This is a very interesting topic. My dad teaches in one of the public school districts of our area and I went to private school my whole life. A private day school from pre-4th grade and catholic school from 5th-12th grade. At the end of 8th grade my parents did want to pull me out of Catholic school and send me to public school (it would not be the same district as my dad's school). When it came time for me to test the administration played games and said I would not be able to take honors classes b/c I didn't start on that track in like 7th grade and they didn't want to let me into the honors program. So I stayed in Catholic school and I was able to take all honors classes my whole way through with no trouble. I would never send my children to public school because I HATE the tracking. I can only speak for my own area but that has shaped my opinion. In my area at my district(and the others) you start your track in like the 7th grade and stay there as long as you can maintain a specific grade level. And they make cuts every year. It's also extremely hard to get into these high tracks. It's like they track people's lives b/c you know the high level students are going to the best colleges and the so on down. That just rubs me the wrong way. (I know private schools have tracking as well, mine did, and I didn't like it there either) I also don't like the tracking b/c some how it always turns out that Black people are on the lower tracks...imagine that.

I am a Public School teacher... (i also taght for a couple of years in a private church school) and I have a daughter (she is only 6 months)... I do however, plan to send her to private elementary school..

My reasons--

I want her to learn phonics..not may public schools teach it anymore

I also want her to have a STRONG Christian foundation, her father and I believe that this will reinforce what is taught at home.

As a middle school teacher I know that a child must have a STRONG personality and beliefs not to get caught up in a bunch of stuff.

Loviest95,
Can you email me, I have some questions for you.

Kay
Kaydphia@hotmail.com

I agree...
 

This is issue is very similar to the charter school situation...No matter where a parent sends their kid the teacher is there to teach it is the responsibility of the parent to be involved with the academia of the child...public nor private school can really do that effectively....the whole infrastructure of the "school' is based on parental support...The "school's" role is to ensure that they provide a sound curriculum and quality teachers to teach it. Yes, as teachers we take a far more greater role but only by choice and usually teachers are more compassionate, caring, and nurturing...like parents. Public schools tend to be overcrowded,so what ...if more parents/community took a more active approach to "school" involvement maybe that would help..if the trend continues, I wouldn't be surprised if everyone will pay for an education elementary, middle, or otherwise....parental accountability IMHO is the detriment to schools particularly in the long run

Hello Sorors & SFs,
I have been away for a long time and miss all of the wonderful info I get from everyone.
I am a public school teacher and my children attend private schools. My reasons are simple: it is not that I don't feel public school ed is "good" enough because I am a product, however, I have a problem with public school politics. For instance in my parish, we are currently being desegregated (which should have happened a century ago) the best black teachers are being sent to the best white schools while the worst white teachers are being sent to the black schools. Also I have a problem with the alternative certification teachers in my school. Now I believe that a good teacher is born and an ed major does not make one a great teacher, but just because someone is intelligent in other fields does not make them a great teacher either. So why should my kids receive inferior teachers because of the system when I can provide them with the best money can buy. Now that doesn't mean that I should deprive my students with the best teacher that they deserve (ME). So until my district considers children the most important factor in their decision making, a mom/teacher has to do what she has to do. Sorry so long.

Its sad but most schools track kids according to their SES or race.

White kids are usually in the highest tracks and black kids in the lowest. I do not know if I would send my kids to private schools- I do not have any but I would however send my kids to a great public school. Not all public schools are great but quite a few are. I guess it depends on where you are at.

Hey wait a minute...
 

I am a product of alternate certification, I agree there are some sheisty teachers certified or not out there. But because of the major shortage of teachers in the critical areas schools (public or private) have to market to those who orginally did not plan to teach. Are they gambling with kids education? It depends on what side of the fence you straddle. A person who did not go into education in college may bring field experience to those kids who are not college bound for example. IMO, what makes an inferior teacher is a person who is basically there for the check. He/She checks out when the bell rings and has no sincere interest in TEACHING the kids even if it is outside the curriculum. So many teachers associate certified with quality and to me that is simply not true! Even if you pay top dollar at a school you never really know that type of quality teacher and education your child receives until he/she is able to successfully apply it in the "real world".

Need a little help from GC Educators. . .
 

I actually posted my question in a previous thread (unfortunately, it didn't get any responses), but ran across this one and thought that this might be better answered on this thread.

Can you give me some ideas as to where my daughter should be academically? She is 8 years old and in the 2nd grade. She's a very bright child (and I'm not just saying that because she's my daughter) but I am concerned about her math "skills". She reads very well and is attending a private school where they focus a lot on reading. Most of the homework that she has is vocabulary and the like, but she doesn't really bring home much math or science homework (she did have multiplication tables for homework yesterday). I've seen some of her classroom work where they are doing some science, but no homework in these other subject areas. My husband says we need to work with her more, and I agree, but what should she know at this age/grade level?

I am planning to take her out of this school and place her in a charter school where they have more afterschool activities. She can learn Spanish, do computer projects, play musical instruments, etc. Any words of wisdom?