How do private schools manage to get through everything?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:They can ditch the problematic and dumb kids. They don't have to waste time on stupid state testing that proves nothing other than that the majority of kids in public can't read or write at grade level.

As Op said, and most of us know, the private schools here have about 15-20 less days of school instruction.

And we’d appreciate some level setting and standardized tests at this point. No meaningful feedback to date except On Grade Level, Nationally.
Quite the goal…

[Anonymous]

My son’s private school class is 10 kids. It is insanely easy to cover material when you can basically do small group tutoring all day.

Even so, the teacher won’t have finished the math curriculum by the end of the year :/ Her passion is elsewhere, so they spent extra time on some subjects and less on math, I guess.

[Anonymous]

I had one in public two years ahead of one in private through middle school. Private was way more advanced and way more in depth. More covered and frankly more learned. Public moves way slower to allow slower kids to catch up. Private is not filled with brilliant kids but it is filled with pretty smart kids. If not they are counseled out. That means you can do a lot more.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:They can ditch the problematic and dumb kids. They don't have to waste time on stupid state testing that proves nothing other than that the majority of kids in public can't read or write at grade level.

As Op said, and most of us know, the private schools here have about 15-20 less days of school instruction.

And we’d appreciate some level setting and standardized tests at this point. No meaningful feedback to date except On Grade Level, Nationally.
Quite the goal…

My private school lower school kids take the ERBs annually, this year the lowest score for either of them on any section was 90th percentile nationally. If your school isn’t doing this maybe you should do some testing yourself or switch schools, but it’s strange to lump all private schools into this misleading group. We also aren’t missing 15-20 days, as we start classes in August and have over an hour of extra school time every day.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:They can ditch the problematic and dumb kids. They don't have to waste time on stupid state testing that proves nothing other than that the majority of kids in public can't read or write at grade level.

As Op said, and most of us know, the private schools here have about 15-20 less days of school instruction.

And we’d appreciate some level setting and standardized tests at this point. No meaningful feedback to date except On Grade Level, Nationally.
Quite the goal…

What you are supposed to do is leave if you are not happy. What more do you want? We get emails home if anything interesting. Lots of progress reports. What are you looking for?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My son’s private school class is 10 kids. It is insanely easy to cover material when you can basically do small group tutoring all day.

Even so, the teacher won’t have finished the math curriculum by the end of the year :/ Her passion is elsewhere, so they spent extra time on some subjects and less on math, I guess.

What was her passion to teach to?

[Anonymous]

My experience (with one in private and one in public) is that private covers less number of topics but the topics it covers are deeper and better developed.

Public school moves "faster" with more topics covered so way more exposure, but less advanced on the topics.

Just as an example less writing assignements in private but the writing assignments that are assigned go through several drafts, lots of re-writing, peer review, teacher review etc, so it seems like less work but it results in a way better product.

But there are pros and cons - felt like my public school kid got exposed to more and had more opportunities for better variety of classes.

My private school kid has an interest that he developed too late to get more classes because he didn't know he liked it and now there are no more classes.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:They can ditch the problematic and dumb kids. They don't have to waste time on stupid state testing that proves nothing other than that the majority of kids in public can't read or write at grade level.

As Op said, and most of us know, the private schools here have about 15-20 less days of school instruction.

And we’d appreciate some level setting and standardized tests at this point. No meaningful feedback to date except On Grade Level, Nationally.
Quite the goal…

My private school lower school kids take the ERBs annually, this year the lowest score for either of them on any section was 90th percentile nationally. If your school isn’t doing this maybe you should do some testing yourself or switch schools, but it’s strange to lump all private schools into this misleading group. We also aren’t missing 15-20 days, as we start classes in August and have over an hour of extra school time every day.

You must not be in the Wash DC area where 95% if the private schools start after Labor Day. Not helpful.

Plus most schools are range from progressive to extremely progressive topics, so kids don’t test well in ERBs or MAP.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My experience (with one in private and one in public) is that private covers less number of topics but the topics it covers are deeper and better developed.

Public school moves "faster" with more topics covered so way more exposure, but less advanced on the topics.

