Our first days of public school after private, what I've noticed.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Well, at our public school, many parents know each other, the staff are very pleasant and friendly, and they even had a welcome back "breakfast" for parents in the gym after drop off (where we got to walk our kids to their classes). So you can't assume all public schools are the same.

Name the city and state where this school is located.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The negativity is a real issue. We are at a really good public school with smiling teachers, administrators, etc. and a high quality of teaching but the written communication that comes from the school is terrible. BUT it was really shocking to me how much of the text in our back to school packet dealt with do not do this and do not do that. I thought the first rule of discipline and good teaching was to always be positive? Is it just that the teachers/administrators don't know how to write?

I would guess it's more that they have lots and lots of experience of parents ignoring the rules. So they want to make them clear and get it up front so there is no confusion, excuses like " I didn't see it".

Private schools have parents and kids who don't follow rules too and I am sure that the process of getting them to follow the rules is more painstaking, but it gets done. Plus the polite, cheery behavior of the staff makes everyone feel that they also have to be polite. This is true for any business. But public school are not a business. I don't mind dealing with mean government employees who don't come in contact with my kids, but the ones who do (schools) should remember that they are setting the tone.

Hmm. Why are staff at privates smiling and very friendly? So that parents will like the atmosphere, stay, and keep paying tuition.

Or they like working in a positive atmosphere free of government rules and regulations, and that doesn't tell them they are shitty teachers if they can't take kids who have no discipline or support at home and turn them into ace test takers.

Public's government regulations include mandatory master's degrees and teachers certifications. Privates have no such requirement. So many, many private school teachers couldn't teach in public.

But let's be candid here: a huge percentage of these masters degrees ^^ are distance learning degrees from online-only "universities", or the Continuing Education wing of [not at all competitive] State U. And they're completed in < 13 months. Whoop de Do.

Not saying some percentage of modern teachers aren't smart -- clearly, some are. But I pay zero credence to this "and public teachers must have a MASTERS!!" boosterism. Seriously, the stupidest person in my family is a teacher with a Masters. The most incurious, anti-intellectual person in my family is a principal with a Masters. She can make the ship run smoothly, but she's a drooling Creationist at Thanksgiving dinner.

[Anonymous]

Public's government regulations include mandatory master's degrees and teachers certifications. Privates have no such requirement. So many, many private school teachers couldn't teach in public.

But let's be candid here: a huge percentage of these masters degrees ^^ are distance learning degrees from online-only "universities", or the Continuing Education wing of [not at all competitive] State U. And they're completed in < 13 months. Whoop de Do.

Do you have some data to prove that claim? I am a public-school teacher with a Master's Degree from a competitive university. Of the 70-some teachers at my school, the majority also have Master's Degrees. None of their degrees are from distance-learning universities.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

But let's be candid here: a huge percentage of these masters degrees ^^ are distance learning degrees from online-only "universities", or the Continuing Education wing of [not at all competitive] State U. And they're completed in < 13 months. Whoop de Do.

Not saying some percentage of modern teachers aren't smart -- clearly, some are. But I pay zero credence to this "and public teachers must have a MASTERS!!" boosterism. Seriously, the stupidest person in my family is a teacher with a Masters. The most incurious, anti-intellectual person in my family is a principal with a Masters. She can make the ship run smoothly, but she's a drooling Creationist at Thanksgiving dinner.

How do you know this?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

But let's be candid here: a huge percentage of these masters degrees ^^ are distance learning degrees from online-only "universities", or the Continuing Education wing of [not at all competitive] State U. And they're completed in < 13 months. Whoop de Do.

Not saying some percentage of modern teachers aren't smart -- clearly, some are. But I pay zero credence to this "and public teachers must have a MASTERS!!" boosterism. Seriously, the stupidest person in my family is a teacher with a Masters. The most incurious, anti-intellectual person in my family is a principal with a Masters. She can make the ship run smoothly, but she's a drooling Creationist at Thanksgiving dinner.

How do you know this?

Just ask the schools themselves. Or work backward and talk with the local higher ed places like Towson. Think critically - the teachers who obtain their masters *while teaching kids * -- how could they do that simultaneously, in one year, if many of the hours WEREN'T distance learning? And that's how it works, you start teaching with the contingency that the masters will be completed by date X.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

But let's be candid here: a huge percentage of these masters degrees ^^ are distance learning degrees from online-only "universities", or the Continuing Education wing of [not at all competitive] State U. And they're completed in < 13 months. Whoop de Do.

Not saying some percentage of modern teachers aren't smart -- clearly, some are. But I pay zero credence to this "and public teachers must have a MASTERS!!" boosterism. Seriously, the stupidest person in my family is a teacher with a Masters. The most incurious, anti-intellectual person in my family is a principal with a Masters. She can make the ship run smoothly, but she's a drooling Creationist at Thanksgiving dinner.

How do you know this?

Just ask the schools themselves. Or work backward and talk with the local higher ed places like Towson. Think critically - the teachers who obtain their masters *while teaching kids * -- how could they do that simultaneously, in one year, if many of the hours WEREN'T distance learning? And that's how it works, you start teaching with the contingency that the masters will be completed by date X.

In other words -- you don't know. You're assuming.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I noticed that I didn't have to pay tuition.

