Anonymous
04/18/2010 11:43
Subject: Academic strength of Sidwell and Landon
Speaking of "self-actualization" (and it's got to be the same poster all the time because it's a relatively dated/arcane word at this point and she always misuses it in the same way -- hint: it doesn't mean self-aggrandizement or vindication of one's own choices) wouldn't assuming that everyone who disagrees with you is just jealous fall into that category as you've defined it?
Anonymous
04/18/2010 11:34
Subject: Re:Academic strength of Sidwell and Landon
It is always interesting, and sometimes entertaining, to see the convtraversy and passionate opinions that some schools, like Landon provoke.
Each of these schools are excellent in their rights. Pettiness often shows through when posters need to self-actualize about how their school is superior. And often it is because the parents needs to feel superior about themselves, or have an underlying insecurity.
I do believe Landon gets attacked because the makeup of some of the kids that attend there invoke jealousies in other parents (athletics?). I do not have any sons currently there or going to attend there in the future. Why else should there be such a morally superior judgement of the Landon dance? What about the St, Albans gun incident this past week or the drug-related issues of past years? Not trying to call out St. Albans as it is obviously a great school, just saying this kind of behavior can happen anywhere. It is how it is reacted to by the school that is most important.
We could be more productive here if we took the high road as to what a school's benefits are for a particular type of kid, rather than tearing down. Please check your egos and insecurities at the door.
Each of these schools are excellent in their rights. Pettiness often shows through when posters need to self-actualize about how their school is superior. And often it is because the parents needs to feel superior about themselves, or have an underlying insecurity.
I do believe Landon gets attacked because the makeup of some of the kids that attend there invoke jealousies in other parents (athletics?). I do not have any sons currently there or going to attend there in the future. Why else should there be such a morally superior judgement of the Landon dance? What about the St, Albans gun incident this past week or the drug-related issues of past years? Not trying to call out St. Albans as it is obviously a great school, just saying this kind of behavior can happen anywhere. It is how it is reacted to by the school that is most important.
We could be more productive here if we took the high road as to what a school's benefits are for a particular type of kid, rather than tearing down. Please check your egos and insecurities at the door.
Anonymous
04/18/2010 08:39
Subject: Re:Academic strength of Sidwell and Landon
Anonymous wrote:
Ware able to find out and know more about other services (e.g., vacation travel) and products (e.g., car, bike, or home theater) that we are buying than about what we are getting for the money in the schools.
I think this is an excellent point, PP. We started out an an expensive private in preschool thinking that if people paid that much money for it, and it was hard to get into, it had to be good, and decided it was totally the Emporer's New Clothes. Moved to a lesser known (and less expensive) school that is a better fit for us but doesn't provide some things that are important to us. We are tempted to look at the better known schools again (including Landon) for high school, because on paper they have some of the missing things we are looking for. But I am afraid we will find that they really aren't any different or better after all in the important respects. You just can't evaluate teachers or teaching style from afar; you can't know if you or your kids will like your kids' peers or their families, or share their values; you can't know whether you will respect the judgment of the administrators because they are complete strangers to you. If you happen to have good friends or co-workers whose kids go to school X, and they tell you your family would be happy there, that is some help. Otherwise you are left with anecdotes such as what we read on DCUM that may paint a distorted picture. As you say, it's a huge amount of money to commit to a big unknown ... not to mention a terribly important part of our children's lives.
Anonymous
04/18/2010 07:51
Subject: Academic strength of Sidwell and Landon
@12:56
One can build up their own school without trashing others. However, if you are going to demean other schools, your arguments will be better served if there is an ounce of truth to them.
Otherwise, your ambassadorship speaks volumes about your choice institution.
I don't mean that in a good way.
One can build up their own school without trashing others. However, if you are going to demean other schools, your arguments will be better served if there is an ounce of truth to them.
Otherwise, your ambassadorship speaks volumes about your choice institution.
I don't mean that in a good way.
