<p>My D went to our public middle school & it was such a complete waste of 3 years that we put her brother in a private MS when he got to 6th grade. It was the best move we ever made. The curriculum was superior to that of the public MS ... but even better, boys in this school (it was coed) were proud to achieve (unlike boys in our public MS). S did not want to continue at the private HS (which his sister attended). However, there was NO WAY we would put him in our public HS. I sub teach in the district & saw firsthand the low expectations/weak curriculum. We were fortunate enough to be able to send him to a neighboring district's public HS under our state's district of choice law. He is receiving a very solid education. So ... it's not necessarily a public/private thing ... not only do privates vary, but so do publics.</p>
<p>Fearing that my D was going to have the same experience as my S in jr. high (no challenge, overcrowded school), I found transferred small one-school district that was K-8. Boy, was it a blessing. Expectations were high and my daughter tested into a math level higher than she would've had she attended the local jr high. Today, she's a self motivated student who is looking forward to honors/AP classes in high school. But don't get me wrong, it wasn't a perfect school. My youngest D attended kinder at that same school this year and she basically twiddled her thumbs all year. The class was unbalanced with 13 boys and 5 girls. This year, I'm definitely going to be more involved in my daughter's first grade curriculum. Moral of the story - there is no one size fits all school.</p>
<p>Lilmom-I could not agree more.</p>
<p>It wasn't until high school that I really "fit" at my school. And that was because my school implemented Small Learning Communities. I chose to be a part of the PEACE (Personal success through Empowerment, Academic achievement, Conflict resolution and Ethics in action) Academy. It was the most amazing experience I've ever had with a public school.</p>
<p>All my core PEACE classes were amazing. Then, Senior Year, I decided to take Bible As Literature for my English elective (These are not separated by SLC).</p>
<p>Everything went pretty well until we got to our first essay. Everyone except for three or four students (myself included in that group) had to re-do it several times in order to get a passing grade. Keep in mind, these are SENIORS in High School. And they can't even write an essay.</p>
<p>The second essay, I understood very well and was able to turn in my first draft. When I asked the teacher what I should do since I was done, his answer was to "help the other students".</p>
<p>Now I'm all for helping my peers, but I don't want to do his job. I have neither the patience nor the talent. So I sat and grew more bored by the day. And by the time we moved on, I was bored with the entire class.</p>
<p>I love my school, but I do think our public school system needs some serious work. There is absolutely NO excuse for seniors in high school not being able to write a 5-paragraph essay.</p>
<p>HisGrace, that takes me back to my elementary days in a Hawaii public school. In third grade, I always finished my work early and my teacher would ask me to correct spelling tests. THIRD grade! I would have a fit if my children had that kind of experience today! Yes, I think public schools do need an overhaul - and fast.</p>
<p>mmhmm.</p>
<p>Now OTOH, I was a student aide for my favorite teacher ever this year. She teaches 9th and 11th grade English, and she did occasionally have me grade essays. However, she would give me a rubric and simply tell me, "Circle on the rubric what they don't have." Then SHE would do the actual grading. That was a little easier for me. (Plus, I'm a pretty strong writer, so she trusted my judgment.)</p>
<p>Heh...in fact, she once got after me for grading her students too harshly!!</p>
<p>Reminds me of an experience my D had in 1st grade (not in MA, in TX) where the teacher corrected spelling in a writing assignment of my D. Unfortunately, her corrections were wrong spellings. Worse, the words she "corrected" were spelled correctly!</p>
<p>spouse and I debated quite a bit what to do - should we go to the teacher or not? We did.</p>
<p>We also used it to discuss with our daughter the difference between a "right" answer and a "correct" answer, and how much of education is less of a search for truth than a search for what the teacher wants.</p>
<p>Lilmom, my youngest S was in kindergarten and he graded stuff for the teacher. The older one used to work the worksheet with kids who struggled. It was definitely good training -- the older son tutors all the time these days!</p>
<p>"Worse, the words she "corrected" were spelled correctly!"</p>
<p>^^ Shades of Dan Quayle -- for those who remember this embarrassing episode caught on camera in an elementary school. Yes, he wasn't a teacher, but gee, any adult should know...</p>
<p>Ridiculous to have such an episode with a <em>teacher.</em></p>
<p>epiphany,</p>
<p>It would have been ridiculous but for the fact that she was a great teacher otherwise. She even brought in some books of her older daughter for our D when she saw that D was a strong reader, so she was sensitive to the individual needs of her students. I can't say the same thing for every other teacher D had through the years. (some were, some weren't. And the absolute worst was a very environmentally correct, properly liberal 5th grade teacher who disliked stronger students. She even had everyone reading a book for class at the same rate, refusing to let any of them read ahead.)</p>
<p>I don't doubt she could have been a "great teacher otherwise." I guess I lament the incomplete educations of the public in general -- including those aspiring to be teachers -- when it comes to those hopelessly old-fashioned details such as spelling, mechanics, and expression. Those may be boring and un-PC, but they make for effective communication, which teachers of any subject should be modeling daily. In my career I've seen a progressive abandonment of the elements of writing, with the rationale that it's "too boring" for students to learn, they'll be too restless, too impatient, etc. (And I thought <em>we</em> were called the Now Generation!)</p>