Reply to Public vs Private (Please weigh in and help us make a decision)

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[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]I think it isn't about your aspirations, but your child's needs.  The major difference between public and private is the classroom.  In public, the ratios are quite different - there are usually 25-29 children per classroom and 1 teacher in MCPS.  20 minutes of recess.  PE 1x/week.  Limited music & art instruction as well.  Long day of school.  In terms of content, I actually do not think there is a huge difference between most public schools and most private schools.  BUT...in public school, many schools have a cap - a cap on how far through the material a child can go, a cap on reading levels.  Additionally, with the teacher/student ratio, there is a fair amount of time spent with teachers [b]expecting students to sit still and work on work sheets.  [/b]

The real question is, how does your child do in these circumstances?  Some children are fine in any environment, regardless of their intelligence.  Some children really struggle with sitting still and work sheets, and if they are also highly intelligent and there is a cap being placed on what they can learn, that struggle sitting still does turn to boredom and behavioral issues.

Sometimes, the right choice is to give public a try and see how it goes.  For others, the early years are the important ones for private school - the smaller class sizes, the ability to individualize education, the greater amount of physical activity and hands-on engagement that translate into a love of learning are the important points.  I think if you believe your child needs this last point, then the offer you have is wonderful, and you are likely to appreciate that opportunity.  Transitioning to good public schools later, when smaller classes become less important can always be an option.

But, if your primary reason is advanced academics...very few private schools really do offer acclerated learning, although they do seem to do a better job of interactive and engaged learning than public schools right now.[/quote]

This is actually very good preparation for the real world!![/quote]

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