Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If you choose private for the small class size, realize that a small class may be very stifling and be the worst thing for their social life and social development.

Curious of what you think can be too small? We’re looking at 3 schools for our now fifth grader. Classes (entire class) vary from 30-100 kids. He’s a quirky kid but shy. I feel like I’m a class of 30 there maybe only a handful of kids he clicks with? But 100 feels like a lot to navigate? Thoughts/Opinions?

Depends which one is the bigger concern - the quiet or the quirky? Small is better for quiet but otherwise normal kids. Bigger is better for quirky kids to be more likely to find like-minded kids.

Although, some small niche schools have lots of kids with similar interests, so you don't need a crowd to find friends.

BTW, quirky kids are normal.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If you choose private for the small class size, realize that a small class may be very stifling and be the worst thing for their social life and social development.

Curious of what you think can be too small? We’re looking at 3 schools for our now fifth grader. Classes (entire class) vary from 30-100 kids. He’s a quirky kid but shy. I feel like I’m a class of 30 there maybe only a handful of kids he clicks with? But 100 feels like a lot to navigate? Thoughts/Opinions?

Depends which one is the bigger concern - the quiet or the quirky? Small is better for quiet but otherwise normal kids. Bigger is better for quirky kids to be more likely to find like-minded kids.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If you choose private for the small class size, realize that a small class may be very stifling and be the worst thing for their social life and social development.

Or the best thing. YMMD.

Small CLASS size doesn't have to equal small GRADE size. You can get the benefits of smaller classes while still having larger grades at the bigger privates.

What’s a reasonable grade size then to avoid the social problems of being in a fishbowl?

Depend son the class and the kids. Mine are in a very small school and it is much better socially than when they were in a very large school, but they have friends who feel the opposite. And sometimes in any size school it only takes one queen B or trouble maker to ruin the whole experience for everyone.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If you choose private for the small class size, realize that a small class may be very stifling and be the worst thing for their social life and social development.

Or the best thing. YMMD.

Small CLASS size doesn't have to equal small GRADE size. You can get the benefits of smaller classes while still having larger grades at the bigger privates.

What’s a reasonable grade size then to avoid the social problems of being in a fishbowl?

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If you choose private for the small class size, realize that a small class may be very stifling and be the worst thing for their social life and social development.

Or the best thing. YMMD.

Small CLASS size doesn't have to equal small GRADE size. You can get the benefits of smaller classes while still having larger grades at the bigger privates.

Anonymous wrote:Here's a big difference - at my kids' private the lowest level is at grade level and there are no kids with any learning issues beyond mild adhd or other very mild issues that don't keep them below grade level. At our former public school my kids wanted to go faster but the class had a lot of kids who couldn't and the teachers always had to help a lot of other kids keep up.

There are some real downsides to not having any peers in school who are slow, our private school is extremely competitive and kids who would be average in another setting feel like they're slow or bad students. Also, some of the lifers have had zero life experiences with people with learning or other disabilities and I wonder how they will interact later in the real world.

For what it's worth, I was a lifer at my private and did work with kids with disabilities through programs with my schools. As a result, I interact well with anyone who isn't "mainstream" in any sense of the word because I have a lot of empathy and understanding about the learning differences of others. My husband, on the other hand, was public from K-12 and was in a "mixed" classroom where he had to work along with kids with learning disabilities. He hated it because he wasn't challenged, wasn't interested in the subject material, and felt like the time was all spent on those kids and none on the gifted kids who were at the other end of the spectrum. So, at least in our cases, private had the better outcome. And for what it's worth, personality wise, I'm actually the more intolerant, less patient of the two of us generally.

Anonymous wrote:I’m a teacher who switched from teaching in a public school to a private school. My own children attend private schools. From my experience (20 years and 3 schools), the private schools are able to meet individual student’s needs with ease and personalized care. I will not bash public schools because I have worked with many wonderful professionals in public school settings. I do think, however, that public school teachers are hindered by massive, unresponsive systems. Private schools can respond more quickly and effectively.

This is an excellent assessment, although of course since not all privates are the same and not all publics are the same, it isn't necessarily true across the board but the red tape at a single private school is significantly less than at a public school that's one of four dozen in a school system.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:MoCo schools give the privates a beat-down every year

Only some of the moco schools though.

We moved yo be inbound to Whitman. Meh. Way overrated and my black kid encountered way more racism than he is now at a Big 3 public. Don’t move to Whitman if you’re not white.

What grade did your kid enter the "big 3 public"?