mean tutoring? Or language lessons?

[Anonymous]

My kid spends 3-4 hours every Saturday doing Russian School of Math for additional enrichment. Most of their class is composed of kids from other top private schools. Their school is good at teaching math and I assume the others are too, it's just that the type of people who spend $45-60k per year for elementary or middle school are the same types of people who want their kids to do a lot of extra math on their weekends.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:As a perspective parent who is looking at "elite" schools and private. I agree that some don't feel worth it, but I'm curious which one yours is because I may want to take a 2nd look... and who is sending their kid to weekend school on top of private??? I had no idea that was a thing... Do you mean tutoring? Or language lessons?

I meant language lessons during the weekend.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Some private schools are conducted in another language, churning out bilingual kids. When your kid is 30 will it be more useful for them to know detail about mitochondria or speak fluent Spanish/French?

+1

For families thinking longer-term, some of these schools open up a broader set of Ivy-level options globally (Oxford, Sciences Po, etc.), which doesn’t always show up in the typical comparisons.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My kid spends 3-4 hours every Saturday doing Russian School of Math for additional enrichment. Most of their class is composed of kids from other top private schools. Their school is good at teaching math and I assume the others are too, it's just that the type of people who spend $45-60k per year for elementary or middle school are the same types of people who want their kids to do a lot of extra math on their weekends.

People send their kids to RSM because math in elite schools is very basic for international standards.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Some private schools are conducted in another language, churning out bilingual kids. When your kid is 30 will it be more useful for them to know detail about mitochondria or speak fluent Spanish/French?

+1

For families thinking longer-term, some of these schools open up a broader set of Ivy-level options globally (Oxford, Sciences Po, etc.), which doesn’t always show up in the typical comparisons.

You don't need pay a tuition of 60k per year to be proficient in a foreign language.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:As a perspective parent who is looking at "elite" schools and private. I agree that some don't feel worth it, but I'm curious which one yours is because I may want to take a 2nd look... and who is sending their kid to weekend school on top of private??? I had no idea that was a thing... Do you mean tutoring? Or language lessons?

I meant language lessons during the weekend.

Gotcha! I was thinking 8:30am-3pm school on the weekends like Japan does 🤣