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Reply to "Mann or Oyster Adams?"

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[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]Mann will be a more well rounded education, but O-A is the strongest Spanish program in a DC public school. If commute isn’t a factor, it’s really just what you value more highly. Though if you would consider private in the future, Mann is really a feeder school for the most competitive privates (which speaks to the quality of education).[/quote]

Run way from Oyster-Adams if you're looking for a well-rounded education. I'm a parent at OA, and  here are few insights to consider: (1) Misleading language program success: Nearly 50% of the students already Spanish at home or were exposed to it early in life. So yes, students may perform relatively well, but that's not a fair comparison if you are measuring them against school with completely different demographic. It's like comparing orange to potatoes. (2) Uneven teaching staff: Be prepared for a wide range in teacher quality. Some are well prepared while others you wonder how they were hired. Parent teacher conferences are especially frustrating when communication is difficult or ineffective with this later group. No all teachers are bilingual. (3) Weak ESOL support:  ironically, if your child is an ESOL student, this may be one of the worst environments. There is a lot of  "they'll catch-up eventually" attitude, but very little formal intervention. They are passed from grade to grade, falling behind in English at a time when academic content becomes more complex. (4) Leadership issues: the new principal (Carolina Brito) appears more focused on appearances and public relations than cultivating critical thinking or a truly balanced education. Her version of "equity" seems performative and geared toward marketing than substance. My children have observed teachers are now more concerned with classroom decor than meaningful instruction.  They are given "templates" to fill in blanks, and without the template, many students don't know how to write independently. They are training copyist. Critical thinking and independent learning are not being prioritized. There's a growing emphasis on looking good and boosting standardized test scores (I counted that a whole month of instruction is loss in testing based on chats with my kids) less so on meaningful learning.  (5) Final thought: some well motivated  kinds do succeed at Oyster-Adams but often because families are investing in enrichment outside of school. If your kid is average and you do not have the means to supplement her/his education outside school, I'd recommend exploring other options. [/quote]

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