considering relocating

[tigergal]

Originally Posted by pomartini

Would you mind sharing what you particularly look for that the typical parent wouldn't know to ask? I ask because we recently left a private school in Memphis and enrolled our child in a public school in our new state -- in a good district that would rival the likes of the better private schools in Memphis. But - something is not setting right with me with our new school - although I don't what it is (we've been in school now for one week so time will tell but I would love to know what I *could* be looking for).

Thanks!

It really depends on what kinds of programs your kids need. In our case, our daughter needs a strong gifted program and a school that encourages a lot of abstract thought. But every kid is so different that they all have different school facets that need investigation. In general, I say to listen to your gut if something doesn't feel right. Is there anything in particular that just doesn't sit right? I may have an idea of which rock to look under if there's any particular issue that stands out.

Things I look for/ask about:

1. What is the structuring model the school utilizes? With this info in hand, the model can be researched and you can tell whether or not the school is operating effectively within the model or if the model is a good fit for your child. A good principal/teacher should be able to explain not only the model, but refer you to the research behind it.

2. Is there differentiation of curriculum based not only upon ability, but also learning styles and interests?

3. Is there a variety of instructional styles? Are there opportunities for those of the different learning styles to be successful (auditory, visual, kinesthetic). Is learning directed in a combination of styles to allow students to draw out more passive learning styles within?

4. When test scores are discussed, how do the scores rate on a value-added approach? If test scores for fourth graders are lower than they were for the third graders in the previous year, what is the explanation for the discrepancy?

5. How much does the teacher rely on the chosen curriculum in terms of text and how much does the teacher incorporate on his/her own? (Heavy reliance on the text is not good as the teacher can "phone it in". Teachers who bring in their own notes, ideas, etc are more engaged with the students and the subject matter.)

6. Whenever a school claims bragging rights to either a stellar reputation, high status on rankings or any other such thing, ask them to quantify it. Ask what programs these numbers represent and how they arrived at those conclusions. Ask if the figures are all-inclusive or represent isolated sectors within the school.

7 . And my biggest concern (and the one that lead us to leave our private school last year) - if the Curriculum director, principal and or lead teacher can not answer any of these questions, that is a very big red flag.

[tennreb]

Originally Posted by pomartini

Would you mind sharing what you particularly look for that the typical parent wouldn't know to ask? I ask because we recently left a private school in Memphis and enrolled our child in a public school in our new state -- in a good district that would rival the likes of the better private schools in Memphis. But - something is not setting right with me with our new school - although I don't what it is (we've been in school now for one week so time will tell but I would love to know what I *could* be looking for).

Thanks!

Does your child have homework every night (at least an hour for younger kids and three hours for high school) and is challenged by it? That's a really good sign if he/she is.

[tigergal]

Originally Posted by tennreb

Does your child have homework every night (at least an hour for younger kids and three hours for high school) and is challenged by it? That's a really good sign if he/she is.

In my professional life, we've always considered quality of homework to be a better indicator than quantity. If homework is simply extra work the teacher didn't get around to covering in school or that the child, for some reason, didn't get a chance to complete in school, that's not really a quality homework engagement. Homework that involves application of the new knowledge in a way that encourages thought above the level of recitation or repetition is really a good indicator of effective homework experiences.

It's an interesting issue to contemplate. Nations which give the least homework, (or none) have greater academic achievement than does the U.S., which typically favors homework.

Standard accepted practice in homework provision calls for ten minutes per night per grade level. Consequently, an hour of homework isn't called for until 6th grade or so. The highest acceptable limit of homework for secondary students is 2 hours. There's really not a lot of positive correlation backed by research that shows that homework for elementary students leads to any significant academic achievement.

[pomartini]

Wow, Tigergal! You have certainly given me a plethora of talking points to consider with our new school. I am tremendously grateful for the time you took to answer my question. Sadly, I do not know the answers to many of these questions. But, I will. In reading your response, I realized that one of my issues has been the lack of communication from this new public school.

My child is in the 1st grade and since day one of school, she has had over an 1 hour of homework each night. A couple of nights - over 1 1/2 hours. To me, this is excessive for a 6 year old.

Thanks again for your repsonse. It is a great help to me.

[tigergal]

Originally Posted by pomartini

Wow, Tigergal! You have certainly given me a plethora of talking points to consider with our new school. I am tremendously grateful for the time you took to answer my question. Sadly, I do not know the answers to many of these questions. But, I will. In reading your response, I realized that one of my issues has been the lack of communication from this new public school.

My child is in the 1st grade and since day one of school, she has had over an 1 hour of homework each night. A couple of nights - over 1 1/2 hours. To me, this is excessive for a 6 year old.


Thanks again for your repsonse. It is a great help to me.

Good gracious, I'd be having a cow if my first grader had an hour of homework. Their attention span shouldn't even be expected to be that long at that age. Good luck in improved communication from the school. Sometimes school leaders need a bit of a kick in the pants on that issue. Being involved in the school and being there as much as possible is also a great way to stay on top of what's going on and getting a feel for the school's culture.

Sorry the previous post was so long. Occupational hazard in educational research!

[defiepilex]

When I was a senior in high school, we had a 10th grade Japanese exchange student in my Senier AP US History class. She said that in Japan, they never take any homework home. All work had to be completed and turned in during class. They also went to school 12 hours a day. She also had the highest grades at the end of the year.

[Pearlbob]

It's well known that japanese students put us to shame. It's comparing apples to oranges. And we're not just apples, we're brown, rotting apples compared to their shiny tasty oranges.

[defiepilex]

It's just funny and ironic that a foreign exchange student knows more about our history than our class did.

But, I was just trying to point out that tons of repetitive take-home homework does not make you a better student.