Top private (Sidwell, GDS) versus top public (JKLM) for early years: what are the differences?

[Anonymous]

We are in L and Big 3 (and drive a 15 year old car, not a Hundai). This discussion has been interesting. L has been nice, but quite frankly the racial and socio-economic diversity is far greater at the private school.

I think the main difference relates back to happiness. The private student is actively happy to get up in the morning and go to school. L student is more ambivelent. Will be interesting to see what happens next year when they start there.

Foundational academics are not too different, but the instilled inquisition, love of learning etc, that we see at the private as compared to the public is very different and better. Ultimately, we have been happy with L, but there is a qualitative difference in favor of the private.

[Anonymous]

And I bet you are glad you saved money from elementary x 2 kids at L

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We are in L and Big 3 (and drive a 15 year old car, not a Hundai). This discussion has been interesting. L has been nice, but quite frankly the racial and socio-economic diversity is far greater at the private school.

I think the main difference relates back to happiness. The private student is actively happy to get up in the morning and go to school. L student is more ambivelent. Will be interesting to see what happens next year when they start there.

Foundational academics are not too different, but the instilled inquisition, love of learning etc, that we see at the private as compared to the public is very different and better. Ultimately, we have been happy with L, but there is a qualitative difference in favor of the private.

Thanks, veru useful!
OP

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We are in L and Big 3 (and drive a 15 year old car, not a Hundai). This discussion has been interesting. L has been nice, but quite frankly the racial and socio-economic diversity is far greater at the private school.

I think the main difference relates back to happiness. The private student is actively happy to get up in the morning and go to school. L student is more ambivelent. Will be interesting to see what happens next year when they start there.

Foundational academics are not too different, but the instilled inquisition, love of learning etc, that we see at the private as compared to the public is very different and better. Ultimately, we have been happy with L, but there is a qualitative difference in favor of the private.

How do you know that is not just a function of personality, age, etc.?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

How do you know that is not just a function of personality, age, etc.?

I don't, but DC is enthusiastic about other activities and is generally upbeat. As I said, it will be interesting to see what happens in the fall.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

How do you know that is not just a function of personality, age, etc.?

I don't, but DC is enthusiastic about other activities and is generally upbeat. As I said, it will be interesting to see what happens in the fall.

PP, this is why we are switching to private lower school for our kids. Public has become a highly regimented learning machine. We want more recess, specials, and more time devoted to active learning that the public schools currently allow teachers to provide in the lower grades (perhaps different in a charter, but we have no direct experience). That said, if cost of private was at all a stretch, I'd wait for middle because that's when I think the smaller class and school size really make a difference.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

How do you know that is not just a function of personality, age, etc.?

I don't, but DC is enthusiastic about other activities and is generally upbeat. As I said, it will be interesting to see what happens in the fall.

PP, this is why we are switching to private lower school for our kids. Public has become a highly regimented learning machine. We want more recess, specials, and more time devoted to active learning that the public schools currently allow teachers to provide in the lower grades (perhaps different in a charter, but we have no direct experience). That said, if cost of private was at all a stretch, I'd wait for middle because that's when I think the smaller class and school size really make a difference.

Thanks, very useful!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

How do you know that is not just a function of personality, age, etc.?

I don't, but DC is enthusiastic about other activities and is generally upbeat. As I said, it will be interesting to see what happens in the fall.

PP, this is why we are switching to private lower school for our kids. Public has become a highly regimented learning machine. We want more recess, specials, and more time devoted to active learning that the public schools currently allow teachers to provide in the lower grades (perhaps different in a charter, but we have no direct experience). That said, if cost of private was at all a stretch, I'd wait for middle because that's when I think the smaller class and school size really make a difference.

Where u going pp, and by way of cheating because I don't want to the private board, are there privates that start at middle less than $30k/year.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

How do you know that is not just a function of personality, age, etc.?

I don't, but DC is enthusiastic about other activities and is generally upbeat. As I said, it will be interesting to see what happens in the fall.

PP, this is why we are switching to private lower school for our kids. Public has become a highly regimented learning machine. We want more recess, specials, and more time devoted to active learning that the public schools currently allow teachers to provide in the lower grades (perhaps different in a charter, but we have no direct experience). That said, if cost of private was at all a stretch, I'd wait for middle because that's when I think the smaller class and school size really make a difference.

Where are you now? We are at Mann and I feel like it's pretty relaxed.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

How do you know that is not just a function of personality, age, etc.?

