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DC at "good" private school, but not overly impressed. Public option?
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Anonymous
But people are PAYING for grades 1-6. |
Anonymous
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Can you find examples of math and science competitions where Potomac and SSSAS students have defeated GDS and Sidwell students?
I haven't seen that. And I've certainly seen announcements of GDS and Sidwell students doing well in math and science competitions. So before we assume or infer that Potomac and SSSAS have more successful math and science programs than GDS and Sidwell, let's have some direct comparisons. |
Anonymous
| Good private schools (and, in general, good teachers who have some leeway) rarely rely exclusively on a single packaged curriculum. It's hardly a slam on EDM that GDS supplements the program. That's like saying that the fact that a school uses whole language in addition to phonics shows that phonics is stupid and misguided and should be banished from the curriculum. |
Anonymous
| Oh gee, I'm sorry. Forgot that there is documented evidence that once you leave DC borders, the schools are not as good. Silly me........ |
Anonymous
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SSSAS placed first in the VA Mathematics State Championship beating out both Potomac and TJ. They also placed second in the State's Economics Challenge Competition.
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Anonymous
| Actually, I think that the parochialism went the other way. When a SSSAS MS math teacher gets an award for which only teachers in Alexandria, VA are eligible, it's not evidence that SSSAS has a stronger math program than DC schools like Sidwell and GDS which use EDM in elementary school. |
Anonymous
| Oh, forgot to mention..... SSSAS's Geometry and Algebra2/Trig teams won the region's Junior Math League competition among independent schools. The Advanced Cal/AP Cal teams won the Northern VA Division Competition of the Virginia Math League. |
Anonymous
| My daughter applied to both GDS and SSSAS. Got in both places and we picked SSSAS because the math program was stronger. That, and the fact that SSSAS teaches both math and science in single-sex classes. |
Anonymous
| If you do switch to MCPS from private be ready for your child to be way behind in math. My son's teacher was previously a MCPS teacher and said that her kids were at least 2 years ahead of the private school kids in math, i.e. the MCPS kids were doing 4th grade math in 2nd grade. |
Anonymous
Don't believe everything you (mis-)read in the school newsletter. SSSAS won its region (aka Alexandrai). TJ scored better than SSSAS. And it's not a program that Potomac participated int. http://www.mathleague.com/reports/2008_09/VA6.HTM |
Anonymous
What school are you in. Why would you keep your child there knowing that? |
Anonymous
Yup, if you scroll down, you'll see that TJ was 1st and SSSAS was tied for 17th. |
Anonymous
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The dirty little secret about many privates is the lack of quality math. I heard stories about our former K-8 that sent students to TC Williams and they were behind in math when they got there.
We left that same school before 8th grade and moved to another private. The best thing I did was to hire a teacher from the new school to do an assessment on my child. Sure enough, a good size gap. 5 tutoring sessions and then a workbook during the summer inbetween in order to catch up. It did pay off but you do have to be proactive. I can't tell you how thrilled I am at spending all that money for my child to be behind. And then I hear that another child from our school moved into Arlington Public schools and is in an excellent math program. |
Anonymous
| OK, GDS supporters - time to show your stuff. For all the negative comments you make about the VA schools, let's see your proof about math! |
Anonymous
| OP here. 15:33 I hear you. I don't care which private school is best in math. Even if Sidwell students do well with EDM, I hope it occurs to someone that they would probably do BETTER, yes better, with a superior curriculum. |