Chronicles of Chaos
Private Schools
San Francisco Magazine’s article Schools Gone Wild is worth reading.
The writer Diana Kapp is a parent with kids in private school. She explores all the issues that I think about when touring independent schools, but can’t quite describe. I just feel uneasy about the perfection, the affluence and the potential for competition.
At the same time, the support and good intent of the education seem ideal.
I come back to the place of our family, our children, what’s best for us. For elementary school, I’m all about grounding a child, discovering their spirit, building their confidence to be who they are.
When I see tons of alphabet and number lines on the classroom walls I feel uneasy. The worksheets and repetition of basic mechanics aren’t my favorites. I want kids to learn the basics, I’m hopeful and curious about alternative approaches.
Once I pass through all of these feelings (which are about me) as I stand in the back of a classroom during a school tour, I try to picture my kids in the class. What’s best for them.
I tend to start with Amelia, then broaden to Wyatt and somehow my current belief is that Oliver (at 20 months old) is very flexible about schooling.
I watch parents with notebooks scribbling down details, I wonder if their notes help them later. I listen to the admissions directors and heads of school answer thoughtful questions. There’s always a moment when I feel amazed at the process, how schools and families navigate admissions.
For me, the biggest impression is always the same, the students and teachers–they’re the ones I think about on the drive home.
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