Most Rigorous Elementary School

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP you probably need to define rigor particularly when you are talking about lower ES. Additionally, paying for private school doesn’t mean you are going to get an individualized program. It’s just smaller classes which means you could get more attention if needed.

You might want to try a Montessori or Waldorf school.

Waldorf is the opposite of rigor in the early grades, very much on purpose.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote: In many foreign countries, in K, kids learn cursive, how to read, how to write full sentences, addition and subtraction with numbers between 1 and 100, memorizing poems and someone even told me they memorize times tables in his country.

I would not use the word "rigorous" but our small Montessori did most of those things in K and 1st grade, but "Times tables" were later. The 1st grade sentences were pretty simple, and they were taught the basic parts of speech starting in 1st grade.

ALL kids at that school were reading before Halloween in 1st grade. A few kids were reading at age 3. A lot of kids were reading in K. It helped that they started teaching letters, numbers, and then Phonics during the 2-yr old / Toddler year.

They must have screened out/pushed out the 1 in 5 kids with dyslexia.

[Anonymous]

Parents that want rigor- do you children know how to socialize with peers (not just adults)? Do they know how to handle problems if someone is mean to them or don't have to jump in and intervene? Do they play well with others and know how to read body language and take social cues? Do they know how to collaborate and work as a team or are they always right? Rigor in K is just silly it's a time to build their social emotional intelligence not just academics.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I grew up in a foreign country, and it is only in the US that people are like “oh no please no rigor for our child”! In many foreign countries, in K, kids learn cursive, how to read, how to write full sentences, addition and soustraction with numbers between 1 and 100, memorizing poems and someone even told me they memorize times tables in his country. If OP wants more rigor she should be able to find it in this free country.

That school was preparing you for life in a culture and society that works very differently than that of this country and society. I say that as a 1st generation mom in a mixed family. Families who continually try to translate the formulaic approach to education that they grow up with that focuses only on academics and scores are going to continue to struggle and be disappointed by how things actually work here when it comes to college, the job market, and professional careers.

As my mom says, there is a reason she worked hard so we could grow up here.

DP here. A vast majority of our school system does NOT prepare our children if we are hoping for them to strive for the top jobs. Just look at all the top STEM and research positions, they are disproportionately people who grew up outside the U.S. If the child is smart to begin with, saying the parents should not try to maximize their academic learning makes no sense. I don’t think anyone is saying any kid should ONLY focus on academics.

Hate to tell you this, but there is life beyond STEM and research. And whether I agree with it or not, there’s a lot more money and possibly more fulfillment beyond those fields, too!

-research scientist

[Anonymous]

My son was reading chapter books before he started kindergarten. It’s all about supplementing at home.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My son was reading chapter books before he started kindergarten. It’s all about supplementing at home.

Mine was writing chapter books before kindergarten and we didn’t even supplement.

[Anonymous]

Private school academics don't ramp until middle school. If you want rigorous academics it is so easy to supplement at that age.

Private school will tell you they will challenge students but that causes problems because other parents will then want their child to have an individualized curriculum or will want their child challenged or wonder why your child is more advanced and theirs isn't. It is so much easier to teach them all the same thing.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I grew up in a foreign country, and it is only in the US that people are like “oh no please no rigor for our child”! In many foreign countries, in K, kids learn cursive, how to read, how to write full sentences, addition and soustraction with numbers between 1 and 100, memorizing poems and someone even told me they memorize times tables in his country. If OP wants more rigor she should be able to find it in this free country.

That school was preparing you for life in a culture and society that works very differently than that of this country and society. I say that as a 1st generation mom in a mixed family. Families who continually try to translate the formulaic approach to education that they grow up with that focuses only on academics and scores are going to continue to struggle and be disappointed by how things actually work here when it comes to college, the job market, and professional careers.

As my mom says, there is a reason she worked hard so we could grow up here.

DP here. A vast majority of our school system does NOT prepare our children if we are hoping for them to strive for the top jobs. Just look at all the top STEM and research positions, they are disproportionately people who grew up outside the U.S. If the child is smart to begin with, saying the parents should not try to maximize their academic learning makes no sense. I don’t think anyone is saying any kid should ONLY focus on academics.

Hate to tell you this, but there is life beyond STEM and research. And whether I agree with it or not, there’s a lot more money and possibly more fulfillment beyond those fields, too!

-research scientist

The premise is obviously around fields that, in the U.S., are available to just about any high achieving students that are vis-a-vis in other countries. PP’s argument is that rigor and focus on academics may work in a foreign country but somehow in the U.S. that same academic rigor won’t lead to similar success.

