Mom Seek and Understanding of Schools

Depends on the school. I live in Norwood and sent my kids to Holy Trinity. I pulled out (even though Norwood City Schools are not the best by far) because I didn't feel the education they were getting was worth the price we were paying. I expected better AND I expected the staff to stop any bullying that might happen since my son was a dancer. Neither happened, out they came.

All I can say is RESEARCH, RESEARCH, RESEARCH. Don't just talk to the schools and the school "cheerleaders" (PTA, boosters, etc.) Talk to EVERYONE.

Best of luck.

Its a different type of environment than the public schools. Not the quality of education, but the attitudes of the students and parents. I would say try to become involved in the church, if any associated with the school, or go on a visit of the school to see what you think.

Another thing to think about is that many private schools (religious or non-religious) do not require teachers to have degrees in "Education." For instance, you could teach Science at a private school with a Bachelors degree in any subject. In public schools, the teachers must have a degree in "Education," where (hopefully) they learned about child development and various teaching techniques...and had practice via student teaching. That's not to say there aren't good and bad teachers at both types of schools, but it is something to find out about each school you are considering.

I have taught at a Christian school. You WILL NOT get some of the religious instruction/guidance and a charter or public school that you do at Christian schools. We pray before snacks (when I taught preschool), had Bible stories -talked about looking to God for guidance, strength, etc. vs. "it's all about me - self -esteem".

God is tied into science & geography - God created the earth, etc.

We had guidelines as teachers that required certain things in our preparation as well as how situations and circumstances are/were handled with the kids. These guidelines talk about what GOD wants us to be and how we should behave based on what the Bible says vs. just stopping the behavior.

We had kids apologize and maybe even pray together, based on the situation. We allowed each child to find their true gift and potential that God had given them. We talked ALOT about choices and consequences - good or bad.

In my opinion, based on what I experienced as a teacher and the program in which I taught, there isn't even any close comparision to a public school.

Might want to VISIT the school and/or classroom. Talk to the director and/or principal to find out what is required of the teachers as far as cirriculum, how problems are handled, how they guide and teach, as far as Christianity is concerned. Do your homework. Schools are different, but I know there is a waiting list where I taught.....and for good reason! Full background checks on teachers as well as training to make sure all the teachers are "on the same page" with specific issues, yet allowed to teach with their own personality, gifts. etc.

I was told by the director that I taught more cognitive skills to the 3's and 4's than any other preschool teacher. I was allowed to do that but knew that there were certain things ALL the 3's did, etc. It's worth talking to parents whose kids attend there and talking to staff, etc.

This is a sore topic with me. The way our world is going and the economy, our children are exposed to too much. At a young age that can create a lot of confusion. You have to decide what type of learning environment is best for your child. There are many types of schools. Does your child need structure or a nurturing setting? Is he a visual, auditory or hands on learner? If you are a non-Catholic, putting your child in a Catholic setting will confuse him. Are values important to you? YOu have to decide what is important to you and then check out schools and talk to parents from these schools to see what is best for your child. My kids are 26,16,14 and 10. If I could have done things differently, I would have sent my kids to Christian schools for elementary level maybe up to 8th grade and then transitioned them into a public school for high school. There are too many distractions in the public schools and a lot of kids who are out of control. Some kids are strong and are not influenced by others but there are some kids who are not as confident that could end up on the wrong path. I could write a book about all my experiences. There are good public schools out there but you really got to find them. And about teachers at the private schools, I disagree with the person that they put anyone in there. Those schools need kids coming to them to stay in business so they will not want to put people in there that could hurt their business. There are a lot of good private schools out there but there are also some bad ones too. You have to do your homework. Oh , I am a product of a public school system and believe I got a better education than my children are getting right now.

Hello L.,
I am a married Mom of three kids. Over the years my children have attended private school, christian school, public school and homeschool. My advice is that first you have to determine what characteristics about school/education are important to you and then you need to rank those characteristics in order of importance. The next step is to take that list to prospective schools and take a tour and speak to someone in administration. Remember that you are looking for the right fit for your child and a school might impress you but if your child has a different learning style than it might not be the best fit for him. My husband was raised Catholic and I was raised Protestant so we found that the general Christain school was a better fit. The school had 45% Catholic families attending there and in religious studies the school covered the elements of Christianity that were common to Catholics and Protestants alike. There was an emphasis on God's character and his love for us and as his children how we are to respond in kind. It was uniting and the school never put down one denomination. In general, never feel that you are locked into one choice. If the environment doesn't fit your child's needs then make a change. Do alot of reading about what makes a good Kindergarten experience. The best thing you can do is stay on top of your child's social, emotional and academic development. Good Luck!
L.

L.,

My older daughter attends a Catholic school since Pre-K and she is in fourth grade. The Catholic schools of course teaches religion but it also reinforces that EVERYONE is to be treated the same way, respect, etc. The teachers are great, kind and caring. I wouldn't trade the Catholic education for anything! Between the level of education, religion and the principal at my daughter's Catholic school does not tolerate mischevious behavior or any wrong doing. If you have any more questions regarding the Catholic schools, please e-mail me.

