S/o next great white hope: Breakthrough Montessori

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:All I know is that I didn't move to DC so that I could be sitting in a car driving halfway across town to drop my kid off at school everyday. I might as well live in the suburbs for that.

+1. Driving to most HRCSs would add an extra hour to my morning commute as most are located in the opposite direction of my workplace.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Thank god for charter schools in the mess of DCPS. If anyone ever has an issue with the school as I did, you quickly find there is no accountability, no transparency and admin and parents of "beloved" neighborhood DCPS go on attack mode. School Board has no authority, Supers are for "instructional purposes" not admin and trying to figure out the hierarchy or resources available that our taxes pay for...well, good luck. I would even bet 85%+ do not even know some legal aspects of what the school/police are allowed to do with your child w/o your permission - even when your child was a victim at the school. I really wanted to support DCPS - I would be strictly private or move w/o charters...and I am shocked more people are not. I think people would be surprised how many DCPS staff send their kids to charter...good luck with anyone in public, I wish your kids the best, and thanks for not taking up the charter spots.

OMG are you me? I have PTSD from my dealings with our DCPS. I have many problems with the charter movement (especially as relates to union busting) but it could not possibly be any worse than our "beloved" neighborhood DCPS experience. At least with a charter I can be fairly certain that most of the dynamics involved exist within the school itself.

Hi genuinely curious to know what the nature of the problems are parents are having at highly regarded, presumably WOTP, DCPS schools. Not to be an idiot, just curious. We are at an EOTP DCPS -- one of the better regarded ones -- and the main issues I see have to deal with refusal to deal with special ed services that children need (so parents have to sue); poor communication; lack of afterschool programs; and some surly teachers/aides. Also, generally too many worksheets and too much homework, starting really early. Just curious if these are the same problems parents EOTP encounter regularly. I can guess that these aren't major problems at charter schools. I have my own issues with charters -- the OP basically nailed it, in my opinion, but I also don't fault parents for seeking the best education for their child.

[Anonymous]

Ours was also EOTP, and we had all the issues you mention, plus bullying, plus a sensory-seeking child. Montessori made a huge difference, where DCPS was just shrugging and saying everything was fine.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:One of the reasons that I would think that Montessori would be great for a child with ADD or ADHD is the lack of distractions in the classroom. It's a calm, focused place. There aren't bright colors everywhere. The furniture and walls are plain and not adorned with multiple posters and pictures and educational materials that distract children as they are trying to listen to a teacher who is squeezing every single child into a one size fits all approach.

The more I learn about Montessori, the more I am convinced that this is an approach that can work for all children. It doesn't meant that other approaches can't work too, but I've seen it work very effectively for sociable kids and shy ones, for kids with ADHD and those who do not, for kids who are advanced and those who are behind grade level, for those with other special needs and those without.

My sensory seeking kid can be a mess in such an atmosphere - they need more input (or "information" as my son's OT says). And I wouldn't say it is calm - there are 30 kids in a room with you doing various things. Like I said, somedays my kid is able to focus and somedays he is way way too distracted by all that is going on around him. In the long run, he will benefit by learning to focus and self-regulate, but in the short term, it is very hard for him.

Respectfully - why do you keep him there?

because I am thinking long term. I believe in a curriculum that develops executive function and intellectual curiosity and intrinsic motivation. And my kid loves school despite the curriculum really challenging him. I just don't want people to think Montessori is easy for all kids. I think it will be easy for my younger son.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:All I know is that I didn't move to DC so that I could be sitting in a car driving halfway across town to drop my kid off at school everyday. I might as well live in the suburbs for that.

Ah, typical gentrification speech. Good for you!

Washingtonians know that there is no one size fits all approach to education in this city. We also don't judge choices. After you live here a few more years - you might get that.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:
All I know is that I didn't move to DC so that I could be sitting in a car driving halfway across town to drop my kid off at school everyday. I might as well live in the suburbs for that.


Ah, typical gentrification speech. Good for you!

Washingtonians know that there is no one size fits all approach to education in this city. We also don't judge choices. After you live here a few more years - you might get that.
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No, you just judge everything appearances.