s/o If You Left APS this Past Year for Private, What Differences Did You Notice?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:2 of mine left for private. One was already in the works before Covid. Kid was unchallenged by APS HS. Kid never did homework barely studied didn’t really have to try and had straight As. She is now challenged by her private school. Much harder course load. She can’t slack off and has to work. The parent community is definitely way more involved than public. There are also lots of extracurricular activities that don’t happen in public.

My other kid has learning disabilities. Kid is now in a very small independent private school with very small classes (10 kids). It’s mastery based learning so kids learn at their own pace. Kid is actually enjoying school again. We enrolled there in November after 2 months of virtual learning which wasn’t working at all.

We’re never going back to APS.

I'm curious where geographically former APS families are moving their kids. It seems like there are really no private schools in Arlington beyond parochial options. Are people taking their kids into DC, further out in Virginia?

PP. the kid with learning disabilities is in Arlington. The other one is in a different state but we applied in DC and McLean. There are no traditional private schools actually in Arlington.

Sycamore? I've heard good things.

Yes. We love it.

[Anonymous]

More traditional education. Textbooks. Paper and pencils. Focus on learning grammar. Study habits. Higher expectations overall. Kids who were APS honor roll students having to actually work hard and not getting automatic As.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:More traditional education. Textbooks. Paper and pencils. Focus on learning grammar. Study habits. Higher expectations overall. Kids who were APS honor roll students having to actually work hard and not getting automatic As.

I’m an APS teacher. I give all you people about two minutes before you start finding fault with your private school teachers and education, too. Textbooks??

Just because everyone went to school, doesn’t mean they know everything about education.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:More traditional education. Textbooks. Paper and pencils. Focus on learning grammar. Study habits. Higher expectations overall. Kids who were APS honor roll students having to actually work hard and not getting automatic As.

I’m an APS teacher. I give all you people about two minutes before you start finding fault with your private school teachers and education, too. Textbooks??

Just because everyone went to school, doesn’t mean they know everything about education.

NP. It will take them a little longer to realize that the grass isn't greener. Actually, the more money they're paying, the longer it will take. Years, probably, maybe many years.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:More traditional education. Textbooks. Paper and pencils. Focus on learning grammar. Study habits. Higher expectations overall. Kids who were APS honor roll students having to actually work hard and not getting automatic As.

I’m an APS teacher. I give all you people about two minutes before you start finding fault with your private school teachers and education, too. Textbooks??

Just because everyone went to school, doesn’t mean they know everything about education.

NP. It will take them a little longer to realize that the grass isn't greener. Actually, the more money they're paying, the longer it will take. Years, probably, maybe many years.

Someone is a little bitter.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:More traditional education. Textbooks. Paper and pencils. Focus on learning grammar. Study habits. Higher expectations overall. Kids who were APS honor roll students having to actually work hard and not getting automatic As.

I’m an APS teacher. I give all you people about two minutes before you start finding fault with your private school teachers and education, too. Textbooks??

Just because everyone went to school, doesn’t mean they know everything about education.

Yes, textbooks. They also teach spelling and handwriting. Why these things are novel in APS I have no idea.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:More traditional education. Textbooks. Paper and pencils. Focus on learning grammar. Study habits. Higher expectations overall. Kids who were APS honor roll students having to actually work hard and not getting automatic As.

I’m an APS teacher. I give all you people about two minutes before you start finding fault with your private school teachers and education, too. Textbooks??

Just because everyone went to school, doesn’t mean they know everything about education.

Are you an APS teacher disparaging text books?? You know more about education because you're an APS teacher?
I thought it was APS just dismissing and saving costs of textbooks. If it's APS teachers who are so disparaging, I wish we could go private.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:More traditional education. Textbooks. Paper and pencils. Focus on learning grammar. Study habits. Higher expectations overall. Kids who were APS honor roll students having to actually work hard and not getting automatic As.

I’m an APS teacher. I give all you people about two minutes before you start finding fault with your private school teachers and education, too. Textbooks??

Just because everyone went to school, doesn’t mean they know everything about education.

Yes, textbooks. They also teach spelling and handwriting. Why these things are novel in APS I have no idea.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:More traditional education. Textbooks. Paper and pencils. Focus on learning grammar. Study habits. Higher expectations overall. Kids who were APS honor roll students having to actually work hard and not getting automatic As.

I’m an APS teacher. I give all you people about two minutes before you start finding fault with your private school teachers and education, too. Textbooks??

Just because everyone went to school, doesn’t mean they know everything about education.

Someone feeling inferior? If your product is just as good, why are your students performing so badly? You really can’t blame parents for wanting to leave a sinking ship.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:More traditional education. Textbooks. Paper and pencils. Focus on learning grammar. Study habits. Higher expectations overall. Kids who were APS honor roll students having to actually work hard and not getting automatic As.

