What advice do you have for a parent thinking about elementary schools for their child?

Don’t think too hard. I went to a Christian school from pre-k all the way to 8th grade. When I left, I was ahead in areas and behind in others. I don’t think any of what I learned there affects me at all. I mean, the Christian influence was great, but I don’t remember half of it. In my opinion, my parents wasted thousands of dollars. Public schooling with a positive and impacting home life should be just fine for the kid.

Check on the literacy rate of the 5th grade students. I imagine that’s probably the best indicator.

What sort of kid is your kid? What does you child like to do? How does your child seem to learn best? That’s probably the biggest consideration.

I went through a creative arts program in my public school system during 3rd and 4th grade and was happy as a clam in a tidepool. Past my grade level in all areas (but I was already like that). I was transferred out to a different school with an academically advanced program for 5th grade and beyond. Though I got fine grades, I was bored very quickly. I wish I had been able to attend a performing and/or creative arts school through my childhood because I thrived in that environment.

I thought you could stay in Montessori all the way through 12th grade?

Yes, you can.

:)

@squirbel
really?
not for free probably

Check into whether Montessori charter schools exist (I don’t know if they do, but Waldorf Charter Schools do) and if there are any in your area. That’s one way to balance the “public” school with a philosophy you are comfortable with.

Check your local public schools to see if any have any special programs. For example, I went to a Chicago Public School for K-8 and it was a language academy. I took Russian for nine years. I didn’t like it then (what kid likes school?), but because we all learned to read and write our chosen language at the same time we learned to read and write English, I can still read and write in Cyrillic. Pretty cool.
There are probably other special program schools around you that offer things like that. And I don’t know about “a school with a philosophy”, but I can tell you, I learned more about diversity and acceptance of others at that school than I ever learned at any “diversity training” program I’ve ever had to attend. The mix of kids, both ethnically and financially was incredible, and the experience is still with me.

I wish I could offer some useful advice
but can’t
we only have the schools you have to pay for or the ones in the district
that is it

What section of the country do you live in?

We discovered the public school outreach program for our sons and grandsons. It is just like homeschooling, but the school provides the instruction material and testing. The child attends class twice a week and does the actual work at home.

I highly recommend it.

Some districts do have Montessori programs through 12th grade, others don’t. We have one in our district, but I’ve heard from kids who’ve been through it that it is better suited for younger kids and not all that wonderful for junior high and above.

My kids are in public schools and all and all I have been very happy. My best advice would be get involved. Talk to their teachers, to the other parents, to their friends. Get in the classroom when you can, be involved in PTA or other parent teacher organizations. I would take a look at the test scores for the schools in your district, keep track of what the school board is doing and how the funds are distributed.

It has been my experience that public schools and public school teachers and administrators genuinely want their students to succeed. They are on your side and a great asset to you.

@SeventhSense
Brooklyn, NY
but I don’t mind having to take them to Manhattan, NY for school

The city public schools vary. I’m out on the Island though, so I’m not your best source. From what I’ve heard there are some exemplary public schools but aren’t they all based on academic achievement? Again, I don’t know, I’m actually curious myself.

Both of mine were in Montessori preschools. It wasn’t a problem for my oldest to transition into a traditional learning situation, but it sucked the joy of learning out of her. My youngest did not learn at all in a traditional setting, and we transitioned to a public school montessori program and had her repeat a grade. She went on to a developmentally based middle school and high school program.

We made the choice to put our children in public school and haven’t been disappointed. My son’s school (elementary) is top in the county and ranks very high, in the state. My daughter’s HS is accelerated and has a waiting list. She is only a freshman but is in the top 5% in her grade – they are very competitive, she’s always working to stay at the top.

What I learned, from my daughter’s first year on, stay involved. You don’t have to put your child into a private school to get the very best – in fact, there are students in my daughter’s HS that have left private schools to get into this program.

Both of my children were in Montessori preschools, what a wonderful beginning, but we were very careful, the summer before to really make them aware (I say we – but with my daughter, it was only me – my son had my husband and I to make him aware of the differences.) of the differences. My son had more adjustments than my daughter, but is thriving and excelling.

Check ready competency in the 5th grade level, like suggested above. You can look at the End of Grade testing, but I don’t think those are always the best indicators of what goes on in a school. Visit the school! and stay involved!

Good parenting and quality time has more influence over a child than the selection of an elementary school. Aside from the normal learning in my opinion learning a musical instrument has the most significant impact on the child’s brain, its intelligence and postive social behavior. But you need good music teachers. Don’t pick any piano teacher, pick a really good one. I think 8 years is a good age to get started with the piano.

@mattbrowne
there will be good parenting and quality time but to me, a school’s environment does matter…and as far as musical instruments, we will do all that’s possible to teach both of them that…Alex plays a bunch as well, so he can always teach them

@Simone_De_Beauvoir – Yes, a school’s environment does matter. My mother had been an elementary school teacher for 45 years and I’ve had many discussions with her about the matter. But even if the school is good students have to learn to deal with difficult teachers which they will encounter occasionally.

I home school so I’m not even going there!