I don't, but DC is enthusiastic about other activities and is generally upbeat. As I said, it will be interesting to see what happens in the fall.

PP, this is why we are switching to private lower school for our kids. Public has become a highly regimented learning machine. We want more recess, specials, and more time devoted to active learning that the public schools currently allow teachers to provide in the lower grades (perhaps different in a charter, but we have no direct experience). That said, if cost of private was at all a stretch, I'd wait for middle because that's when I think the smaller class and school size really make a difference.

Where are you now? We are at Mann and I feel like it's pretty relaxed.

We are at Mann and feel the same way - the small class size, the creative art projects, the great science program, and the musicals are truly awesome - kids don't feel any regimentation, I don't see it, except that this year they are having to familiarize 3rd graders with computers for the PARCC, which IMO is a bit ridiculous.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:What is off the grid?

Btw another poster eschewing privates all the while detailing and name dropping as best possible her own list of privates.

the reason to name drop is that other posters who have decided to go public have been accused of "painting all privates with a broad brush" and not being familiar with any of them - not even bothering to investigate. I think the people who went to privates here and are not sending their kids help provide context when we know what schools they were/are familiar with.

Off the grid in my book is sending your kid to an EOTP school, where lots of kinds of learning is going on, not all academic, while the pressure cooker the poster above was referring to (choosing the challenging and presumably private school that she never had for her daughter), and admitting that she had made a mistake.

Pressure cookers tend to be the privates or even Wilson potentially, where you have the Janney kids duking it out for the Ivy League schools, and much less real diversity in the social circle no matter how "diverse" Wilson is on paper.

Just my opinion.

[Anonymous]

Anyone care to comment on the NCS/STA locked thread?

Or another one within the last year which discussed the fact that an NCS bullied girl in the Upper School had to leave the school while there were absolutely no consequences and no "teachable moments" for the bulliers?

My favorite comment from a male friend who had a girl start NCS in 4th grade from a JKLM in the last three years: when asked whether there were any social problems "no," with pride, "she's hard as nails. Anything they throw at her she doubles it and throws it back directly in their faces. And she's got good aim."

Conversation between one former private school kid whose kids are in public, and another who decided to go private after JKLM for all kids. We were former kind of classmates and we are honest with each other. NOT the NCS I went to.
And apparently not the STA he went to either.

oooooooooopsie I just "name dropped" private schools

come on people, how are you supposed to not judge us all as those who came from elsewhere and have eschewed private because we cannot afford it, we did not grow up with it, or we were in Chicago?

[Anonymous]

The prior post has no point.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If money is not an impediment, you go with the top private school every time. But whether money is an impediment depends on each family's finances.

I think of it as analogous to picking a car to drive. My trusty Hyundai can get me to the same places an $80,000 Audi might get me. The Audi will be more comfortable on my tush, will have more safety features, will have a better sound system for my music, will probably get me where I'm going faster, will make me generally happier. If I can afford the extra cost, I'll take the Audi every time. But since I don't have that kind of money lying around, I stick with my Hyundai and stare jealously at Audi drivers.

Interesting analogy. I drive a $20k Hyundai and wouldn't be caught dead in an $80,000 car because I would find it a total violation of my values. You could say the same for private school.

+1. Completely agree.

good lord, yes.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If money is not an impediment, you go with the top private school every time. But whether money is an impediment depends on each family's finances.

I think of it as analogous to picking a car to drive. My trusty Hyundai can get me to the same places an $80,000 Audi might get me. The Audi will be more comfortable on my tush, will have more safety features, will have a better sound system for my music, will probably get me where I'm going faster, will make me generally happier. If I can afford the extra cost, I'll take the Audi every time. But since I don't have that kind of money lying around, I stick with my Hyundai and stare jealously at Audi drivers.

Interesting analogy. I drive a $20k Hyundai and wouldn't be caught dead in an $80,000 car because I would find it a total violation of my values. You could say the same for private school.

+1. Completely agree.

That's fine. If it's against your core values to pay money to improve your child's education, it's certainly your choice not to pay any extra, and it makes this a simple decision for you. I suppose it also means you would not pay extra for tutoring, for extra language instruction, or (taken to an extreme) maybe even to live in a better school district. I'd be very curious to hear where the exact contours of your values apply with regard to spending money for things that benefit you.

For those of us who are willing to spend our money to obtain things we value -- the vast majority of people -- this is a more complex analysis.

It's against my core values not to support public education. That's something I value very much, a greater good I am willing to invest in.