[Anonymous]

Just ask the schools themselves. Or work backward and talk with the local higher ed places like Towson. Think critically - the teachers who obtain their masters *while teaching kids * -- how could they do that simultaneously, in one year, if many of the hours WEREN'T distance learning? And that's how it works, you start teaching with the contingency that the masters will be completed by date X.

No, that's not how it works. I got mine going to night school after a full day of teaching, and by doubling up in the summers to finish my coursework. At a four-year university.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

But let's be candid here: a huge percentage of these masters degrees ^^ are distance learning degrees from online-only "universities", or the Continuing Education wing of [not at all competitive] State U. And they're completed in < 13 months. Whoop de Do.

Not saying some percentage of modern teachers aren't smart -- clearly, some are. But I pay zero credence to this "and public teachers must have a MASTERS!!" boosterism. Seriously, the stupidest person in my family is a teacher with a Masters. The most incurious, anti-intellectual person in my family is a principal with a Masters. She can make the ship run smoothly, but she's a drooling Creationist at Thanksgiving dinner.

How do you know this?

Just ask the schools themselves. Or work backward and talk with the local higher ed places like Towson. Think critically - the teachers who obtain their masters *while teaching kids * -- how could they do that simultaneously, in one year, if many of the hours WEREN'T distance learning? And that's how it works, you start teaching with the contingency that the masters will be completed by date X.

In other words -- you don't know. You're assuming.

I'm extrapolating from my kids' school teacher bios and the 10 teachers I know personally. Anecdotal but I bet representative, since this spans six states and two,generations (ages 26 to 55).

Let's turn this to you -- where do you think the 100% of modern public school teachers earn their masters while teaching?

[Anonymous]

Let's turn this to you -- where do you think the 100% of modern public school teachers earn their masters while teaching?

Is there a word missing from this question? If not, it doesn't make sense. In the first place, not all public-school teachers have their Masters.' Also, not all of those who do have one got it at the same place.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

I'm extrapolating from my kids' school teacher bios and the 10 teachers I know personally. Anecdotal but I bet representative, since this spans six states and two,generations (ages 26 to 55).

Let's turn this to you -- where do you think the 100% of modern public school teachers earn their masters while teaching?

No, let's not. You make the assertion, you support it with evidence..

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Just wait, it gets worse.

We did the switch and noticed the same.

Lots of parents - even in our small neighborhood public - did not know each other.

Office staff - generally rude and non smiling.

The notices that get sent home are ridiculous - "please check here that you agree to send your child dressed appropriately for the winter concert ..."

The teachers - horrible communication skills.

So switch back. Or accept that public schools typically don't go out of their way to make parents feel good about themselves, the way private schools have to.

I don't think you get it. I don't need anyone to make me feel good about myself. But I do need the school to make me feel good about the fact that I am leaving my child in their care every day. And if I have to pay for that peace of mind, in addition to a great education, it's worth it. I want my child to be surrounded by adults who are positive and good role models for how to treat others and conduct yourself in a professional setting.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Just wait, it gets worse.

We did the switch and noticed the same.

Lots of parents - even in our small neighborhood public - did not know each other.

Office staff - generally rude and non smiling.

The notices that get sent home are ridiculous - "please check here that you agree to send your child dressed appropriately for the winter concert ..."

The teachers - horrible communication skills.



So switch back. Or accept that public schools typically don't go out of their way to make parents feel good about themselves, the way private schools have to.

I don't think you get it. I don't need anyone to make me feel good about myself. But I do need the school to make me feel good about the fact that I am leaving my child in their care every day. And if I have to pay for that peace of mind, in addition to a great education, it's worth it. I want my child to be surrounded by adults who are positive and good role models for how to treat others and conduct yourself in a professional setting.

The way the front office staff acts or the way they write letters to parents (yes, those same people write them) really has little to do with the way your child is being treated in the classroom. Students have very little interaction with the front office of the average public school.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Public's government regulations include mandatory master's degrees and teachers certifications. Privates have no such requirement. So many, many private school teachers couldn't teach in public.

But let's be candid here: a huge percentage of these masters degrees ^^ are distance learning degrees from online-only "universities", or the Continuing Education wing of [not at all competitive] State U. And they're completed in < 13 months. Whoop de Do.

Do you have some data to prove that claim? I am a public-school teacher with a Master's Degree from a competitive university. Of the 70-some teachers at my school, the majority also have Master's Degrees. None of their degrees are from distance-learning universities.

NP. I can't prove it, but every single year we get a "intro" letter from the teacher saying "I'm so and so and I'll be your child's 2nd grade teacher." Usually they also include "I received my bachelor's in elementary education from X" and my masters from X" and it's almost always "a master's in educational leadership from Towson University" or "master's in educational technology from UMBC" or something along those lines. Sorry, I'm not impressed.

[Anonymous]

For us the start of public school felt like a slap in the face. It did get a little better as the year went on - met plenty of very nice parents and kids - but you kind of have to "suck it up" to get through a lot of it (the take or leave attitude of the administration, silly grading, unwelcoming front desk, poor communications, etc). It is not just the parents - kids who have experienced a good-fit private who switch to
an average public do pick up on these things as well.