Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My daughter attends one of the top private schools in DC. She is currently in Kindergarten, but I am not satisfied with their curriculum. The school presented itself as being very rigorous, which is why my husband and I chose it. However, it turns out they use the same curriculum as the public schools. No offense to public schools, but as a teacher myself, I know that they often adapt their curriculum to accommodate the lowest level in the class.

We were promised that our daughter would be challenged, but that hasn’t been the case. Given that we’re paying over $40,000 for a private school education that mirrors what public schools offer, we feel it’s not worth the investment. As a result, I’ve started homeschooling her in Reading and Math after school, and she’s been doing exceptionally well.

We are now looking for a more rigorous private school. If you have any recommendations, please share. Thank you.

Try Christ Episcopal School. In particular, they have an exceptional language arts program.

Anonymous wrote:What does rigor look like for you in kindergarten? Learning through play is still super important. Both private and public schools focus on teaching kindergarteners how to read and should be using a curriculum based on the science of reading (explicit instruction in phonemic awareness, phonics, and decoding), so using the same curriculum as public school isn't necessarily bad.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If you are paying $40K for school, it should be for criteria you want. Nothing wrong with wanting an advanced curriculum.

It’s kindergarten! Why the rush for advanced reading? Or to start advanced math. I’ve got friends who felt the same and ended up moving to another state so her DD could skip a grade and even then she’s youngest in class. Has had so many social issues in high school bc of age.

Advanced reading is at age 2. 5 is on-time reading.

Most 3yr olds could read by Spring, if colors, letters, and numbers are introduced at 2, and then Phonics is introduced starting in mid-September of 3yr old year. I know of a school which routinely does all of this in a different metro. At that age, it is impossible to push, but their minds are like sponges for any new information. So gently presenting the material - and repeating it - in short lessons - work very very well at those ages. The other trick is to maximize the 1:1, 1:2, 1:3 teaching at those ages.

Anonymous wrote:My daughter attends one of the top private schools in DC. She is currently in Kindergarten, but I am not satisfied with their curriculum. The school presented itself as being very rigorous, which is why my husband and I chose it. However, it turns out they use the same curriculum as the public schools. No offense to public schools, but as a teacher myself, I know that they often adapt their curriculum to accommodate the lowest level in the class.

We were promised that our daughter would be challenged, but that hasn’t been the case. Given that we’re paying over $40,000 for a private school education that mirrors what public schools offer, we feel it’s not worth the investment. As a result, I’ve started homeschooling her in Reading and Math after school, and she’s been doing exceptionally well.

We are now looking for a more rigorous private school. If you have any recommendations, please share. Thank you.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If you are paying $40K for school, it should be for criteria you want. Nothing wrong with wanting an advanced curriculum.

It’s kindergarten! Why the rush for advanced reading? Or to start advanced math. I’ve got friends who felt the same and ended up moving to another state so her DD could skip a grade and even then she’s youngest in class. Has had so many social issues in high school bc of age.

Advanced reading is at age 2. 5 is on-time reading.

Most 3yr olds could read by Spring, if colors, letters, and numbers are introduced at 2, and then Phonics is introduced starting in mid-September of 3yr old year. I know of a school which routinely does all of this in a different metro. At that age, it is impossible to push, but their minds are like sponges for any new information. So gently presenting the material - and repeating it - in short lessons - work very very well at those ages. The other trick is to maximize the 1:1, 1:2, 1:3 teaching at those ages.

Anonymous wrote:A friend who lives in Frederick wants to put her daughter into a classical charter school. They provide the hardest curriculum in each subject. She told me they have over 900 people on their waiting list. I think the majority of parents are looking for a very rigorist school.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If you are paying $40K for school, it should be for criteria you want. Nothing wrong with wanting an advanced curriculum.

What does the school’s mission state? That is what you are paying for, nothing more and nothing less.

Anonymous wrote:A friend who lives in Frederick wants to put her daughter into a classical charter school. They provide the hardest curriculum in each subject. She told me they have over 900 people on their waiting list. I think the majority of parents are looking for a very rigorist school.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I grew up in a foreign country, and it is only in the US that people are like “oh no please no rigor for our child”! In many foreign countries, in K, kids learn cursive, how to read, how to write full sentences, addition and soustraction with numbers between 1 and 100, memorizing poems and someone even told me they memorize times tables in his country. If OP wants more rigor she should be able to find it in this free country.

That school was preparing you for life in a culture and society that works very differently than that of this country and society. I say that as a 1st generation mom in a mixed family. Families who continually try to translate the formulaic approach to education that they grow up with that focuses only on academics and scores are going to continue to struggle and be disappointed by how things actually work here when it comes to college, the job market, and professional careers.

As my mom says, there is a reason she worked hard so we could grow up here.

DP here. A vast majority of our school system does NOT prepare our children if we are hoping for them to strive for the top jobs. Just look at all the top STEM and research positions, they are disproportionately people who grew up outside the U.S. If the child is smart to begin with, saying the parents should not try to maximize their academic learning makes no sense. I don’t think anyone is saying any kid should ONLY focus on academics.

Hate to tell you this, but there is life beyond STEM and research. And whether I agree with it or not, there’s a lot more money and possibly more fulfillment beyond those fields, too!

-research scientist

The premise is obviously around fields that, in the U.S., are available to just about any high achieving students that are vis-a-vis in other countries. PP’s argument is that rigor and focus on academics may work in a foreign country but somehow in the U.S. that same academic rigor won’t lead to similar success.

Of course there are other professional careers out there other than STEM. There are also people who get rich from singing and painting which don’t require academics whatsoever. Doesn’t mean a kid who is excelling in academics should forego that gift.

How is the choice in your mind STEM or being a singer? Can you really not imagine any other fulfilling, high paying careers?

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If you are paying $40K for school, it should be for criteria you want. Nothing wrong with wanting an advanced curriculum.

It’s kindergarten! Why the rush for advanced reading? Or to start advanced math. I’ve got friends who felt the same and ended up moving to another state so her DD could skip a grade and even then she’s youngest in class. Has had so many social issues in high school bc of age.

Anonymous wrote:DP here. A vast majority of our school system does NOT prepare our children if we are hoping for them to strive for the top jobs. Just look at all the top STEM and research positions, they are disproportionately people who grew up outside the U.S.

Anonymous wrote:A friend who lives in Frederick wants to put her daughter into a classical charter school. They provide the hardest curriculum in each subject. She told me they have over 900 people on their waiting list. I think the majority of parents are looking for a very rigorist school.