Just as an example less writing assignements in private but the writing assignments that are assigned go through several drafts, lots of re-writing, peer review, teacher review etc, so it seems like less work but it results in a way better product.

But there are pros and cons - felt like my public school kid got exposed to more and had more opportunities for better variety of classes.

My private school kid has an interest that he developed too late to get more classes because he didn't know he liked it and now there are no more classes.

We have the same rub. We want to use the adolescent years to exposure students to many things so they can find their passions, strengths and weaknesses, as well as make educated citizens on a variety of subjects, then pick and choose for electives in high school and majors in college. Instead k-8 teachers are doing significant picking and choosing what to teach within each foundational subject.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I'm surprised at all these people paying for what sounds like truly terrible private schools!

I have one in public and one in private.
My sense is the biggest difference is class size. Having 25 kids instead of 12 kids in a class truly doubles the time for so many things, from class presentations to just lining up and going to lunch or bathroom breaks.

The public school also seems to do so much more in "small groups" For example, at the private school, they switch classes for math based on ability, so each kid gets 45 minutes of math class. At the public school, there are three math groups. So the hour long math block involves basically three 15 minute "classes" plus wasted time for switching between the groups. So each kid only gets 15ish minutes of true instruction, and then "independent practice" or iready for the rest of the period.

No, not at a “terrible private,” one of the tops in the area. You assume that they cover everything, keep believing that.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:They have shorter school years and longer recesses. How do they manage to get through their curriculum? Or are they behind public school?

Yes they’re behind the strong public schools, as far as getting through things or everything.

Math workbooks come home 25% complete, if that.

My younger kid is at a more academic public school than the older’s Big 3. we often remake and have the older child do the younger child’s awesome worksheets since we know a ton of basics were never covered. Most of the time the lesson is warranted and was not taught. Sigh.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We don’t get graded work or tests back and we have yet to see any writing or revisions make it home this year. A generic email comes out on a general topic covered in one or two subjects. Report cards are the same, mainly go over what the grade covered that trimester. No specialists work with the class for reading or math, unless substituting. Homework is formulaic and kids rewrite the question as the response and get a star. Once some flashcards got emailed to the parents since half the grade didn’t get taught the times tables. Mainly conceptual math, no numerical accuracy or math facts taught or expected. Lower school.

What the heck school is this!? Should not be the case at any shool, much less private.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:They have shorter school years and longer recesses. How do they manage to get through their curriculum? Or are they behind public school?

At our school, school day is much longer. Fewer professional days, snow days, and snow delays.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My experience (with one in private and one in public) is that private covers less number of topics but the topics it covers are deeper and better developed.

Public school moves "faster" with more topics covered so way more exposure, but less advanced on the topics.

Just as an example less writing assignements in private but the writing assignments that are assigned go through several drafts, lots of re-writing, peer review, teacher review etc, so it seems like less work but it results in a way better product.

But there are pros and cons - felt like my public school kid got exposed to more and had more opportunities for better variety of classes.

My private school kid has an interest that he developed too late to get more classes because he didn't know he liked it and now there are no more classes.

I have one in each as well. I think this is generally right. Also, teachers don't have piles of paperwork to get to (IEPs, periodic required testing, reports on every indicent, RITs, etc.) so they can also spend more time grading, reviewing and focusing in on the work produced. They also have 1/2 the kids in a class than our public.

I think public has plenty of benefits, but teacher time is not one of them.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I'm surprised at all these people paying for what sounds like truly terrible private schools!

I have one in public and one in private.
My sense is the biggest difference is class size. Having 25 kids instead of 12 kids in a class truly doubles the time for so many things, from class presentations to just lining up and going to lunch or bathroom breaks.

The public school also seems to do so much more in "small groups" For example, at the private school, they switch classes for math based on ability, so each kid gets 45 minutes of math class. At the public school, there are three math groups. So the hour long math block involves basically three 15 minute "classes" plus wasted time for switching between the groups. So each kid only gets 15ish minutes of true instruction, and then "independent practice" or iready for the rest of the period.

I believe it is a troll or two. If not, joke is on them for continuing to pay for what they see a a substandard education. We have none of those issues with either private school our kids attend.