Of course there are other professional careers out there other than STEM. There are also people who get rich from singing and painting which don’t require academics whatsoever. Doesn’t mean a kid who is excelling in academics should forego that gift.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I grew up in a foreign country, and it is only in the US that people are like “oh no please no rigor for our child”! In many foreign countries, in K, kids learn cursive, how to read, how to write full sentences, addition and soustraction with numbers between 1 and 100, memorizing poems and someone even told me they memorize times tables in his country. If OP wants more rigor she should be able to find it in this free country.

That school was preparing you for life in a culture and society that works very differently than that of this country and society. I say that as a 1st generation mom in a mixed family. Families who continually try to translate the formulaic approach to education that they grow up with that focuses only on academics and scores are going to continue to struggle and be disappointed by how things actually work here when it comes to college, the job market, and professional careers.

As my mom says, there is a reason she worked hard so we could grow up here.

DP here. A vast majority of our school system does NOT prepare our children if we are hoping for them to strive for the top jobs. Just look at all the top STEM and research positions, they are disproportionately people who grew up outside the U.S. If the child is smart to begin with, saying the parents should not try to maximize their academic learning makes no sense. I don’t think anyone is saying any kid should ONLY focus on academics.

Hate to tell you this, but there is life beyond STEM and research. And whether I agree with it or not, there’s a lot more money and possibly more fulfillment beyond those fields, too!

-research scientist

The premise is obviously around fields that, in the U.S., are available to just about any high achieving students that are vis-a-vis in other countries. PP’s argument is that rigor and focus on academics may work in a foreign country but somehow in the U.S. that same academic rigor won’t lead to similar success.

Of course there are other professional careers out there other than STEM. There are also people who get rich from singing and painting which don’t require academics whatsoever. Doesn’t mean a kid who is excelling in academics should forego that gift.

How is the choice in your mind STEM or being a singer? Can you really not imagine any other fulfilling, high paying careers?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:A friend who lives in Frederick wants to put her daughter into a classical charter school. They provide the hardest curriculum in each subject. She told me they have over 900 people on their waiting list. I think the majority of parents are looking for a very rigorist school.

Maybe so. But we actually do have a free market here and there just aren’t enough customers for your “rigor.”
Or maybe there are but they can’t pay for it… which should tell you something about whether it’s really a good thing.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I grew up in a foreign country, and it is only in the US that people are like “oh no please no rigor for our child”! In many foreign countries, in K, kids learn cursive, how to read, how to write full sentences, addition and soustraction with numbers between 1 and 100, memorizing poems and someone even told me they memorize times tables in his country. If OP wants more rigor she should be able to find it in this free country.

Exactly

[Anonymous]

There is time for learning both social skills and academics in kindergarten. It’s not either/or. OP, if you have a bright kid who wants to learn, I agree with others here that a Montessori school is likely the only place where they will be able to learn at their individual level.

[Anonymous]

When my DD was that age, I thought she was "advanced," and I was saddened that she wasn't learning three digit multiplication. The teacher assured me that allowing her to dump out all of the puzzles available in the classroom at the same time and racing with a classmate to finish to get them done before recess was challenge enough. Fast forward to 4th grade...she was several levels above in math and reading at a high school level (challenging to find appropriate books)...and to high school...her spatial awareness and problem solving skills are exceptional and...she's HAPPY. Guess what. Her peers caught up to her in reading. In math, she's more or less on grade level. A great student, but not the top. Let your kid be happy and play.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote: In many foreign countries, in K, kids learn cursive, how to read, how to write full sentences, addition and subtraction with numbers between 1 and 100, memorizing poems and someone even told me they memorize times tables in his country.

I would not use the word "rigorous" but our small Montessori did most of those things in K and 1st grade, but "Times tables" were later. The 1st grade sentences were pretty simple, and they were taught the basic parts of speech starting in 1st grade.

ALL kids at that school were reading before Halloween in 1st grade. A few kids were reading at age 3. A lot of kids were reading in K. It helped that they started teaching letters, numbers, and then Phonics during the 2-yr old / Toddler year.

They must have screened out/pushed out the 1 in 5 kids with dyslexia.

Actually, no. They have a full-time Orton-Gillingham Reading Specialist, who works with multiple grades, but concentrates on the K and 1st grade students. Any child who is having difficulty gets pull outs with her, starting early in K. They do not wait for any sort of formal diagnosis, but instead just identify the kids having more difficulty and immediately start the pull outs.

Most kids arrive in K or earlier. Usually few or no openings at 1st grade.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My son was reading chapter books before he started kindergarten. It’s all about supplementing at home.

Yes, and math supplementing also is both widespread and important. Most US schools do not have enough math repetition in elementary grades.