Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If you want your kid to be a liberal, transgender basket case, this school is right for you

+1. No way for our kids.

Again, if you believe that a school can make a kid transgendered, then GDS is not the right school for you. You might as well not apply to any of the other highly-regarded independent schools in the region, either.

Disagree. We are looking many of the DC area indepenents for MS next year. Very few, if any, come close to GDS on the "out and proud and isn't this cool!" message.

You are a dinosaur. It won't be long before your kids cringe when you open your mouth, just like kids in the 70s did when their racist grannies talked about non-whites and Jews.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If you want your kid to be a liberal, transgender basket case, this school is right for you

+1. No way for our kids.

Again, if you believe that a school can make a kid transgendered, then GDS is not the right school for you. You might as well not apply to any of the other highly-regarded independent schools in the region, either.

Disagree. We are looking many of the DC area indepenents for MS next year. Very few, if any, come close to GDS on the "out and proud and isn't this cool!" message.

Anonymous wrote:I think college placement stats are more of a reflection of the selection the school engages in than preparation for applying to college. Some schools even game that by giving a preference to children of ivies. If you have a very bright, talented child they might even do better in the college process coming from a school where they aren't competing with their classmates.

I have a DC at Field where they also use first names. Going in, it was not something I liked and it took some getting used to. But at Field, at least, there are genuine bonds between the faculty and students -- they seem to genuinely enjoy each other's company -- but with a respect for boundaries. I have heard that GDS students are disrespectful of adults. I have no direct connection with GDS but I can tell you that this is not the case at Field. So the first name thing can be good, or not.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:College placement stats do not lie, and GDS is probably second only to Sidwell.

Can you provide that info please?

GDS college placement is apocryphal - the school keeps the list secret. Parents seem to be satisfied though.

Their college placement is fine, but no more impressive than most private schools in the area. My neighbor even said she didn't think her daughter did any better with college placement than she would have from public school, BUT she felt her child benefited academically tremendously and got good advice ensuring she would get into most of the places to which she applied. I would focus more on the education and atmosphere and not on where the kids go to college. If your kid is "Harvard" material, then sure a private school makes it a bit easier to get in than a public, but you aren't going to get a kid in who doesn't belong there unless your family bought a building there.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:One thing that made us uncomfortable about GDS is boundaries. You call the teacher by the first name and the kids seem more informal with the teachers than at other places. We want our kids to see teachers as caring adults who guide and teach, but not as friends and equals. Some people love that aspect of GDS, just wasn't for us.

While calling teachers and administrators by their first names is symbolic, it is the rare child who does not understand that teachers nonetheless command a great deal of respect and authority. Teachers may be friendly, but my children have never mistaken their teachers as "friends," nor do the teachers and administrators view their students as such. Teachers are masterful at controlling the classroom, understanding the needs of each child, and guiding the child to his/her potential. The setting is informal, but the learning and commitment to intellect are about as serious as you will find anywhere.

Right. And there is nothing more charming than having a 6 or 7 year old refer to an adult as "Fred."

Maybe in your world. But in mine, adults prefer that children call them by their first names. And, yes, the children are--gasp!--nice, well-behaved, and well-spoken.

Typical liberal, self-centered point of view. It's what the adults "prefer" that is important, not what is best for the kids. What better way to keep feeling young than to have 12 year olds address you by your first name!!

Actually, it is best for kids to know what other people preferred to be called., don't you think? If an adult prefers to be called by his first name, then that is what he should be called; if he prefers to be called Mr. ABC, then that is what kids should be taught to call him. My kids call their teachers by their first names, their ped Dr. ABC, and my colleagues at work Mr., Mrs., or Ms. ABC--all according to what the adult prefers.

No, actually, I don't. And as I have politely explained to some of my 40+ but-wish-they-were-still'25-year-old-friends, we are teaching our kids to respect adults. It's not about what the adult "wants."

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If you want your kid to be a liberal, transgender basket case, this school is right for you

+1. No way for our kids.

Again, if you believe that a school can make a kid transgendered, then GDS is not the right school for you. You might as well not apply to any of the other highly-regarded independent schools in the region, either.

Disagree. We are looking many of the DC area indepenents for MS next year. Very few, if any, come close to GDS on the "out and proud and isn't this cool!" message.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:One thing that made us uncomfortable about GDS is boundaries. You call the teacher by the first name and the kids seem more informal with the teachers than at other places. We want our kids to see teachers as caring adults who guide and teach, but not as friends and equals. Some people love that aspect of GDS, just wasn't for us.

While calling teachers and administrators by their first names is symbolic, it is the rare child who does not understand that teachers nonetheless command a great deal of respect and authority. Teachers may be friendly, but my children have never mistaken their teachers as "friends," nor do the teachers and administrators view their students as such. Teachers are masterful at controlling the classroom, understanding the needs of each child, and guiding the child to his/her potential. The setting is informal, but the learning and commitment to intellect are about as serious as you will find anywhere.

Right. And there is nothing more charming than having a 6 or 7 year old refer to an adult as "Fred."

Maybe in your world. But in mine, adults prefer that children call them by their first names. And, yes, the children are--gasp!--nice, well-behaved, and well-spoken.