Anonymous
04/18/2010 00:10
Subject: Re:Academic strength of Sidwell and Landon
12:56 PP has a point that the list of admitted (adjusted for the number of students admitted to more than one top schools) is a better indicator of the student quality than matriculation - for the reasons given.
The problem with kids that cannot afford H-Y-P and the likes is that they may not even apply! In any case, one needs more than just one or two sets of indicators (as the discussion and example in this thread shows).
My onw view is that private schools should provide more information about themselves (including info about who their teachers are, what the teaching approaches are - with specific examples on how teaching is done).
The point is not that the big-X schools have enough applicants even without providing sufficient info.
The point is that some, perhaps many parents and kids, do not know (although they may be convinced they know on the basis of a fad, strong feelings, or similar) what they are buying into for a lot of money...
Ware able to find out and know more about other services (e.g., vacation travel) and products (e.g., car, bike, or home theater) that we are buying than about what we are getting for the money in the schools.
Anonymous
04/17/2010 22:58
Subject: Academic strength of Sidwell and Landon
It's probably piling on to critique the "kick a___" Landon post some more, but . . . what the heck! The idea that the list of where students are "admitted" to college is more telling than where they matriculate is really off-base: it lets a school list "Harvard, Yale, Princeton, Stanford" when it is one kid who got into all four of the schools. Seems like generally a red flag for a less impressive matriculation list, although I'm sure Landon's college matriculation record is fine.
Anonymous
04/17/2010 22:43
Subject: Academic strength of Sidwell and Landon
Love the sentence "Landon will kick a__ and holds to strong
principles...". I think the sort of dribble is a great red flag.
The entire post is very strange.
principles...". I think the sort of dribble is a great red flag.
The entire post is very strange.
Anonymous
04/17/2010 22:10
Subject: Re:Academic strength of Sidwell and Landon
Anonymous wrote:Very different schools. Co-Ed vs. all boys, but with Holton-Arms as sister school. Sidwell allows a more privileged kid atmosphere, and the students, teachers, Trustees and parents essentially run the School. Teachers are addressed by first name by all students. Very Quaker in outlook, so read up on those philosophies. Right and wrong "might" exist, but "grey" areas dominate as basic values/ethics/principles. Learning is heavily influenced by extra tutors, special assistance to wealthiest students, and high numbers of students having "testing" on record for ADHD, so MANY get special extra time for everything. Landon still has a mythology associated with it--It is a MYTH--that it is a jock school--False. It is extremely well-rounded, requires music, arts in addition to strong academics. Amazing acting, artistry and the best band are unusually dominate in this all boys school. Extremely conscious of preparing boys to become men, with strong values, no special favors for wealthy kids--rich kids get put in their place, so if you're seeking a safe haven with special benefits for your wealth, so to St.Albans, where it is available. Landon will kick a__ and holds to strong principles, despite being secular. Great diversity, and they are proud of it. They have rigid honor code, and daily instruction slips those values in all the time. Judge independent schools partly by where graduating students go to college--and do not dismiss a school which has a % going to smaller but great schools. Often that speaks to the diversity of the school, and less wealthy students who have attended Landon or others on scholarship may not be able to afford Princeton, even if admitted. Look instead at the list of colleges the preceding graduating classes have been ADMITTED TO, not attended. The former tells the true story of learning at that school. Also judge by Alum participation in the school--the more that stay active, likely the better the school. Landon is unbelievable in the lifelong tie to the School by alums--they ARE Landon men, and they help each other forever. The school song is "Landon Forever", and it actually is true for grads.
Oh, and nice cheap shot about St. Albans, which by the way is more diverse in every way (racial, socio-economic, religious) than Landon, and has a strong disciplinary record (in contrast, for example, to the SAT cheating debacle in which all the good lacrosse players were slapped on the wrist.) Nice.
Anonymous
04/17/2010 22:06
Subject: Academic strength of Sidwell and Landon
Yes, they hired a stripper. Ask your husband or your brothers about what they did for their bachelor parties. I think that kind of thing is nasty but it is also pretty prevalent in American male culture for the 18-30 age group.
