Our first days of public school after private, what I've noticed.

[Anonymous]

Private school is much more individualized. Public school is much more geared to handle large crowds. The parents know each other, but they are so many more of them that they are all in little numerous cliques.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The negativity is a real issue. We are at a really good public school with smiling teachers, administrators, etc. and a high quality of teaching but the written communication that comes from the school is terrible. BUT it was really shocking to me how much of the text in our back to school packet dealt with do not do this and do not do that. I thought the first rule of discipline and good teaching was to always be positive? Is it just that the teachers/administrators don't know how to write?

Anonymous wrote:

I am afraid that the kids will develop this style of communicating. I agree about the packets. Almost worth the $$ to put in place a system that is more positive, even if it means hiring someone to spin this in the positive or politely answer the same questions over and over. Just think that kids will be more successful in life if they are more positive.

You want a cash-strapped public school to hire a PR person to spin the welcome packets so kids don't feel "negative" about not getting to bring Cheetoes to class? God, PLEASE go away.

Well, actually there is evidence that when kids feel welcome and happy (positive environment), they learn more. So, it might be money well spent.

Lady, you really don't get it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The negativity is a real issue. We are at a really good public school with smiling teachers, administrators, etc. and a high quality of teaching but the written communication that comes from the school is terrible. BUT it was really shocking to me how much of the text in our back to school packet dealt with do not do this and do not do that. I thought the first rule of discipline and good teaching was to always be positive? Is it just that the teachers/administrators don't know how to write?

I would guess it's more that they have lots and lots of experience of parents ignoring the rules. So they want to make them clear and get it up front so there is no confusion, excuses like " I didn't see it".

Private schools have parents and kids who don't follow rules too and I am sure that the process of getting them to follow the rules is more painstaking, but it gets done. Plus the polite, cheery behavior of the staff makes everyone feel that they also have to be polite. This is true for any business. But public school are not a business. I don't mind dealing with mean government employees who don't come in contact with my kids, but the ones who do (schools) should remember that they are setting the tone.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Private school is much more individualized. Public school is much more geared to handle large crowds. The parents know each other, but they are so many more of them that they are all in little numerous cliques.

Our private school class was half the size of the public school, with less than half the staff. Total students were more in private (double) since it incorporated more grades.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The negativity is a real issue. We are at a really good public school with smiling teachers, administrators, etc. and a high quality of teaching but the written communication that comes from the school is terrible. BUT it was really shocking to me how much of the text in our back to school packet dealt with do not do this and do not do that. I thought the first rule of discipline and good teaching was to always be positive? Is it just that the teachers/administrators don't know how to write?

I would guess it's more that they have lots and lots of experience of parents ignoring the rules. So they want to make them clear and get it up front so there is no confusion, excuses like " I didn't see it".

Private schools have parents and kids who don't follow rules too and I am sure that the process of getting them to follow the rules is more painstaking, but it gets done. Plus the polite, cheery behavior of the staff makes everyone feel that they also have to be polite. This is true for any business. But public school are not a business. I don't mind dealing with mean government employees who don't come in contact with my kids, but the ones who do (schools) should remember that they are setting the tone.

Do you need so much control over your kid's life that you control the tone of other people's voices? Please homeschool.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What I noticed when I moved my kids from a private school to a public school:

1. Teachers and staff were uniformly supportive of my kids -- kind, gentle and understanding. They worked really hard to help my kids get where they were supposed to be and do what they were supposed to do. "Positive discipline" was the rule. That was very different from the private school, which expected kids to comply and when they didn't, there was a lot of exasperation.

2. The teachers were MUCH better trained. They had many tools in their tool box for teaching material to different kinds of kids. They had many different methods for ensuring that behavior was good.

3. We had more variety in extracurriculars and enrichment activities.

4. We had more diversity in race, ethnic background and SES.

5. We had more resources - the school has speech therapists, occupational therapists, nurses, psychologists -- to help us, if we need it.

6. The academic side was the same or better.

OP here. I agree with 2, 5, and 6.
We had more diversity at our private school, fewer academic resources. But we had nice teachers. The tuition of 35K was the deal breaker.

Just how do you define "diversity"? Rich white kids and rich "brown" kids? I can't imagine that there would be much economic diversity at a school that cost 35k.

[Anonymous]

You really want to hand-held through your kids' education, don't you?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I would like other people to chime in and share their thoughts.

