Norwood or GDS for K

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Thank you for all your comments and for sharing your experiences. Really helpful, especially with welcome events being cancelled or scaled back.
We are going for Norwood because we/I have a gut feeling it’s the correct thing for our family. Hopefully with two great options either will work out.

Welcome!

[Anonymous]

I am the PP who observed Norwood as more traditional in learning and GDS as more progressive. I have a follow-on question:

When we toured Norwood we saw abundant use of textbooks and formal curricula. When we toured GDS, it seemed like the teachers were inventing much more, not using pre-created worksheets, and so forth. I don't remember seeing a textbook being displayed the lower school at GDS at all.

Is that reflective of both schools' learning cultures and teaching approaches, or did the tours give us a false impression?

By the way, the GDS preschool teacher claimed to us that they never have PK students who enter able to read. That seems to directly contradict all the DCUM claims that they've got kids reading by the time they turn 4.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Thank you for all your comments and for sharing your experiences. Really helpful, especially with welcome events being cancelled or scaled back.
We are going for Norwood because we/I have a gut feeling it’s the correct thing for our family. Hopefully with two great options either will work out.

Welcome!

+1 Welcome to Norwood, OP! I really think you'll love it.

[Anonymous]

I have direct insight into the Norwood Pre-K classroom. Some children know some basic reading skills when they enter. Some children know their letters and some of the sounds they make. Some children know how to recognize their name and that's about it. It's all over the map--and I assume that is the case everywhere. It is a rare 4 year old that is fluently reading, however, it does happen from time to time. The bottom line is that kids come in with all types of abilities and Pre-K teachers understand how to keep everyone engaged.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I am the PP who observed Norwood as more traditional in learning and GDS as more progressive. I have a follow-on question:

When we toured Norwood we saw abundant use of textbooks and formal curricula. When we toured GDS, it seemed like the teachers were inventing much more, not using pre-created worksheets, and so forth. I don't remember seeing a textbook being displayed the lower school at GDS at all.

Is that reflective of both schools' learning cultures and teaching approaches, or did the tours give us a false impression?

By the way, the GDS preschool teacher claimed to us that they never have PK students who enter able to read. That seems to directly contradict all the DCUM claims that they've got kids reading by the time they turn 4.

GDS LS uses math textbooks (Envision), even in first grade. I haven't seen them anywhere else for younger kids at least (for science, social studies). There are some worksheets in literacy, but mixed in with creative projects made up by the teachers. I wouldn't characterize the curricula as highly unusual, I would guess it is on par with other high quality privates. They shine in public speaking, social studies curricula integrated with field trips, the science instruction seems innovative.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I am the PP who observed Norwood as more traditional in learning and GDS as more progressive. I have a follow-on question:

When we toured Norwood we saw abundant use of textbooks and formal curricula. When we toured GDS, it seemed like the teachers were inventing much more, not using pre-created worksheets, and so forth. I don't remember seeing a textbook being displayed the lower school at GDS at all.

Is that reflective of both schools' learning cultures and teaching approaches, or did the tours give us a false impression?

By the way, the GDS preschool teacher claimed to us that they never have PK students who enter able to read. That seems to directly contradict all the DCUM claims that they've got kids reading by the time they turn 4.

How would they know who can read or not. They don’t have reading groups in PK or K or do testing.