IHO, do you think you would consider switching to public school next year?

SoCal78 - 03 November 2009 10:16 AM

IHO, do you think you would consider switching to public school next year?

I’ve been wondering the same thing.

Yes, if we could work out the after-school care thing.

One convenient thing about our current school is that they start at 9am, and even then we sometimes have a hard time getting there.

We love the school, but are just worried about the work level which I plan to talk to the teachers about at our next meeting.

The thing that gets me about this is that as a private school, you would think there would be more instructions about homework from the teachers or even an online site that will give us pointers on how to go about doing their homework with them. I was a bit put off the other day because we forgot to get her homework packet so I drove back before they closed to get it but her room was locked and the person who had the keys left already (or at least that’s what they told me). So I asked if they have any website resources (because I know other schools do) to get her homework from and they don’t. Gah… what year is this?

(thanks IHB for putting up with my venting by the way)

Did they have a “Back To School Night” to familiarize the parents? That is where the public schools provide orientation for mom & dad but not sure about private school…. what info did they provide at BTSN?

They did, but they didn’t go in-depth into the homework.

To be honest, I just glanced at the packet and in hindsight, I should have inspected it more and asked questions about how to work on certain assignments. The first few weeks looked easy enough, but once we got into actually doing it, that’s where I noticed how much work it really was.

I totally understand. I found that at BTSN, we were given SO much info & packets to look through. They went over most of it but pretty quickly—there was just way too much to absorb there on the spot. Then they had us write any questions we had down on a piece of paper and drop it into a basket for them to answer later. I thought that was sort of silly because you really need the chance to sit down at home and look through all this stuff first… or at least, I do. I don’t like being put on the spot.

SoCal78 - 03 November 2009 10:50 AM

I totally understand. I found that at BTSN, we were given SO much info & packets to look through. They went over most of it but pretty quickly—there was just way too much to absorb there on the spot. Then they had us write any questions we had down on a piece of paper and drop it into a basket for them to answer later. I thought that was sort of silly because you really need the chance to sit down at home and look through all this stuff first… or at least, I do. I don’t like being put on the spot.

Do you guys communicate with teachers through e-mail? I have found that e-mail is the most effective way to communicate with the parents of my students and with my own children’s teachers. I also just finished compiling a class directory for my son’s Kindergarten classroom so that parents can communicate and ask questions of each other when something isn’t clear. I gave the teacher the forms so the parents could fill out as much/little information as they wanted, the parents returned them and I compiled it and copied it. It’s been really useful so far.

For those with 4-7 year olds worried about the homework thing: it’s much easier if you give them a head start.  (ie. once they can read and count on their own - easier to them to mostly figure things out and keep up.)  Before kindergarden, or during the summers try:

Reading: http://headsprout.com/ - smart computer program teaches kids to read.  Free trial (good for seeing if your 4 or 5 year old is ready yet).  Minimal cost.  Kids like it and think it’s a game.  Minimal parental work involved (ie. program does it all, sends you progress report emails.  All you have to do is if the computer says “say it out loud” and your kid isn’t, holler over from cooking dinner or whatever and tell the kid you want to hear them saying it out loud).  Works like a charm.

Math: I don’t know of any websites for that, go the old fashioned route and get some workbooks and teach them yourself.  Or even get out a roll of pennies and teach them how to count and add and subtract.

Irvine Teacher’s Supply
15415 Jeffrey Rd, Irvine, CA
(949) 857-8989‎

tmare - 03 November 2009 10:59 AM

Do you guys communicate with teachers through e-mail? I have found that e-mail is the most effective way to communicate with the parents of my students and with my own children’s teachers. I also just finished compiling a class directory for my son’s Kindergarten classroom so that parents can communicate and ask questions of each other when something isn’t clear. I gave the teacher the forms so the parents could fill out as much/little information as they wanted, the parents returned them and I compiled it and copied it. It’s been really useful so far.

I would think this is something the teachers would do for us. Even my girl’s soccer team communicated via email so we know who would be going to what games.

I think it’s a bit difficult for us because many of these parents have been there longer than us so they already know each other since most of their kids have been their since preschool or K. It’s also harder for her to make friends since they already have their established “cliques”.

I was actually thinking about setting up my own website and scanning the homework in and distributing the URL to other parents after my incident with not being able to get her homework. I think I’ll give tmare’s idea a shot although most of the small asian moms seem to look at me with fear in their eyes.