Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
Hey, We came up from the south to some of the "best" public schools. I have to tell you I am not seeing it. Not even close. The focus is on teaching the kids to do rather than know. For example the kids in first grade and kindergarden know how to read, However, they do not learn the mechanics. IE PHONICS. Just because you can do something fast does not mean you are smarter than everyone either. But that is what everyone is taught in NJ schools. I am very disappointed and cannot wait to get out of this area. I love the area and the neighbors and the people. The school board and the curriculum that they shove down the teachers throats here SUCKS. The amount of tax money that goes to the schools is excessive for what we are getting. The Federal schools are failing still. And people want the gov't to run healthcare. God bless America we are in for a bumpy ride.
Most schools in NJ are good, but there are also some that are less good - for example those with high black and/or hispanic neighborhood. If you live in mostly white and/or asian, schools are excellent. It also depends where in NJ
A school is as good as the children who attend, the children are as good as the parents behind them, pushing, encouraging and being fully involved in their education. I live in an area where the schools are considered excellent, but from my experience, the more involved I am as a parent, the more I see school as a three way partnership, the more my kids get from the school. I think parents today are expected to be far more involved in their children's education than in years gone by. But often there is too much of a 'what are you going to do for my kid' verses a 'what can I do to help' attitude. Teachers are in a very difficult position. We have given the child so many rights that it sometimes seems hard for teachers to keep control of their classrooms. I often volunteer in the schools here and I see a very laid back affair where kids roam quite freely and don't seem to have much respect for authority. My kids started school in the UK, 35 to a class with one teacher, when that teacher said class has begun, they sat down and shut up. Here, the kids finish their conversation and meander to their desks, and that is accepted.
I don't know if NJ schools are better or worse than anywhere else in the country, but I do feel that they are what we make them, and that education starts at home.
Could you please share with us exactly what NJ school district are you referring to?
For all the faults & imperfections that the state of NJ holds, one thing the state of New jersey is better than 98% of the country is NJ Public School system !
In the last 12 years, NJ's public school system has CONSISTENTLY & STEADILY ranked anywhere from number 1 to number 5 in the ENTIRE COUNTRY. The other consisten Top 5 state school districts year after year are New York , Massachusett, Maryland, Virginia & of course NJ.
We are talking about NJ schools being ranked consistently in the Top 2% among all 50 states.
Is it perfect? Far from it? Are there bad school districts? Absolutely! Every state has bad schools. There are multiple ones. But if we are talking overall & the wealthy top school districts- NJ will take on any state out there. Even an Urban Public school like Academic in Jersey City has consistently ranked # 1 in the NATION when Income of neighborhoods are put into the criteria.
NJ's Public Schools are probably the Biggest reason you do not see an exodus of Jersey residents leaving NJ due to High property Taxes & High Auto insurance. Many Jersey parents are willing to sacrifice paying a high standardard if the end results.
Note: NJ has one strong plus that only a handful of states have. We have an abundance of upper middle class suburban districts with LARGE populations of wealthy Jewish and wealthy AsianAmerican kids. As you probably know, that's a lethal combination in terms of Academic Excellence.
Note: NJ has one strong plus that only a handful of states have. We have an abundance of upper middle class suburban districts with LARGE populations of wealthy Jewish and wealthy AsianAmerican kids. As you probably know, that's a lethal combination in terms of Academic Excellence.
Wealthy white kids do just fine too. Give me a break.
Hey, We came up from the south to some of the "best" public schools. I have to tell you I am not seeing it. Not even close. The focus is on teaching the kids to do rather than know. For example the kids in first grade and kindergarden know how to read, However, they do not learn the mechanics. IE PHONICS.
Well, I agree, you've identified a weakness IMO, the lack of real phonics instruction. I don't think that is just a NJ issue though.
Why don't you do some supplementation at home on phonics if you believe it's important? I think it's naive to expect that the schools are going to be exactly what you want for your family.
Take some time to learn about the programs and curriculum. See what you like, you might be surprised. Identify where you see weaknesses for your familiy. If there is something that is off, take responsibility for it and supplement in that area yourself.
A good example, go look at all the Kumons, parents taking responsibility for their children's math education (a side effect of Everyday Math and TERC, which are weak math programs IMO).
Not sure what school district you are in but you eluded to "best school". Are you talking about a specific district? I am not sure what you mean by this do and learn thing. A lot of the kids entering Kindergarten in the public school (at least in my area) know how to read already.. Why? Well most of them have pre-school or private kindergarten. Parents that shell out big money for these pre-school are paying to get their kids started with public school kindergarten curriculum (that's why you may feel that they are not teaching the right way).
The bottom line.. the public school is expecting a lot more from Kindergarten. It may be difficult for kids adjusting so they even have a pre-first grade in a lot of the school. Maybe that's what you are experiencing.
I am responding to the OP. I am not here to be "Politically Correct " with you or anybody.
First of all, did I ever say that wealthy white kids don't do well ? Can you please show me where I said that !
Secondly, I am of Italian-Irish descent. A catholic. I am not proclaiming the success of these Jewish & Asian kids because of being one of them.
I am simply STATING a FACT. This is NOT my OPINION. It is a FACT. I was a Science teacher many years ago in both a Private & Public school in NJ. I am an ex-educator before I decided to Build Wealth for my family & leave the academic world.
It is a FACT not only in NJ, but across the nation that Jewish & Asian kids stand out academically than all other groups in America. Every single year since 1990, anywhere from 45% to as high as 53% of ALL IVY league students , Harvard, Yale, MIT,Brown,Columbia, Dartmouth, Cornell, University of Penn, Princeton and even Stanford University in the West - ARE of Jewish or Asian background.
