Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Since nobody is naming them, I don't believe any of these catholic schools are in the area.

Great ploy to try to get people to name specific schools. I can tell you that our experience was horrific. School is located in Bethesda. that's the most I'm going to give you.

Look, I care because I'm considering catholic school in Alexandria. I have never heard of these types of situations in present day in this area. I'm shocked that they still occur. Maybe they only occur in Bethesda? I've visited our potential school and it seems overwhelmingly loving and loved in return. I can't imagine any parent allowing these type of situations to continue, at least in my area, the schools would dwindle in enrollment so quickly. I'm very sorry you had such a poor experience.

Anonymous wrote:This is the second year my boys go to Catholic school. I was iffy after the first year, but I wanted to keep it stable for my first grader who has made wonderful friends, a new school can be stressful for little ones that have already made friends. But I should have grabbed my boys and ran the moment my first grader crucified my kindergartner to a construction paper cross, complete with blood on the hands, feet and forehead courtesy of red marker. My kindergartner mentioned he was going to hell because the teacher told a friend he was going there if he didn't behave. I kid you not, really, really? I volunteer a bit at the school on my free days (I only work part-time.) One day I was sorting papers for an activity in the Kinder classroom. A kindergartner was particularly bouncy on his seat, he was really struggling to remain seated, which I think is normal in 5 and 6 year old boys. He wasn't making noise, just kept bouncing up of his chair. I personally would have let him work standing up, what's the harm, right? But then I'm not a teacher, so don't lynch me. Well the teacher told him to stay on his chair like 10 times, and she was getting so frustrated, and the little guy obviously struggled to do so for a long period of time. Finally, she called him to the front, and announced that the whole class could thank little boy for not having recess that day. Little boy started to cry and I was so mortified. The assistant teacher acted like it was the most normal thing. I asked my son and he told me they miss recess all the time because that little boy and another boy "suck." I reprimanded him for using the word and explained that not all children that little have an easy time staying in their seat and that it is not their fault. But to him, it was their fault because the teacher made it that way. She pinned the whole class against these children. I just want to cry. I wrote a letter to the principal, her response was the rules of the class apply to all (in a nicely written email.) My first grader keeps coming home and bolting to the bathroom because the teacher does not allow them to use the bathroom more than twice a day, even though I have emailed her about it and so have other parents. Sooo, it is public school for us next year, thank goodness we have a great one in our neighborhood.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This is the second year my boys go to Catholic school. I was iffy after the first year, but I wanted to keep it stable for my first grader who has made wonderful friends, a new school can be stressful for little ones that have already made friends. But I should have grabbed my boys and ran the moment my first grader crucified my kindergartner to a construction paper cross, complete with blood on the hands, feet and forehead courtesy of red marker. My kindergartner mentioned he was going to hell because the teacher told a friend he was going there if he didn't behave. I kid you not, really, really? I volunteer a bit at the school on my free days (I only work part-time.) One day I was sorting papers for an activity in the Kinder classroom. A kindergartner was particularly bouncy on his seat, he was really struggling to remain seated, which I think is normal in 5 and 6 year old boys. He wasn't making noise, just kept bouncing up of his chair. I personally would have let him work standing up, what's the harm, right? But then I'm not a teacher, so don't lynch me. Well the teacher told him to stay on his chair like 10 times, and she was getting so frustrated, and the little guy obviously struggled to do so for a long period of time. Finally, she called him to the front, and announced that the whole class could thank little boy for not having recess that day. Little boy started to cry and I was so mortified. The assistant teacher acted like it was the most normal thing. I asked my son and he told me they miss recess all the time because that little boy and another boy "suck." I reprimanded him for using the word and explained that not all children that little have an easy time staying in their seat and that it is not their fault. But to him, it was their fault because the teacher made it that way. She pinned the whole class against these children. I just want to cry. I wrote a letter to the principal, her response was the rules of the class apply to all (in a nicely written email.) My first grader keeps coming home and bolting to the bathroom because the teacher does not allow them to use the bathroom more than twice a day, even though I have emailed her about it and so have other parents. Sooo, it is public school for us next year, thank goodness we have a great one in our neighborhood.

We had a very similar experience. There were a lot of parents complaining about a bully teacher in first grade. What did the school do? They moved her to Kinder, where the kids are even less likely to speak up. It was beyond frustrating so I pulled. My children out and they are incredibly happy in our neighborhood's school.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Since nobody is naming them, I don't believe any of these catholic schools are in the area.

Great ploy to try to get people to name specific schools. I can tell you that our experience was horrific. School is located in Bethesda. that's the most I'm going to give you.

Anonymous wrote:Since nobody is naming them, I don't believe any of these catholic schools are in the area.

Anonymous wrote:Since nobody is naming them, I don't believe any of these catholic schools are in the area.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This is the second year my boys go to Catholic school. I was iffy after the first year, but I wanted to keep it stable for my first grader who has made wonderful friends, a new school can be stressful for little ones that have already made friends. But I should have grabbed my boys and ran the moment my first grader crucified my kindergartner to a construction paper cross, complete with blood on the hands, feet and forehead courtesy of red marker. My kindergartner mentioned he was going to hell because the teacher told a friend he was going there if he didn't behave. I kid you not, really, really? I volunteer a bit at the school on my free days (I only work part-time.) One day I was sorting papers for an activity in the Kinder classroom. A kindergartner was particularly bouncy on his seat, he was really struggling to remain seated, which I think is normal in 5 and 6 year old boys. He wasn't making noise, just kept bouncing up of his chair. I personally would have let him work standing up, what's the harm, right? But then I'm not a teacher, so don't lynch me. Well the teacher told him to stay on his chair like 10 times, and she was getting so frustrated, and the little guy obviously struggled to do so for a long period of time. Finally, she called him to the front, and announced that the whole class could thank little boy for not having recess that day. Little boy started to cry and I was so mortified. The assistant teacher acted like it was the most normal thing. I asked my son and he told me they miss recess all the time because that little boy and another boy "suck." I reprimanded him for using the word and explained that not all children that little have an easy time staying in their seat and that it is not their fault. But to him, it was their fault because the teacher made it that way. She pinned the whole class against these children. I just want to cry. I wrote a letter to the principal, her response was the rules of the class apply to all (in a nicely written email.) My first grader keeps coming home and bolting to the bathroom because the teacher does not allow them to use the bathroom more than twice a day, even though I have emailed her about it and so have other parents. Sooo, it is public school for us next year, thank goodness we have a great one in our neighborhood.

That's a shitty teacher but that isn't Catholic school specific.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Just read the thread about being over homework and thought, "Yep. This is why mine go to Catholic school." No hw in K. No more than 10 mins per grade until MS. Even in MS, HW gets done before pick up from after care. All questions about HW go to the teacher(s). Studying for tests and special projects are all very manageable.

Yes the behavioral standards are higher. Thankfully.

My daughter had 20 math problems that she could finish in 20 minutes in Catholic.

flash forward to now - She may have one math problem that can take anywhere from 10 - 20 minutes to complete b/c it's that complex. We know her reading level. She's exceeded her grade level, which wasn't brought to our attention in private school.

Many Catholic school teachers aren't experienced in pedagogy. So they prefer drills to critical thinking.

We're having the exact opposite experience with math and reading. I asked the zoned public ES principal how they would accommodate my DD who was performing way above grade level in math and reading. I got vague answers about applying to a HGC when she reached the appropriate grade. In her Catholic school, she was sent to a higher grade level for those two classes and rejoins her grade for the other subjects.

Anonymous wrote:In my experience, sending kids to Catholic school is a good way of turning them against the church for life