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[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]The biggest weakness we have found in APS is the English classes. Even in intensified English, my kid has only read one book as a freshman and it was Night, which is very short. They were supposed to read Romeo and Juliet but then the teacher gave up and just had them read a summary in modern English. I think the problem is that any student can self-select into intensified classes and with English it is easier to dumb down the class than it is with math. Is that worth $60K/year, hard to say but something I think it is.[/quote]

How many students does one English teacher have during a day?  If she or he assigned even a 3 page paper, how many pages would she grade in one night?  How could she or he possibly check them all for AI?   How could she meet with the kids and the drafts of 50 kids or more?  The numbers in English class just don’t allow for real back and forth on analytical thinking, the editing process, or one on one learning.  It’s the weakness many of us leave public school for — and even great public schools like APS.  My child graduating from one of the elite private schools here in the DC can write more clearly than many of the newly minted lawyers.  For me, that is worth it.  [/quote]

My kid had an amazing teacher at Yorktown for intensified english.  They wrote several papers and my kid got a lot of one-on-one feedback BUT I think this is because he sought it out from the teacher.  It's definitely possible to get writing instruction in APS.  The kid has to advocate for themselves though.[/quote]

I don’t quibble at all with the idea that APS teachers are on par with the elite private schools - I do believe many are truly excellent.  But they just have way way more kids.  My son’s English teacher has 10 students on his class.  No problem kids.  All high achievers.  And it has been this way for all four years.  In addition, his history teacher, same boat.  Four years of intensive writing instruction from 8 teachers. Not all were perfect!  But, still, that versus a singular teacher who could offer feedback on drafts over and over.  I also know lots of kids at W-L and YHS and none of them are writing “several” multi page pagers per year with feedback.  I’m not trying to say your experience is not true and wonderful.  Just offering that it sounds unique and wouldn’t in any event satisfy my desire to have kids learn to think critically and be able to communicate that in writing. [/quote]

It sounds like you have a lot invested in telling yourself the money is well spent for private school.  I get it.  I have one kid in private.  There are good and bad teachers in all settings.

There are kids at these publics doing a lot of writing and getting a lot of feedback in AP and IB classes.  Sorry to burst your bubble.  It's not that unique.

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