POLL: How many schools are you applying to? What's your top choice? How old is your dc?

[Anonymous]

Are all these five-year-olds applying for kindergarten?

[Anonymous]

10:21 - I think the disagreement is over the adapability of most children. You seem to think it's relatively low; I think it's relatively high. And by being adaptable, I don't mean just that children will survive, but that they will learn and have fun. But more important, can't we leave it to individual parents to determine how adaptable their children are rather than criticize them for incongruent school choices?

[Anonymous]

I agree that the atmospherics are very different across schools, but I am not sure that the outcomes regarding academics are as different for the schools you are discussing. Children who do well in public school (which is certainly different from both) routinely transfer to the cathedral schools and to GDS and *continue* to do well. This would mot be possible isf school style mattered hugely to most children. Of course, there are exceptions for which style might be critical.

[Anonymous]

Actually, I was not criticizing, just wondering why that group. It seemed an odd group to me. I do not think anything I said was mean or critical, just curious. I would love to hear the rationale. I do at least hope parents have some type of rationale in how they pick schools. For instance, my DS needs peace and calm to work effectively, he really likes rules and structure, and we have known this about him since he was 2 or 3. It has persisted. He just does much better in a calm environment. As much as we liked GDS when we visited (several times) it was quickly apparent to us that he would feel overwhelmed by the noise and activity levels in the school and shut down pretty quickly. It was not a good fit for him. Other schools we looked at we determined would work better for him, schools with more structure and rules. That was correct and he is very happy and thriving at his school.

The funny part is that some PP accused me of being some psycho anti-Beauvoir poster. Of all the schools named in that post, Beauvoir is my personal favorite. So, I am not the psycho anti-B poster. Does such a Poster actually exist?

[Anonymous]

Maybe PP's kid is more easygoing than yours.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Maybe PP's kid is more easygoing than yours.

I agree. I hear quite a few people with children at Beauvoir who talk about the rules, good behavior, structure and calm. This is fine on its face, however it's always followed by a comment about the chaotic nature of other schools and usually the context is quite negative. Beauvoir parents present it as being a great thing that their child needs more structure. To me, it's not a complimentary statement. It says that the child is more easily distracted, not as adaptable, not as resilient, and not as independent as other children.

[Anonymous]

Beauvoir. GDS. Sheridan. Green Acres. Capitol Hill Day School.

Yes, not unlike PP whose choice selection has prompted some comments. Yes, Beauvoir is more structured and has a different feel than the others. But I love the fact that its focus is on pre-K to 3rd grade only. The school is on a campus that is truly breathtaking. The library is to-die-for (which is what I think DH will do if DC does not get in).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Maybe PP's kid is more easygoing than yours.

I agree. I hear quite a few people with children at Beauvoir who talk about the rules, good behavior, structure and calm. This is fine on its face, however it's always followed by a comment about the chaotic nature of other schools and usually the context is quite negative. Beauvoir parents present it as being a great thing that their child needs more structure. To me, it's not a complimentary statement. It says that the child is more easily distracted, not as adaptable, not as resilient, and not as independent as other children.

The other way of looking at it is some children have difficulty behaving and interfere with the learning environment of others. As students advance in grade levels the ability for peers to control themselves in class or while others are studying is important.

NCS and STA are the only schools which are frequently discussed on these boards that are NOT what I consider neighborhood schools.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:NCS and STA are the only schools which are frequently discussed on these boards that are NOT what I consider neighborhood schools.

What do you mean? Many other schools draw students from a large area.

[Anonymous]

WOW! Some of you all are so quick to put others down. I don't think either learning style is BAD, they are just different, just as both GDS and Beauvoir are great schools, just different. Some people (lets remember we are talking about children) thrive in a structured environment, some need room and freedom to blossom and grow. Its actually a better thing for a city as large and diverse as Washington to have schools with very different feels and approaches to education and learning. I loved GDS and would have had a BLAST going to a school with that approach. My child's style of learning is a better fit with a Beauvoir style approach - just more structure. It doesn't make me disruptive and it doesnt make him easily distracted (neither of which we are, actually) it just means we grow better with different types and sources of light.

I do agree that by the time our children are in upper schools the education is similar. Perhaps, even the teaching philosophies or methods in the lower and middle schools are similar, but the feeling, or approach, of the many schools is quite varied. I think the best thing to focus on when choosing the "right" schoool for your child is the atmosphere of the school, how students are expected to act, and what the schools seems to value most in its students.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Maybe PP's kid is more easygoing than yours.

I agree. I hear quite a few people with children at Beauvoir who talk about the rules, good behavior, structure and calm. This is fine on its face, however it's always followed by a comment about the chaotic nature of other schools and usually the context is quite negative. Beauvoir parents present it as being a great thing that their child needs more structure. To me, it's not a complimentary statement. It says that the child is more easily distracted, not as adaptable, not as resilient, and not as independent as other children.

Or it could simply mean that a child is happier and thrives better in a calmer quieter environment. This is not actually a competition. It is about finding, as best you can, the best fit for your child.
We also visited Beauvour, GDS, Sidwell and upon entering GDS I just knew my son would not feel comfortable there - far too much activity - so we did not apply. I felt a similar way at Sidwell at first but other things compensated for that so we applied. In the end we had to choose between Beauvoir and Sidwell and, while I loved Sidwell, I just knew my son's personality would better suit the calmer atmosphere at Beauvoir so we opted for that. I still think Sidwell is a super school and sometimes feel somewhat wistful that we did not choose it but deep down I know we made the right choice for our son. Now his sister, on the other hand would suit Sidwell fine but that's up to the admissions team there I guess. With the Obama girls there we may not get a look in..

[Anonymous]

Maret, GDS, Holton, Potomac (grade 4)

[Anonymous]

K. Maret, WIS, Sheridan. WIS is our first choice.

[Anonymous]

K. Beauvoir, Sidwell, Sheridan, NPS. Beauvoir 1st choice

[Anonymous]

We are applying to 4 schools. GDS, Sidwell, Capitol Hill Day School and Beauvoir. Our daughter is 4.