Thoughts on Glenarden Woods?

[Anonymous]

^^ I think this is a very important viewpoint here. As much positive stuff as I have to say about the school, my child was in fifth grade, not third, so it was a very different experience. It wasn't so overwhelming for an older kid. The bus ride was definitely ridiculous, but the positives outweighed the negatives for us. But there were days...

[Anonymous]

Wow! This isn't good news. 3 or 4 hours is totally inappropriate for elementary school. Was this last year? I'm wondering if any changes have been made since kids were pulled for this reason.

[Anonymous]

Things haven't changed with the exception of other schools now getting the same amount of homework thanks to new standards.

[Anonymous]

The pp that says things haven't changed are you a current parent. We are coming from private and have been accepted to the program. I am concerned by what I read on the forum. However, I read other reviews and they rave about the school. So torn between accepting a spot at glenarden woods or staying private. Wow and I have to make a decision by Wednesday. Ugh!

[Anonymous]

I heard that the homework load has a lot to do with how much the child gets done in school. I haven't experienced this first hand, but that's what one parent told me...so one child might have 1 hr of homework and another one has 4 based on how much they do during the day?

I'm cautiously optimistic that the school is reigning in the homework issues. We are sending DD there in the fall, but won't hesitate to pull her if the work load is unrealistic.

[Anonymous]

We are sending our child there in the fall. I hope things have gotten better in terms of homework, because some of the posts on this thread are very scary!

[Anonymous]

PP, if it really doesn't work, you don't have to stay. Don't be scared! It might be great.

[Anonymous]

Thanks, we are going to try it. can always go back to homeschool which is greenbelt elementary.

[Anonymous]

My son just finished grade 5 at GWES. The homework load varied each year. It was heaviest in third grade, the first year GWES went all TAG. This year the 5th grade homework load was light. Third grade was a big adjustment for my son because in contrast to the homework at our neighborhood school, he had to expend actual mental energy and more time on it. It rarely took more than 45 minutes. Also, some teachers assign homework packets with due dates a week or two out. There were a lot of projects that year, but I learned to step back and make the project my son's. As a result, they all came out looking like a kid did them, and he didn't always get an A.

[Anonymous]

Any thoughts on how it's going this year?

[Anonymous]

The classes are fine, but way too much homework! I complained to the teachers, one was responsive. TAG doesn't mean homework robots!

[Anonymous]

My kids are in middle now (6th and 7th) but we loved GWES!

The principal is a force of nature. She runs the school with passion and sheer will at times, and every kid in that building is "her baby." She is a really unique person and sets the tone in the school.

The workload is intense. I felt like I was back in school too because there were so many projects, so much work all the time. Of course we did not like that but we also knew in advance that we were signing up for a rigorous program that was intense and fast paced. This school produces kids who can think critically and I am so glad my kids had this experience.

The move to Goddard (as GWES) was a royal pain and it impacted the school experience a lot.

The fourth grade teachers are a mix of best and worst, but the fifth grade teachers are amazing. I would nominate them all for national awards. Mrs Stewart comes across as a little bit of zealous and quirky but she is beloved by the kids for good reason.

We have NO regrets about the years we spent at this school, and we could afford private school if we felt it was necessary.

[Anonymous]

Thanks everyone for your input. We are struggling with the intensity of the homework in third grade and have decided to just drop it. It's not worth the stress and there is no research to back up that amount of homework at the elementary level. I hope 4th grade gets better.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Things haven't changed with the exception of other schools now getting the same amount of homework thanks to new standards.

Hang on, I have a child in 5th grade at a different TAG school (Highland Park) and absolutely not, she isn't doing 3 hours of HW a night. She is a straight A student, and I'd say she does maybe 30-45 minutes a night, unless there is a big project. Homework seems completely reasonable, mostly project based, and generally quite interesting, but overwhelming it is not.

There's a poster I read a lot who pulled her kid out of Glenarden woods maybe a couple of years ago, because the homework load and bus ride were so onerous. I don't doubt that was the case back then, but make sure you are getting current information from current parents. The first year that Glenarden woods became a Tag and only Tag school, 4 classes per grade level of all TAG classes.. I think they maybe went a bit nutty or something, and it is possible they calmed down considerably.

[Anonymous]

Bump. Does anyone have any other thoughts on this school?