Typical liberal, self-centered point of view. It's what the adults "prefer" that is important, not what is best for the kids. What better way to keep feeling young than to have 12 year olds address you by your first name!!

Actually, it is best for kids to know what other people preferred to be called., don't you think? If an adult prefers to be called by his first name, then that is what he should be called; if he prefers to be called Mr. ABC, then that is what kids should be taught to call him. My kids call their teachers by their first names, their ped Dr. ABC, and my colleagues at work Mr., Mrs., or Ms. ABC--all according to what the adult prefers.

No, actually, I don't. And as I have politely explained to some of my 40+ but-wish-they-were-still'25-year-old-friends, we are teaching our kids to respect adults. It's not about what the adult "wants."

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If you want your kid to be a liberal, transgender basket case, this school is right for you

+1. No way for our kids.

Again, if you believe that a school can make a kid transgendered, then GDS is not the right school for you. You might as well not apply to any of the other highly-regarded independent schools in the region, either.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:One thing that made us uncomfortable about GDS is boundaries. You call the teacher by the first name and the kids seem more informal with the teachers than at other places. We want our kids to see teachers as caring adults who guide and teach, but not as friends and equals. Some people love that aspect of GDS, just wasn't for us.

While calling teachers and administrators by their first names is symbolic, it is the rare child who does not understand that teachers nonetheless command a great deal of respect and authority. Teachers may be friendly, but my children have never mistaken their teachers as "friends," nor do the teachers and administrators view their students as such. Teachers are masterful at controlling the classroom, understanding the needs of each child, and guiding the child to his/her potential. The setting is informal, but the learning and commitment to intellect are about as serious as you will find anywhere.

Right. And there is nothing more charming than having a 6 or 7 year old refer to an adult as "Fred."

Maybe in your world. But in mine, adults prefer that children call them by their first names. And, yes, the children are--gasp!--nice, well-behaved, and well-spoken.

Typical liberal, self-centered point of view. It's what the adults "prefer" that is important, not what is best for the kids. What better way to keep feeling young than to have 12 year olds address you by your first name!!

Actually, it is best for kids to know what other people preferred to be called., don't you think? If an adult prefers to be called by his first name, then that is what he should be called; if he prefers to be called Mr. ABC, then that is what kids should be taught to call him. My kids call their teachers by their first names, their ped Dr. ABC, and my colleagues at work Mr., Mrs., or Ms. ABC--all according to what the adult prefers.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If you want your kid to be a liberal, transgender basket case, this school is right for you

+1. No way for our kids.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:One thing that made us uncomfortable about GDS is boundaries. You call the teacher by the first name and the kids seem more informal with the teachers than at other places. We want our kids to see teachers as caring adults who guide and teach, but not as friends and equals. Some people love that aspect of GDS, just wasn't for us.

While calling teachers and administrators by their first names is symbolic, it is the rare child who does not understand that teachers nonetheless command a great deal of respect and authority. Teachers may be friendly, but my children have never mistaken their teachers as "friends," nor do the teachers and administrators view their students as such. Teachers are masterful at controlling the classroom, understanding the needs of each child, and guiding the child to his/her potential. The setting is informal, but the learning and commitment to intellect are about as serious as you will find anywhere.

Right. And there is nothing more charming than having a 6 or 7 year old refer to an adult as "Fred."

Maybe in your world. But in mine, adults prefer that children call them by their first names. And, yes, the children are--gasp!--nice, well-behaved, and well-spoken.

Typical liberal, self-centered point of view. It's what the adults "prefer" that is important, not what is best for the kids. What better way to keep feeling young than to have 12 year olds address you by your first name!!

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:One thing that made us uncomfortable about GDS is boundaries. You call the teacher by the first name and the kids seem more informal with the teachers than at other places. We want our kids to see teachers as caring adults who guide and teach, but not as friends and equals. Some people love that aspect of GDS, just wasn't for us.

While calling teachers and administrators by their first names is symbolic, it is the rare child who does not understand that teachers nonetheless command a great deal of respect and authority. Teachers may be friendly, but my children have never mistaken their teachers as "friends," nor do the teachers and administrators view their students as such. Teachers are masterful at controlling the classroom, understanding the needs of each child, and guiding the child to his/her potential. The setting is informal, but the learning and commitment to intellect are about as serious as you will find anywhere.

Right. And there is nothing more charming than having a 6 or 7 year old refer to an adult as "Fred."

Maybe in your world. But in mine, adults prefer that children call them by their first names. And, yes, the children are--gasp!--nice, well-behaved, and well-spoken.

Anonymous wrote:I received the matriculation list on a HS tour. I don't want to copy and paste the whole thing here but in the last 3 years they sent 15 to Yale and 15 to Harvard which is pretty good.

My impression was that the kids in the classes looked more engaged than at other schools we have seen. There was also laughter coming from some classes which indicates to me the students are having a good time learning. That said, there is a general sense of disorder and I have to say disrespect that pervades the school.

The school was a mess with backpacks tossed all throughout the halls we had to step over and overturned trash bags here and there. We witnessed a student correct a teacher in class about something and then roll their eyes at the other students in the class.[/quote]

Well, of course. When you're expected to view teachers as your peers ("This is Fred, my English teacher, who has a PhD in Asian literature, but of course is my equal"), that's what happens.