Anonymous
01/20/2016 22:26
Subject: Re:Private vs. Public School
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:OP here. Thanks to all for your input. Our DC is a model student according to several teachers so I am not as concerned with finding a good fit. I think he would thrive in any environment. That said, since I attended only public schools I have no experience as to what "extras" privates have to offer. According to this thread, it seems not much. Previous posters touched upon some of the concerns I have with private schools (grade inflation, insular environment) and public schools (test focused, underfunded). I hope we make the right decision for our DC!
I'm one of the private school grads with kids in public. Assuming you are comparing a great public with a top private, i'd say the benefits a private school offers:
1) Less homework and less busy work- at least in the early years
2) Far better facilities
3) Smaller classes, lower student:teacher ratio
4) Less days of instruction
5) An administration that is highly responsive to parents
6) A high-achieving cohort with fewer kids with special needs
7) Possibly better writing instruction in HS classes(don't know first hand because my kids are still young)
8) Fewer ineffective (burnt out) teachers- though there are still some crappy teachers in every school
9) Much better college counseling
That's a good list. I will say that another side to #6 (special needs bit) is less tolerance for quirky kids that don't fit the "ideal" of that particular school. That can be rough.
I'd add
10) longer school day so more recess and more frequent specials
11). Consistency in curriculum, our public school was a mess for the first two years of common core and their philosophy on what would be offered for accelerated kids changed every year;
12) greater emphasis on character education and community service
13) significantly better science and tech facilities.
I often read on dcum that the top public high schools in the area are a better choice than most privates for STEM-focused kids, especially very advanced ones.
Anonymous
01/20/2016 22:06
Subject: Re:Private vs. Public School
Anonymous wrote:
I'm one of the private school grads with kids in public. Assuming you are comparing a great public with a top private, i'd say the benefits a private school offers:
1) Less homework and less busy work- at least in the early years
2) Far better facilities
3) Smaller classes, lower student:teacher ratio
4) Less days of instruction
5) An administration that is highly responsive to parents
6) A high-achieving cohort with fewer kids with special needs
7) Possibly better writing instruction in HS classes(don't know first hand because my kids are still young)
8) Fewer ineffective (burnt out) teachers- though there are still some crappy teachers in every school
9) Much better college counseling
This list is good but does not take in to account more EC opportunities for sports, theatre, whatever. In my area those things are very competitive at the public schools and if kids aren't doing travel soccer or travel baseball by third/fourth grade, forget about it. It is also very hard to get to participate in school theatre productions.
Anonymous
01/20/2016 21:32
Subject: Re:Private vs. Public School
[quote=
I am so sick of hearing that public schools "focus on standardized testing" my children have been in a number of public and charter elementary and MS and I can tell you there has been no focus on standardized testing.
I am so sick of hearing that public schools "focus on standardized testing" my children have been in a number of public and charter elementary and MS and I can tell you there has been no focus on standardized testing.
It seems they do.
Saying it doesn't make it true. But go ahead and whip yourself into a frenzy over it.
NP. My children have been in a number of public elementary, middle, and high schools (no charters, admittedly), and I can tell you there HAS been a focus on standardized testing.
Just goes to show you that your experience is not universal, nor is mine.
Actually I think it depends on where you live. We were on the West coast and teaching to test was rife and obvious. Here in the MD / DC area we don't find this is a problem, in fact we're astonished at how whole and far reaching the public school teaching really is.