PK at Eaton

[Anonymous]

The advanced scorers can thank their parents for their high test scores relative to the DCPS mainstream. The respectable number of proficient scorers can thank the school's aggressive test preparation strategy. This gets downplayed at open houses and in official communications to parents for obvious reasons.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The advanced scorers can thank their parents for their high test scores relative to the DCPS mainstream. The respectable number of proficient scorers can thank the school's aggressive test preparation strategy. This gets downplayed at open houses and in official communications to parents for obvious reasons.

Can you please explain your point?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The advanced scorers can thank their parents for their high test scores relative to the DCPS mainstream. The respectable number of proficient scorers can thank the school's aggressive test preparation strategy. This gets downplayed at open houses and in official communications to parents for obvious reasons.

Obvious reasons such as...?? Sorry, I guess it would be more obvious if I understood what you're trying to say.

[Anonymous]

If it makes you feel better, they aren't teaching phonics (not even reading!) in DC's two most famous private elementary schools until they are in K. I too am saddened by the state of affairs.....

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It was our experience that Eaton preK has pretty much no academics beyond basic letter recognition and counting to 10 in preK. K was basic phonics (initial letter sound only) and real reading teaching did not take place until 1st grade.
Kids take a nap every afternoon and get a story, so whatever "academics" there is, only took place in the AM.

What do they do with kids in K who already know how to read?

This is fairly standard at the area privates.

[Anonymous]

We have a child in Eaton Pre-K right now. We will not be returning to Eaton next year.

[Anonymous]

PP, why not?

Anonymous wrote:We have a child in Eaton Pre-K right now. We will not be returning to Eaton next year.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We have a child in Eaton Pre-K right now. We will not be returning to Eaton next year.

would love to know why? this frees up a spot though! i found out over 600 on the waiting list school wide.

[Anonymous]

In my opinion, Eaton does not have a very strong early childhood program. I can't speak about the upper grades. I think having an early childhood background made it hard for us to stay there and we left. If you think your child is advanced, then getting extra support to maintain won't happen at Eaton. At least it did not for us. I would advise to think very hard about what it is you are looking for in an early childhood program -- what's important to you and maybe do some research on what makes an early childhood program high quality. Also, what would be the qualities that makes a school a good fit for your child. I found Eaton's early childhood program not so good...but that was for us. Also, I would advise being selective about the teacher and ask questions. Last, an interesting fact is that Hearst has the only public early childhood program accredited by NAEYC.....I don't have a child at Hearst but that is interesting.

[Anonymous]

Can you give us some insight on what you think makes an early childhood program high quality?

Anonymous wrote:In my opinion, Eaton does not have a very strong early childhood program. I can't speak about the upper grades. I think having an early childhood background made it hard for us to stay there and we left. If you think your child is advanced, then getting extra support to maintain won't happen at Eaton. At least it did not for us. I would advise to think very hard about what it is you are looking for in an early childhood program -- what's important to you and maybe do some research on what makes an early childhood program high quality. Also, what would be the qualities that makes a school a good fit for your child. I found Eaton's early childhood program not so good...but that was for us. Also, I would advise being selective about the teacher and ask questions. Last, an interesting fact is that Hearst has the only public early childhood program accredited by NAEYC.....I don't have a child at Hearst but that is interesting.

[Anonymous]

My ds went to Eaton prek. We pulled him at the end of that year. He ended up being significantly behind the other students when he moved to his new K, had great trouble catching up and ended up repeating. (He is now in the advanced group, so it is not for lack of ability.)
the teacher would place up a behavior chart for the students. on any given day nearly all of the boys would have negative marks, but almost none of the girls would. it went on this way all year, while she would discuss her impending retirement at every meeting. The other parents of boys and I would just laugh about how incredulous it was because it was so blatant that she had very little compassion for the way young boys are different from girls.
The teaching varies tremendously from one room to another from what I have heard from other parents. It just saddens me that I didn't know any of this before.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My ds went to Eaton prek. We pulled him at the end of that year. He ended up being significantly behind the other students when he moved to his new K, had great trouble catching up and ended up repeating. (He is now in the advanced group, so it is not for lack of ability.)
the teacher would place up a behavior chart for the students. on any given day nearly all of the boys would have negative marks, but almost none of the girls would. it went on this way all year, while she would discuss her impending retirement at every meeting. The other parents of boys and I would just laugh about how incredulous it was because it was so blatant that she had very little compassion for the way young boys are different from girls.
The teaching varies tremendously from one room to another from what I have heard from other parents. It just saddens me that I didn't know any of this before.

Hmmmm - how recent was this experience? My dc is in pre-k at eaton now, and I cannot begin to figure out the teacher you are referring to. From a demographic standpoint, there is only one female pre-K teacher who has been there for any length of time, and your description does not match this woman.

[Anonymous]

I will also chime in. This forum really can be disheartening. My son attends John Eaton and is in PreK this year and we love it and are proud to be part of the Eaton family. It seems like this board has a lot of Eaton foes and I don't understand why. It sounds like one person had a bad experience there with one teacher. It also seems like this is not the reality for most kids who attend. there are not so great teachers at every school and one never knows who their child will get.....my perspective at Eaton is early childhood is not their strength but it is not weak either. The principal is very involved and the teachers, parents and staff respect her which is really important. I am looking forward to continuing at Eaton and my son is very happy there and has tons of friends and is doing well..

[Anonymous]

I think every school has someone who had a bad experience there. I live on the Hill- I know individuals who have pulled their kids from Cap Hill Day, St. Peters, Watkins, Peabody, Brent, Tyler, Maury. The stories sound really bad when the parents tell them and I believe them- but if 95% of the kids and families are having good experiences that's really just one more piece of data- not a clear picture of the school.

[Anonymous]

PP, here- this was two years ago and this is the first time I've ever posted on here, so I guess it might be more than one person with a bad experience. But that is why there are different schools for different kids (and families).