Sara said that the teachers do not need a degree in education. This is not true. Please visit with whatever schools you are interested in, check with parents. I know some parents who have some children in public AND in a Catholic school.

I hope this helps.

Sue

Sue

Well the first thing to consider is the cost. The better private schools are big buck and they don't always have all the different studies available with public school. I have know a few who had kids in the Christian schools and paid big bucks only to find out their children were behind those in public school. One friend pulled her girls out when they were in high school sand they both had to take extra classes to get to their grade levels. I have a friend who grew up in the Catholic school system and was unable to pay for all 6 of her children to go there and she stated recently she was glad they attended public school. She felt they had many more chances to do and be the fine gentlemen and lady they have grown up to be. I think if you child wants to learn he or she will do well no matter where they attend. If you can get envolvd with the school. Volunteer. Be there every week if you can. See what goes on first hand. It's the best way to judge. I had a mother once cap down a teacher saying she was too old and should be forced to retire because she was too cranky and could not handle the kids. Well it was a first grade class at the end of the day and end of the week. I happened to be there volunteering and the children had gotten out of hand. I thought she handled them just fine. She needed to be stern with them. And I told this mother so. I said you try to make 25 kids who aren't your own learn something when they are tired, didn't sleep, parents are on drugs, and don't care about them. She said she was sorry she made the comment. She was totally unaware. I am a big believer in public school. My kids are grown and gone and I am still an active member in our PTA.

My parents had me in a Christian school until 11th grade, when I went to public school. My personal opinion is that with my Christian school, all the rules seemed to overtake the whole reason we were there. We could only wear certain clothes, only had certain sports, not the normal school functions (dances, etc.), etc. When I got to the public school it was so much more relaxing and I felt like teachers spent more time teaching instead of making sure we were following the rules. And kids still did bad things at my Christian school...I think that's a huge misconception that parents have...they still did drugs, drank and had sex.

However, the Christian aspect was wonderful and I have no doubt played a big part in who I am today. So there is a huge weigh-off. My daughter started kindergarten this year and I debated putting her in a Christian school. But based on my personal experience, I would rather her have all the benefits of the wonderful school system we're in and I'm confident that she will learn about God and Christianity at home.

Good luck with your decision!

One thing I would definitely find out about is how the classes are at the schools you're considering. Our public schools have had some big financial hits so class sizes jumped up to almost 30 in some cases. We chose to send our son to a Public Charter school that just opened up this past year. They capped class sizes at 22. I have taught in our public schools for almost 10 years and it was a huge decision to send him to the charter school, but you also need to look at your child's needs and how much attention he will get, especially in the first few years. We have a good Christian school in the area but we could not afford the tuition.

Another reason we chose the charter school is that it is only 3 blocks from our home so we can walk to and from school each day. Not all charter schools are that great either, so look at how and what they teach wherever you decide. Ours is more traditional for most subjects, but also incorporates the Feurstein approach to logic and reasoning. The best thing about it is the Arts Academy. When they public schools are cutting arts left and right, I know he's being exposed to many different areas, including dance, sports, art, drama etc.

As the other commenter said, BE INVOLVED! As a teacher, it was obvious what expectations parents had set for their children and those kids either lived "up" our "down" to those expectations. Good luck!

I work in education and can tell you that charter schools are public schools, sometimes they run alternative programs or have an emphasis on certain subjects. Religious schools are called nonpublic schools. Before choosing a public school (including a charter school) check out the ratings for the school. If you live in Ohio, there is something called the Local Report Card for each district and school. It is available on the Dept. of Education's Web site (http://education.ohio.gov). Good luck.

I don't think there's a "best" school. I do think there's a "best" school for YOUR child. Some kids thrive in private schools and others thrive in public schools. In our area, the public schools are among the best in the state. In many cases, public schools can cater better to kids with special circumstances because they have the resources of the state (and the law) behind them. For instance, the local Catholic school is great, but they do not have a Gifted & Talented program... the G&T program the local public schools have is awesome. My son is thriving in the program but he'd be bored stiff and not challenged if he was in the Catholic school.

My best friend just pulled her son from a local charter school because they do not have resources to help him... he has special needs (ADHD and Asperger's). In the public school, they are required by law to provide him with an appropriate learning environment - the charter school (and private schools) do not.

I do have plenty of friends with children in private/charter schools and they are doing great. But then, their children are not special needs or gifted & talented... if they were, they wouldn't be doing so great due to the limited resources at those schools. Those parents are the first to admit that private school is great for average children but if you go toward the end of the spectrum in one way or the other, public seems to be the better choice.