I’m an APS teacher. I give all you people about two minutes before you start finding fault with your private school teachers and education, too. Textbooks??

Just because everyone went to school, doesn’t mean they know everything about education.

Yes, textbooks. They also teach spelling and handwriting. Why these things are novel in APS I have no idea.

Handwriting is really important nowadays.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:More traditional education. Textbooks. Paper and pencils. Focus on learning grammar. Study habits. Higher expectations overall. Kids who were APS honor roll students having to actually work hard and not getting automatic As.

I’m an APS teacher. I give all you people about two minutes before you start finding fault with your private school teachers and education, too. Textbooks??

Just because everyone went to school, doesn’t mean they know everything about education.

Are you an APS teacher disparaging text books?? You know more about education because you're an APS teacher?
I thought it was APS just dismissing and saving costs of textbooks. If it's APS teachers who are so disparaging, I wish we could go private.

I know more about teaching and learning because it’s my profession, for which I have gone to school and been trained for. Textbooks are boring. I teach the same material in an engaging way, so that learning is joyful. It doesn’t have to hurt.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:More traditional education. Textbooks. Paper and pencils. Focus on learning grammar. Study habits. Higher expectations overall. Kids who were APS honor roll students having to actually work hard and not getting automatic As.

I’m an APS teacher. I give all you people about two minutes before you start finding fault with your private school teachers and education, too. Textbooks??

Just because everyone went to school, doesn’t mean they know everything about education.

Are you an APS teacher disparaging text books?? You know more about education because you're an APS teacher?
I thought it was APS just dismissing and saving costs of textbooks. If it's APS teachers who are so disparaging, I wish we could go private.

I know more about teaching and learning because it’s my profession, for which I have gone to school and been trained for. Textbooks are boring. I teach the same material in an engaging way, so that learning is joyful. It doesn’t have to hurt.

If you are so knowledgeable, why are so many of your kids failing?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:More traditional education. Textbooks. Paper and pencils. Focus on learning grammar. Study habits. Higher expectations overall. Kids who were APS honor roll students having to actually work hard and not getting automatic As.

I’m an APS teacher. I give all you people about two minutes before you start finding fault with your private school teachers and education, too. Textbooks??

Just because everyone went to school, doesn’t mean they know everything about education.

Are you an APS teacher disparaging text books?? You know more about education because you're an APS teacher?
I thought it was APS just dismissing and saving costs of textbooks. If it's APS teachers who are so disparaging, I wish we could go private.

I know more about teaching and learning because it’s my profession, for which I have gone to school and been trained for. Textbooks are boring. I teach the same material in an engaging way, so that learning is joyful. It doesn’t have to hurt.

Except for when my child comes home and doesn't understand a concept. And I have no way to reference what he/she is learning to help. And he/she has no way to review on their own. And there is no easy to access record of what they are supposed to be learning. I can see not using textbooks for advanced HS classes, but it's really so nice to have a grammar textbook, actual math worksheets, and other resources parents can use to help their kids at home. Do you have children that you are trying to help learn at home? Because that's a perspective worth learning about as well.

And re: handwriting, do we think our children are going to enter a society where they never ever write their names? Write a check? Fill out a form? Write a thank-you note?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:More traditional education. Textbooks. Paper and pencils. Focus on learning grammar. Study habits. Higher expectations overall. Kids who were APS honor roll students having to actually work hard and not getting automatic As.

I’m an APS teacher. I give all you people about two minutes before you start finding fault with your private school teachers and education, too. Textbooks??

Just because everyone went to school, doesn’t mean they know everything about education.

Are you an APS teacher disparaging text books?? You know more about education because you're an APS teacher?
I thought it was APS just dismissing and saving costs of textbooks. If it's APS teachers who are so disparaging, I wish we could go private.

I know more about teaching and learning because it’s my profession, for which I have gone to school and been trained for. Textbooks are boring. I teach the same material in an engaging way, so that learning is joyful. It doesn’t have to hurt.

Except for when my child comes home and doesn't understand a concept. And I have no way to reference what he/she is learning to help. And he/she has no way to review on their own. And there is no easy to access record of what they are supposed to be learning. I can see not using textbooks for advanced HS classes, but it's really so nice to have a grammar textbook, actual math worksheets, and other resources parents can use to help their kids at home. Do you have children that you are trying to help learn at home? Because that's a perspective worth learning about as well.

And re: handwriting, do we think our children are going to enter a society where they never ever write their names? Write a check? Fill out a form? Write a thank-you note?

All of this. ALL OF THIS.

[Anonymous]

Sorry I have no business being in this thread but I want to say that as a child I loved learning from textbooks! A lot of them were fun to read and they had lots of interesting pictures.