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[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]One of the challenges teachers face is that everyone thinks that because they went to school, they know all there is to know about education -- certainly more than someone who spent years studying and researching within the field.

PP, if a K teacher were not able to differentiate, they would not be able to do their jobs.  That's where differentiation is absolutely required and where, if you are lucky, you have a teacher who's actually up to the job.  However, even when teachers are skilled at differentiation, classroom sizes limit the amount of time each teacher can devote to a particular child.  A class size of 21 vs. 15 makes a huge difference in how well a teacher can differentiate instruction.

Yes, TAG programs tend to be more focused on individual children, but Alexandria City's TAG program is not of very high quality compared to other districts in NOVA.  Sorry, Alexandria City's TAG is just not comparable to the better privates.

The fact that teachers may or may not follow best practices in pedagogy should be of concern to parents and the fact that you dismiss it as "blah blah blah" is typical and one of the reasons why our education system is in so much trouble.  As education consumers, parents often have very little clue what they are consuming.

Supplementing with Kumon to mitigate for JH's weaknesses?  Really?  That's such a clueless comment, I don't know where to even begin a response.  I think I'll spare myself the time.

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Your condescending and patronizing attitude are typical of an ego who has spent more time studying academics and pedagogy instead of learning about each school option, the way an informed parent should. If you had, you would know that Lyles-Crouch has classes with 15-18 in them. That Browne Academy is spelled with an "e", and that ACDS simply doesn't offer the best education for the tuition dollars required, academically or resources-wise. And mutiple PPs have said as much based on their experiences.

So, feel free to pontificate from your ivory tower as to your theories on child-led instruction, but you simply don't know basic facts about each school you claim to be inferior. And you blindly advocate for a school that just isn't that great.

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I'd say that people with your arrogance and willful stupidity are why the education system in the United States is in crisis.  You believe that with no specialized knowledge or education, you know everything there is to know about teaching.  Is spelling Browne with an "e" indicative of specialized knowledge?  If so, more power to you.

The fact that Lyles Crouch has 15-18 kids in them says nothing about the quality of instruction it offers, although it is obviously one of the better ACPS schools.  I merely stated that there is a huge difference between 21 kids and 15 kids in a classroom with reference to differentiation.  Teaching quality is dependent on more than class size.

You really do have a problem reading if you think that I'm pontificating from an ivory tower.  Yes, I have a Ph.D. in education, but I'm also the parent of three school-age children.  I did my research on Alexandria City schools and decided to leave.  Yes, we looked at Lyles-Crouch, and what it offered certainly didn't convince me to stay.

As for people commenting on ACDS, none have commented from experience, just perceptions.  I remain bemused that people like you make judgments about the quality of education based on how well a school can churn out PR propaganda and based on the facilities.  ACDS' PR is not as strong as SSSAS and Browne, nor are its facilities as large, but they do offer a higher quality of education.

Go ahead.  As an "informed parent," keep asserting that you know best how to assess educational quality.   
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