Anonymous
04/17/2010 22:04
Subject: Academic strength of Sidwell and Landon
The Duke/Landon players were completely vindicated of the charges but they did hire a stripper for their party right?
Anonymous
04/17/2010 21:57
Subject: Re:Academic strength of Sidwell and Landon
Anonymous wrote:Very different schools. Co-Ed vs. all boys, but with Holton-Arms as sister school. Sidwell allows a more privileged kid atmosphere, and the students, teachers, Trustees and parents essentially run the School. Teachers are addressed by first name by all students. Very Quaker in outlook, so read up on those philosophies. Right and wrong "might" exist, but "grey" areas dominate as basic values/ethics/principles. Learning is heavily influenced by extra tutors, special assistance to wealthiest students, and high numbers of students having "testing" on record for ADHD, so MANY get special extra time for everything. Landon still has a mythology associated with it--It is a MYTH--that it is a jock school--False. It is extremely well-rounded, requires music, arts in addition to strong academics. Amazing acting, artistry and the best band are unusually dominate in this all boys school. Extremely conscious of preparing boys to become men, with strong values, no special favors for wealthy kids--rich kids get put in their place, so if you're seeking a safe haven with special benefits for your wealth, so to St.Albans, where it is available. Landon will kick a__ and holds to strong principles, despite being secular. Great diversity, and they are proud of it. They have rigid honor code, and daily instruction slips those values in all the time. Judge independent schools partly by where graduating students go to college--and do not dismiss a school which has a % going to smaller but great schools. Often that speaks to the diversity of the school, and less wealthy students who have attended Landon or others on scholarship may not be able to afford Princeton, even if admitted. Look instead at the list of colleges the preceding graduating classes have been ADMITTED TO, not attended. The former tells the true story of learning at that school. Also judge by Alum participation in the school--the more that stay active, likely the better the school. Landon is unbelievable in the lifelong tie to the School by alums--they ARE Landon men, and they help each other forever. The school song is "Landon Forever", and it actually is true for grads.
I get that this was a pro-Landon post but to the extent it purports to describe Sidwell, it is not accurate. To take one very basic example, very few teachers at Sidwell are addressed by their first names (although it is permissible at the teacher's option under the Quaker tradition). You must be confusing it with GDS. Don't know where you are getting your "extra time" info either -- also not true. I'm sure Landon is a great place, but your post would be more convincing if you stuck to the school you actually know and didn't put out inaccurate information about Sidwell.
Anonymous
04/17/2010 21:55
Subject: Academic strength of Sidwell and Landon
I think you actually can pick up a lot by visiting the Landon campus.
Anonymous
04/17/2010 21:54
Subject: Academic strength of Sidwell and Landon
Anonymous wrote: I don't get the idea that Landon is a place where ``rich kids get put in their place.'' I read some story a few years ago about some big SAT cheating scandal that scapegoated a couple of kids to save lacrosse players. Also wasn't there at least one Landon boy mixed up in that Duke mess with the stripper? And if ``rich kids get put in their place'' there, must be a lot of place putting since the tuition at landon is $30,000.
Not a Landon person, just someone who followed the so-called "Duke Lacrosse" case. The lacrosse players in question, including the team captain who was a Landon grad, were totally vindicated -- the DA was in fact sanctioned for allowing the "case" to proceed. Very unfortunate that you would perpetuate a false story in order to take a shot at a school on DCUM.
Anonymous
04/17/2010 21:38
Subject: Re:Academic strength of Sidwell and Landon
to 12.56 Well said. This is the kind of balanced and helpful insight that is hard to get just by visiting the schools or reading their materials. Thanks for sharing!
Anonymous
04/17/2010 21:38
Subject: Academic strength of Sidwell and Landon
I don't get the idea that Landon is a place where ``rich kids get put in their place.'' I read some story a few years ago about some big SAT cheating scandal that scapegoated a couple of kids to save lacrosse players. Also wasn't there at least one Landon boy mixed up in that Duke mess with the stripper? And if ``rich kids get put in their place'' there, must be a lot of place putting since the tuition at landon is $30,000.