That's 45% to 53% of our nations most competitive, top tier universities when their combined Jewish/asian population in america is about 8% of all americans.
Do you understand what kind of achievement that is for such a small numerical ethic group?
In Millburn Hill school ( which has been consistently # 1 or # 2 in NJ rankings), just 4-5 years ago,
over 30 asian-american students graduated with a 4.0 GPA, 7 of them had a perfect SAT score. While about 18 Jewish kids graduated with a 4.0 GPA, 4 of them had perfect SAT scores.
You want to visit Livingston High School. About 6 years ago, close to 80 kids, 95% of them either asian or jews finished with a 4.0 GPA! Close to a dozen perfected either the Math or Reading side of the SAT.
We can go on & on. Westfield, Cherry Hill, Princeton, Bergen County, Somerset county.
We can go to affluent Essex Fells/North Caldwell- do you want to witness how Jewish kids are dominating ???
Do you want to visit Westchester County NY? Scarsdale, Rye, etc. You want to go to Long Island or Rockland County, NY??? 80% of the top kids in all these wealthy top school districts are asian and jews. Nothing wrong with that. They work their ass off. They work harder than you will ever know.
These scenario is repeated nationally where there are large Jewish & Asian kids. California, New York, Connecticut.
As an American, you should celebrate that. You should be thankful about it. These are the future generation of Americans who will continue to FIGHT for American world dominance economically and technologically. These kids are the saving grace for the sorry state of thousands of Inner City public schools that will hurt america's global competitiveness in the future.
This is not us vs. them. You vs. them. These are american kids who year after year, replenish our much needed scientists, doctors, information technology professionals, economist.
Change your views. No one is attacking white kids. There are millions of white kids who are doing well. Some are standing out at par with Jews & Asians. You are missing the whole point here.
All I will say is , if you are a parent living in the tri-state area of NJ,NY,CT and are Not Aware of the fact that these Asian and Jewish students are best & the brighest academically - you either go to a school or district that has no or very little jews/asians or you must be out of touch with reality.
and please, these students are not born intelligent. they don't have special magic.
what these asian/jewish students who have dominated the US school system for the last 3 decades have is HARD WORK, HARD WORK, HARD WORK and a 100% COMMITMENT from their PARENTS !
Its a CULTURAL mindset. They value education above anything else. How do I know? I taught Accountng for 8 years.
Do you ever go to a New Jersey public library in a town that has even 5% to 10% asian population?
If you have, can you tell me WHAT RACE has the most number of children in the library Every day? On weekends? How do you explain that ? They are 5% of the town, but their children are 70% of the library every day. Then you wonder why these children kick butt.
ALways remember this. In the last 15 years, just short of 70% of All New, Young US Scientist that are produced by MIT,( the number 1 Science university in america ) are asians/jews. Folks, thats the future of the united states of america right there. Do you want us to keep our edge over say China? Over India? Over Europe?
Many professors & high school principals will admit today that Asian kids have actually surpassed Jewish kids in many cases. Not because they are smarter. But because many of them are 1st generation americans, there is a greater hunger for success. Its all about hardwork.
My husband & I are both white catholics. We both ( thank God) worked hard & have become successful with our respective practices.
But I must admit, when our kids were still in their younger years of elementary- my hubby and I always used asian and jewish kids as our personal benchmark of academic success.
My kids saw for themselves how a jewish classmate, and indian,filipino and chinese classmate would work hard & reach honors status consistently. At a young age, we already instilled in them that if you want to compete & be the best- you will have to work very hard like these classmates of yours.
Up to this day, my kids respect that work ethic of these kids.
Its really all about the parents. I see majority of catholic white parents settle for average. Of course, there are exceptions. But in general, there is a tendency to settle for average.
I see this prevalent among blue collar parents. It seems that getting an education is enough. Aiming for the top is not in the agenda.
But that comes back to bite your kids 10, 20 years down the road. yes, getting good grades does not guarentee success. Getting into a 1st tier college does not guarantee success in life.
But All statistics, facts, numbers,show that "most", I repeat, "most" ( it can never be all) of the graduates of 1st tier institutions like the IVY, like a Georgetown, Notre Dame, Stanford, would have a 100% better odds of being more successful financially than a student from a 2nd or 3rd tier school.
Let me leave you with this....
There's a reason most of the wealthy send their kids to top private schools.
Do you think it is a coincidence that 90% of the leaders of our nation, George Bush Sr, George Bush Jr. Bill Clinton, Al Gore, John Kerry, Hillary Clinton, Barack Obama, Michelle Obama ALL WENT TO IVY LEAGUE schools ????
Notice that several of them came from working class, lower income backgrounds. How do you think they were able to break the glass ceiling & beat out other wealthier kids of their generation.
Take out your political views for one second.
Do you think a lower income kid who grew up with a single mom who had just a high school diploma, an abusive step dad, plus coming from the deep south of a poor southern state would rise to be President one day IF not for his education at Yale & Georgetown ? does Pres Bill Clinton ring a bell ?
Do you think a black girl from working class, lower income parents in the streets of chicago could have risen to become a Law Firm partner, a First lady- IF not for her education at Princeton & Harvard.
Do you think a black boy coming from a working class single mom household, with no father figure
would one day become President of this country without his Columbia & Harvard degree.
That's Education! The Wealthy will be forced to accept you & open the door for you to join their world regardless if you came from the poor- IF you have the Education to stand toe to toe with them.
That's the secret of success of Jewish immigrants in the last 50 years. Education! Combine that with hardwork, entrepreneurship in some cases- it spells WEALTH!
The Asians are now using the same formula.
As the Wall Street Journal proclaimed several years ago, " These Asians are the New Jews of america".
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
