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

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

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[quote=Anonymous]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!)

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