I noticed that no one seems to really know anyone. The parents don't seem to know each other. The teachers and other staff don't know the parents (or students).

I noticed very little smiling on the part of the office staff (not necessarily a bad thing). Which makes them seem like they really don't want you to be in their office, unwelcoming.

There is a lot of negativity in the flyers and handouts. Like on the first line of a sheet for a class, "ABSOLUTELY no food or drink allowed...". Then they say what the class will be about. Rather than something like, "welcome to X class, I am happy that you chose this class...please respect our environment and refrain from bringing any food or drink in the classroom".

Might want to give it some time...I've always been surprised at how well the staff at our public school knows the kids -- the principal knows every kid by name, as the kids have gotten older more and more teachers know them (not surprising if the 5th grade teachers don't know the 1st graders), even the custodian knows my kids. No, the staff doesn't all know me, but the principal does and my kids' teachers do.That's really all that's needed.

I don't know all the parents in school but I do know a good number of the parents in each of my kids' grades. It just takes a while with a larger population. I'd guess the expectations are also just different with a private school.

[Anonymous]

The first day of private school head master to staff:

Make sure to smile to everyone, they are roped into paying a lot for the same they can get for free so we want them to feel like they are gettign something for the crazy tuition they pay.

[Anonymous]

OP, it's pretty clear you don't want your kids to be in public school, and I'm sorry for whatever circumstances transpired that have forced you to move your kids from private to public. For their sake, though, please try to check your negativity. Not only will it color their impressions of their school (because unless they're totally thick, they'll pick up on it), but it will also negatively impact your relationships with people at the school (teachers, admin, other parents, etc.). Just accept that this is what you have to do now, and make the best of it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The negativity is a real issue. We are at a really good public school with smiling teachers, administrators, etc. and a high quality of teaching but the written communication that comes from the school is terrible. BUT it was really shocking to me how much of the text in our back to school packet dealt with do not do this and do not do that. I thought the first rule of discipline and good teaching was to always be positive? Is it just that the teachers/administrators don't know how to write?

I would guess it's more that they have lots and lots of experience of parents ignoring the rules. So they want to make them clear and get it up front so there is no confusion, excuses like " I didn't see it".

Private schools have parents and kids who don't follow rules too and I am sure that the process of getting them to follow the rules is more painstaking, but it gets done. Plus the polite, cheery behavior of the staff makes everyone feel that they also have to be polite. This is true for any business. But public school are not a business. I don't mind dealing with mean government employees who don't come in contact with my kids, but the ones who do (schools) should remember that they are setting the tone.

Hmm. Why are staff at privates smiling and very friendly? So that parents will like the atmosphere, stay, and keep paying tuition.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP, it's pretty clear you don't want your kids to be in public school, and I'm sorry for whatever circumstances transpired that have forced you to move your kids from private to public. For their sake, though, please try to check your negativity. Not only will it color their impressions of their school (because unless they're totally thick, they'll pick up on it), but it will also negatively impact your relationships with people at the school (teachers, admin, other parents, etc.). Just accept that this is what you have to do now, and make the best of it.

My kids might be thick, not sure. I actually like some of the things in public school. Any way, the schools are supported by our money and we do have a right to some input.

I went to MCPS and remember the teachers who had a negative impact. I had strict good teachers, strict so-so teachers, nice good teachers, nice poor teachers, but the worst were the negative teachers who never seemed to be good at teaching.

I agree that it does my kids no good to know how I feel, but the school system would not be hurt by my input.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The first day of private school head master to staff:

Make sure to smile to everyone, they are roped into paying a lot for the same they can get for free so we want them to feel like they are gettign something for the crazy tuition they pay.

Of course. AT the end of the day, we all do it. If I had to run a resort, I would say the same to my staff.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

My kids might be thick, not sure. I actually like some of the things in public school. Any way, the schools are supported by our money and we do have a right to some input.

I went to MCPS and remember the teachers who had a negative impact. I had strict good teachers, strict so-so teachers, nice good teachers, nice poor teachers, but the worst were the negative teachers who never seemed to be good at teaching.

I agree that it does my kids no good to know how I feel, but the school system would not be hurt by my input.

OK, so e-mail the principal and suggest that, in future,

1. the hand-outs should say, "We kindly request that you consider please packing carrots in your child's snack, instead of Cheetos", and
2. the front-office staff should smile more.

Or take my advice, and don't do this.

[Anonymous]

Sounds like you're judging the public school on the first day when everything is a bit nuts. Give it time.