Oyster parents -- What do you love/hate about the school?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Every white person says what the pp says, until middle school. It isn't going to be kindergarten forever.

LOL Every white person...like all the black people think Korean stores are dirty

PP was joking, right?

What I love about Oyster is that the reality is much friendlier and tolerant than the vocal few obsessed personal vendettas that nobody cares about anymore.

11:47 is correct. Although it's not clear thay s/he is white.

If you have zero Spanish language exposure you may feel like you're at a disadvantage in adult conversations. Sometimes it's uncomfortable to be a minority. But most of the "Spanish speakers" have some English skills. Many of the "English", "white ", "Divas" or whomever offended PP speak or understand Spanish. Many people can relate to being a minority or feeling "different". That doesn't make us perfect people, but the degree of diversity is somewhat unique for DC.

Diversity can complicate communication. Among parents (and some teachers and some staff) this is less of a problem. We all share the same objectives for our children no matter where we are from.

There plenty of things I hate. But it's not kids or families.

[Anonymous]

Everyone is my family is pretty much fully bilingual and bicultural, and DC is joining Oyster next year, so we can't wait to meet so many great parents, kids and staff!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:we have had a kid at Oyster K for a year and another going to K next year. We left a private montessori to go to Oyster and it was not a financial decision. We can afford private,

We chose Oyster because we think bilingual education will be terrific for our kids. Not just because they will be bilingual but because of the work their young brains will do in becoming bilingual.

We also like the idea of building up our local schools in DC. The city will only become truly integrated if more middle/upper class families go public. Otherwise it is socioeconomic apartheid.

And on some level I like walking the walk not just talking the talk on diversity and exposure to different cultures.

We haven't had many playdates with either anglos or latinos. But my daughter is very aware that there are people from different backgrounds in her class. A few African Americans, Puerto Ricans, Spanish (from Spain), SOuth Americans and then all the kids from mixed families with one parent bilingual.

I suppose as she gets older maybe the divide between the cultures will emerge. The only barrier I feel right now is that I don't speak Spanish (am learning) so it is hard for me to befriend the SPanish speakers. But that isn't just true for the lower-middle class Latinos. it is also true of the doctor from Argentina and the IMF employee from Spain. I am hoping as our family becomes more bilingual we will be better equipped to cross that barrier.

In all schools there are socioeconomic barriers. But I like to think that at Oyster it is not all divided along language lines.

As for the academics, I would venture to say that the education isn't quite on par with the Montessori. I preferred the Montessori approach to reading and math, whereas at Oyster there is a more traditional public school approach with lots of group chanting of "A is for Apple" sort of stuff. And I miss the Montessori use of beads and objects to learn math concepts.

But here is the thing: My kid learns a ton at home just from being with us and in a family that values critical thinking and curiosity about the world. We aren't the flash card type of family but we are just engaged in our surroundings and encourage our kids to ask questions and explore.

And knowing her brain is getting a serious workout from learning a new language (neurons firing like crazy up there!) I am ok with taking a small hit on the reading and math. And it is a small hit. After all: this is KINDERGARTEN. This is elementary school. At this age children spend more time becoming social beings. The major work (in my opinion) is done 0-5 and then in junior high/high/college.

The other thing is my child is SO HAPPY at Oyster. She has transformed from a kid who had a flat affect about school to one who is animated and excited about school.

These pluses are pretty compelling to me. ENough to pull my second kid out of private a year earlier than we had planned (and we really did love that private!)

I don't remember A is for Apple reading instruction at Oyster. It's literacy component was pretty cutting edge. That does not sound right to me.

[Anonymous]

That was one of the most insightful comments in DCUM in weeks. What do you have to say about the rest, based on your experience?

[Anonymous]

17:01: what do you mean by "personal vendetta"? Against WHO? This is the problem with Oyster, critiques are "vendettas". If there's a vendetta it's against Oyster kids who are not able to have equal, quality after care as their fellow students every day who are in the OCA. The parents who rule ought to get out of the business of administration, and the principal should be fired.

[Anonymous]

"That was one of the most insightful comments in DCUM in weeks. What do you have to say about the rest, based on your experience?"

Insightful? Not really. But it was a pretty thorough love letter to the school. No harm in that, but calling it insightful is giving it way more credit than it's worth.

[Anonymous]

22:01 - I get to say what I deem to be insightful. I found that comment was, and for many reasons. Yours isn't. 21:54 isn't either. You do seem to have some deep grudge or personal vendetta, which I won't dignify by even trying to address.

Buenas noches.

[Anonymous]

Jeez, I've been an Oyster-Adams parent for 6 years and have been completely oblivious to this type of melodrama. I read threads like this one and wonder - who are these people? Most parents of my kid's friends all seem quite normal and pleasant. But, apparently, there is some serious bitterness lurking in places I've not been ...

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Jeez, I've been an Oyster-Adams parent for 6 years and have been completely oblivious to this type of melodrama. I read threads like this one and wonder - who are these people? Most parents of my kid's friends all seem quite normal and pleasant. But, apparently, there is some serious bitterness lurking in places I've not been ...

+1000

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:17:01: what do you mean by "personal vendetta"? Against WHO? This is the problem with Oyster, critiques are "vendettas". If there's a vendetta it's against Oyster kids who are not able to have equal, quality after care as their fellow students every day who are in the OCA. The parents who rule ought to get out of the business of administration, and the principal should be fired.

OK, vendetta may be too strong a word. PP seems to have a grudge. Merriam-Webster - "a strong feeling of anger toward someone that lasts for a long time". PP's reference to critique, "a careful judgment in which you give your opinion about the good and bad parts of something", sounds a lot more like a complaint "a statement that you are unhappy or not satisfied with something".

Ironically the principal has publicly critiqued both aftercare programs and the existence of two tracks to beging with. She hasn't really done anything about it (complaints) than to have DCPS offer aftercare to the 2/3 of kids who weren't already in OCA and call on the mythical "parents who rule" to figure it out.

Most families seem more concerned with the good and bad of what happens DURING the school day to ALL children. Word games aside, the DCPS aftercare cuts make OCA vs OST a moot point anyway.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Everyone is my family is pretty much fully bilingual and bicultural, and DC is joining Oyster next year, so we can't wait to meet so many great parents, kids and staff!

Bienvenidos! There is a community meeting the evening of June 6 in the Oyster building that can give you a glimpse of how parents try to work together, as well as some of the challenges and opportunities at school. The parent-teacher organization (called OCC) will present the budget for spending next year on school initiatives not covered in DCPS.