Forum Index
»
Schools and Education General Discussion
Public School Teachers - any different than private school teachers?
![[Post New]](/jforum/templates/default/images/icon_minipost_new.gif){kind=icon}
Anonymous
|
OP here again. I specifically asked for teachers not to respond to this forum. Why can't I just ask a question to parents (not teachers, and not parent-teachers) and get their answers only?
I have no choice but to generalize because I can not visit all the public schools, nor can I visit several public schools numerous times, nor do I have a hidden camera to observe teachers repeatedly over the course of a year. So therefore, I must make decisions and choices based on the little information I can gather based on my own observation and research. I'm sorry if my opinion reflects badly on some teachers. My son's welfare is at stake and that is a large concern for me. I can't allow any teacher to talk to my child the way these two public school teachers spoke that day to their students. These teachers were grouchy and looked pressured and frustrated. This is in a very affluent neighborhood with schools that boast stellar scores and feed into a fantastic highschool. Kids don't often go home and tell their parents everything about school, about whether their teacher was mean to them that day, made a huge deal over something petty, etc...So it's up to me to try to gather as much information about the teachers in advance. We actually considered moving to a different school district that we heard was better. But the school said it would not allow any observations. Right away, I took that school off my list. Any school that doesn't allow observations isn't going to be entrusted with my son. |
Anonymous
| You would actually move your family just b/c of one bad teacher? What if there are bad teachers at his new school? I understand you not wanting your child to be treated the way you described. But go through the proper chain of command and deal w/ it that way first. I had an abusive teacher in ES but my mom spoke the the principal a few times and my teacher toned it down a bit. Then I was on the the next grade and didn't have any problems until late middle school. Bad teachers are part of life and they can be anywhere. Just like bad husbands, friends, etc. |
Anonymous
|
Agree with the PP who said there is no way to generalize. We have one child in public and one in private, and in both we have had both outstanding and mediocre teachers.
|
Anonymous
| It is luck of the draw. Just like you can go to a retail store and get fabulous service from one person and bad service from another. The service industry, too. We were at a luxury resort for a company meeting and you would think for the prices my company was paying, we'd receive excellent service from everyone. Nope - most employees were great, some were average and a few were not so good. |
Anonymous
|
Did someone already mention this? Sorry if so.
One difference between public school teachers and private school teachers is that the former group on the whole gets paid a lot more than the latter group, on the whole. I have a SIL, single, who would likely be a very good teacher wherever she went. At the moment, she's rocking at a Title I school in Md. However, she cannot live, save, and pay down college debt unless she makes about what Montgomery County is paying her. The private school she was interested in - because it's practically across the street - couldn't come close in compensation. |
Anonymous
| Quick question to OP (new poster here): in your 00:45 post, are you by any chance talking about an elementary school that feeds into Langley High School? The reason I'm asking is that I'm running into the no-observation rule at an elementary in that pyramid.. |
Anonymous
Agree. We have one child who has been in both public and private and it's been a mix both places. |
Anonymous
One of the bad teachers was the "lead teacher" according to the administration. So that teacher sets the tone for all other teachers at that school. We heard the other school was a better school anyhow - except that they are not allowing observations. Yes, I would move to a school that had better teachers. If he gets stuck in a class with a bad teacher I'd talk to the teacher first at least two or three times. Then I'd move up the chain of command. If that doesn't work, I will ask to have him moved. If that doesn't work I think I'd write the superintendant!! Who knows.. |
Anonymous
OP here. YES! Isn't it ridiculous that they aren't allowing observations? |
Anonymous
| 15:54 here, in response to OP's last reply: please don't tell me that this is Spring Hill Elementary! I've been trying to find out more about this school as it's our local PS elementary. I posted here yesterday about the classroom observation issue. We moved to this area in part because of the excellent public schools but are now rethinking.. |
Anonymous
| No, it isn't Spring Hill. |
Anonymous
| thanks for letting me know! |
Anonymous
Are you talking about regular scheduled open houses? In Montgomery County, all elementary schools have open houses for incoming kindergarten students. I also know that many schools have open houses for any prospective families that will be NEW to the school. Again, these are scheduled dates throughout the year. I don't know of any school that you can just call on any given day and say that you want to come and observe a particular grade. After all, teachers are professionals. You wouldn't make a request to a doctor that you observe him/her with a patient prior to deciding if you want to use him/her as your physician. If you are saying that there is a specific school that simply does not allow prospective families into the school AT ALL, then I totally agree that this should be some kind of red flag. |
Anonymous
| curious—why do private school teachers make less than public? |
Anonymous
| smaller class size, less pressure, less workload, no union protection |