First thing, Christian and Catholic teach totally different religions. So you need to decide which one you believe in before sending your kids to either. I went to a Christian school. I can see now, where it had it's good points and it's bad points. The best thing I can say is no matter WHERE you put your kids, BE INVOLVED! There were things that went on in my "christian" school that later in life, when I told my parents, they sat there and bawled and apologized and asked why we didn't tell them these things back then. It's because the "pastor" had them so brainwashed that anything us kids said against him or any of the teachers was totally looked at as a rebellion and we were punished if we "rebelled" in any way so most of the time we just kept our mouths shut and rode out our "time" till we graduated. You need to totally know what you believe, why you believe it and then stand by your kids when they are challenged in these areas. It took me a long time to ever trust a "church" ever again but I finally found a church that I have been growing in spiritually. My two sisters will still not go to church because of what we endured in the "christian" school. Now, I believe, there are some that are totally fine! But like I said before...be INVOLVED! Know what is going on and what is being taught to your kids. TALK to your kids! Let them know that it is ok to "talk it out" when they disagree with something that is going on or being taught.
Good luck!

I think that any school you choose, it will have a share of the GOOD, the BAD, and possibly the UGLY. You will might never be 100% happy anywhere. My husband went to Catholic Schools and I public. We are in the process of choosing for our child who will start K. When we compare our education, there were positives and negatives of both. We did both receive a good education and I think that now stems from our parents being involved. Since we are in the process of moving we are trying to evaluate what is best for us...finacially and educationally. It is a hard decision. Use resources you can find to help you. Check out your states education website and find out how schools rank with tests, poverty, master teacher, etc. It should provide info for both public and public charter. The local diocese will have info on the catholic.

Good Luck!

As the Administrator of a small Lutheran School, I would have to say that private is best. First of all you get the religious base not just in religion class but in all subject matter. You have teachers who are VERY dedicated (private schools usually pay less than public schools so the are there because they love the teaching environment) Most private schools will be able to share their data regarding ISTEP scores, I know that ours is consistently higher than the surrounding public schools. As far as Charter Schools are concerned, my mentor told me that he would never take a job in a charter school because they attract disgruntled parents. "Why would you put your child in a charter school? Because you are unhappy with the public schools but are unwilling to make the financial commitment to put your child in a public school." When you look that the scores that are published in the local paper, the Lutheran grade schools tend to out do the Catholic schools but the Catholic High Schools usually fair better than the Lutheran High School. That being said, school is about so much more that ISTEP (contrary to what the Indiana Dept. of Education would have you believe) Take the time to visit any school you find interesting in order to find the best placement for your child.

It's really a school-by-school thing. You have to look at your public school district, the charter offerings, and local private schools. Private does NOT mean best, but if you are looking for a certain religious education, you may have to decide between the best education and what you want taught (if that makes sense).
I know that when Newsweek did their top 500 high schools in the US, North Central HS in Indianapolis was the only school (public or private) in central Indy that made the list which means it beat out any area private or magnet schools.
But it's different everywhere you go.

I am a mother of 2 grown children and a grandmother of 3. In my opinion the biggest fundamental different between a Christian based/Catholic based school and the public school is obvious the teaching of religion and the involvement in religious activities. I sent my children to our local Catholic school when they there growing up and I taught in the Catholic school while they were attending there. I have also taught in the public school and am presently an administrator for childen with special needs in our local public school district. We service students in the local Catholic School so I am still involved in that school setting, too. With the new RtI (Response to Intervention) push from the federal government and the fact that Catholic schools need to be accredited, I think you will find that curriculum is comparable between Catholic and public school settings. You can compare the reading program and math programs to verify they are research based and that all teachers are certified. We live in a rural area so our Catholic school is small. My children and today's children in our Catholic School had GREAT opportunities to participate in extracurricular opportunites because there were less students. Our district has a great working relationship with the local Catholic school in serving children with special needs, so you might want to check those kinds of services out, because not all Catholic skills have that kind of relationship with the local public school. They will have some services available, but those can be provided in a variety of different ways. If a child has significant needs, the Catholic/Christian schools typically do not have the resources available to handle that.
My children tell me now that they are glad to have had the opportunity to attend the Catholic school because they both have a very strong faith base. Of course that comes not just from school, but also from the home base.
My husband was skeptical when our children were young as to whether they should attend a Catholic school, but after they did he was very glad that we made that choice.
Just take the time to check any school, esp the reading and math programs that they use, as that is your foundation, and what kind of extra assistance they have for children who are struggling in those areas, before making your choice, as each school has its strengths. Good luck and happy school hunting.
Just remember that whatever school you choose, your help and encouragement at home is the big key.

Within the 'private schools' there are many different kinds of school. There are plenty of private schools that do not affiliate themself with the church.
Montessori is a comprehensive educational approach based on the observation of children's needs in a variety of cultures all around the world. Dr. Maria Montessori developed this educational approach based on her understanding of children's natural learning tendencies as they unfold in "prepared environments" for multi-age groups.
Depending on where you live, they have classroom for children birth through highschool. There are even Montessori public schools.
Under the guidance of a trained teacher, children in a Montessori classroom learn by making discoveries with the materials, cultivating concentration, motivation, self-discipline, and a love of learning.
Montessori is a hands-on, child-centered alternative. The theory can be explained in three words- "follow the child".