Public vs. Private School

[Bobby Boucher]

public schools are a joke gotta go to a private one if you want to get anywhere in life or learn anything tbh

[DUNCANownsKOBE]

The honors program at a lot of public schools is really good, but if your kid is in regular classes, don't expect for him/her to have a productive k-12 education at all. The public high school I went to had a better math program than you'll find at most private high schools (and I know this because my friends who went to the premier private HS in Phoenix were always hitting me up for help), but that's largely idiosyncratic. I feel extremely lucky to have gotten the education I did at a public high school. If there's a public high school in an area where you live known for a great honors program, do whatever you can to get your kid a variance and into that program. They get the social skills/street smarts of a public school and the education of a private school.

[ploto]

My child has attended Catholic school his entire life. It is a choice with which I am very happy. However, the primary reason I made the choice was for the religious environment - a place where they can pray in school and where our religious values can be taught. I also liked the fact that other parents sent their kids there for the same reason. Parents are involved and care what is happening and that is part of what makes a difference. The school was not perfect, but I think it suited my kid the best - given his personality and his academic interest. We also went the co-ed route the whole way through because I am not a fan of single gender schools.

Do not send your kid to a private school based on a belief that the classes will always be smaller. That is not true at many schools - especially the bigger Catholic schools that have people on waiting lists. The size of the class is really not the difference. It is the environment in which a teacher can handle 25 kids with no problem as compared to 20 kids who are less disciplined.

Also know that there is a difference between a private school like Keystone and a Catholic Parish school. Lots of people who are not rich at all send their kids to Catholic school. Some work a second job.

Also, know that small private schools do not have the programs if your child has any sort of special need - unless it is a private school dedicated to that special need. If your first grader needs speech or your kid is dyslexic, the public schools have the programs for you that the small private schools do not.

[Latarian Milton]

primary school ain't gonna matter as much as middle or high school in terms of the chance to enter a top-notch university. kids should have more fun outside of school in their childhood imho. private school might be more expensive but imho it's well worth the extra fee, while most public schools ain't worth a damn. for sure its a better option to send your kids to a private school rather than public school if your finance permits but primary school ain't a key element for kids' future successes imho. just be a good parent, being your kids' role model rather than their best friend and letting them have as much fun as they want through their childhoods tbh

[DUNCANownsKOBE]

My child has attended Catholic school his entire life. It is a choice with which I am very happy. However, the primary reason I made the choice was for the religious environment - a place where they can pray in school and where our religious values can be taught. I also liked the fact that other parents sent their kids there for the same reason. Parents are involved and care what is happening and that is part of what makes a difference. The school was not perfect, but I think it suited my kid the best - given his personality and his academic interest. We also went the co-ed route the whole way through because I am not a fan of single gender schools.

Do not send your kid to a private school based on a belief that the classes will always be smaller. That is not true at many schools - especially the bigger Catholic schools that have people on waiting lists. The size of the class is really not the difference. It is the environment in which a teacher can handle 25 kids with no problem as compared to 20 kids who are less disciplined.

Also know that there is a difference between a private school like Keystone and a Catholic Parish school. Lots of people who are not rich at all send their kids to Catholic school. Some work a second job.

Also, know that small private schools do not have the programs if your child has any sort of special need - unless it is a private school dedicated to that special need. If your first grader needs speech or your kid is dyslexic, the public schools have the programs for you that the small private schools do not.

So you wanted to indoctrinate your kids into a religion that promotes child molesting and ensure they'd never question it by brainwashing them. Great parenting.

[bus driver]

This pretty much sums it up

My parents sent me to private school when we lived in Alabama, but otherwise I went to public schools.

In the unfortunate situation where I find myself with kid(s), they are absolutely going to public school. Kids need to be around other children from a wide range of socio-economic backgrounds, races, religions, and so on. If you as a parent stay on them, pay attention to their friends and stress good grades, they will have every bit as good of a chance as their snooty private school counterparts of educational excellence. They'll also be way ahead in terms of social skills and hold a more realistic worldview.

Jmo

private school in alabama???.......you aint got ta to lie, craig

[z0sa]

Private school is much better up to high school IMHO. at high school its time to let your kids get valuable life experience. Additionally the curriculums are essentially the same at that point.

[symple19]

private school in alabama???.......you aint got ta to lie, craig

what the are you talking about? try English

[to21]

Taft HS if by far not the worst HS to attend here in SA. In fact, the magnet school attached to Taft (Comm Arts) is one of the best in the country...just apply to that school.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Communi...ts_High_School

[bus driver]

what the are you talking about? try English

it wont be funny if i have to explain it.

[symple19]

it wont be funny if i have to explain it.

Oh...Okay. Must be a mookie crew-ism?

[spursncowboys]

Oh...Okay. Must be a mookie crew-ism?

I took it as a swype about bama. because bama is poor therefore wouldn't have money and therefore wouldn't have private schools.

Also the line is from the movie Friday. When Craig's gf thought he was cheating on her.

[bus driver]

^
ty

[Kori Ellis]

Our kids are preschool age. We considered private school, but we decided we are going to homeschool. I know there are a lot of preconceived notions about homeschooled kids -- lack of socialization, blah blah. But if you do it right, it can be ideal for your kids. We like the flexibility of it -- time-wise, curriculum-wise, and all around. We are also going to supplement it with a private tutor in our home.

[spursncowboys]

Our kids are preschool age. We considered private school, but we decided we are going to homeschool. I know there are a lot of preconceived notions about homeschooled kids -- lack of socialization, blah blah. But if you do it right, it can be ideal for your kids. We like the flexibility of it -- time-wise, curriculum-wise, and all around. We are also going to supplement it with a private tutor in our home.

All the socializing stuff and "education" from pre-k evens out by second grade. My oldest went to private pre-k and still had trouble with the structure of kindergarten.

[Lincoln]

All I know is by the time I got into HS all the homeschooled kids were either snobby elitists or socially awkward

[Kori Ellis]

All I know is by the time I got into HS all the homeschooled kids were either snobby elitists or socially awkward

Yeah I think that used to be pretty common because a lot of parents who homeschooled kept their kids pretty sheltered from other kids.

But I think if you make an effort for your kids to be involved with sports and other activities, that shouldn't happen. Our four kids are all 3- and 4-years-old but even now they have a lot of social interaction -- sports classes, music class, gymnastics, local homeschool group activities, etc.

Anyway, we are going to try it and see how it goes.

[ploto]

Yeah I think that used to be pretty common because a lot of parents who homeschooled kept their kids pretty sheltered from other kids.

But I think if you make an effort for your kids to be involved with sports and other activities, that shouldn't happen. Our four kids are all 3- and 4-years-old but even now they have a lot of social interaction -- sports classes, music class, gymnastics, local homeschool group activities, etc.

Anyway, we are going to try it and see how it goes.

I considered it at one time. I was primarily interested in my kid not wasting time on busy work and on having the flexibility to do whatever we wanted whenever we wanted. With multiple kids, it is also cheaper than private school to homeschool them and then pay for private tutors or camps for extra instruction. There are also many more groups of homeschooling families that get together than in the beginning.