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There's such a range of schools in New York. I don't think it's possible to say "schools have changed" and refer to all of them. We're only investigating (public) elementary schools at this point, but there's a huge range just in our small district alone. Not worrying about middle schools or high schools yet, but it's my impression that even those options vary tremendously.
The beauty of the conversation is that people could choose what they believe is best for their child. To each their own. I already stated my view, which hasn't changed from the following posts after, which are views I have heard before, but it's interesting to see everyone's perspective. Good luck to the OP - do you already live in NYC or you are planning a move?
We are planning on moving, arriving in NYC by summer.
I am loving this discussion, one reason myself and my daughter miss the area. There's very little debate in other areas. You bring up an opposing view, and they shut down, or nod and back away, or say "mmmmm....", then excuse themselves! Damn, the more I travel the more I believe that there is no exchange of ideas like there is in NY. Any I've been around half the world!
We are planning on moving, arriving in NYC by summer.
I am loving this discussion, one reason myself and my daughter miss the area. There's very little debate in other areas. You bring up an opposing view, and they shut down, or nod and back away, or say "mmmmm....", then excuse themselves! Damn, the more I travel the more I believe that there is no exchange of ideas like there is in NY. Any I've been around half the world!
Exactly. Which is why even when homeschooling, you want to make sure you give the child the opportunity to be exposed to those different ideas, views, and cultures as much as possible. And that can be done, although it is a failure in some homeschooling environments.
"I believe that there is no exchange of ideas like there is in NY."
Where have you travelled to? NYC is pretty PC, which doesn't really engender an "exchange of ideas"
I was assuming they meant other more rural or conservative areas of the US, but I could be wrong. You can still be PC and have an exchange of very different ideas though.
Is there a lockdown feel on NYC too? I was assuming that it was where I have been in the last few years. Westchester didn't seem so bad, CT was stifling because god forbid you showed some emotion, and NC is a very nice place, but a bit bland when in comes to opinions.
As far as homeschooling, I am exposing my daughter to things and people she normally would not encounter, like volunteering for the old, and working on longer term projects thru the Arts Center here with a range of kids of different ages. We also travel whenever we can, internationally when possible.
What are your reasons for homeschooling? I'm just curious.
My personal view is that it puts the kids at a disadvantage socially and intellectually. You learn so much just by the interaction with other children and people. And then what impact does it have on them when they enter high school and college? Would you homeschool for high school too?
And why would NYC be an awesome place to homeschool? I think the opposite. Growing up here, my best memories and learning experiences are all the class trips I had *with* my classmates and teachers to all the museums and even the occasional restaurant.
Would be interesting to hear your perspective on why you are pro-homeschooling. I don't personally know anyone that would consider it.
I'm not the original poster, and am planning on sending my own kid to public school (we'll be in district 1, and are hoping to get a spot in one of the progressive schools there), but the reason I thought NYC would be one of the best places in this country to homeschool is because of all the resources; there's no reason anyone in NYC has to do it alone, and they could easily arrange a very flexible schedule that took full advantage of the city's many educational opportunities (both the formal, i.e. museums, and the informal -- visits to restaurants, new neighborhoods, etc.) and pulls it all together into a total package that also includes plenty of interaction with people of all ages. I used to be adamantly anti-homeschooling, and still generally think it has a lot of potential flaws, but for the right child and the right family, it could be a pretty amazing, and a lot less limiting than going to the same location every day with the same kids and the same teachers. A homeschooling family would have tremendous opportunities right at their fingertips in NYC, which is something that would be much more difficult if living in a smaller town or city.
All that said, I think it's also very possible for families to take advantage of NYC's many opportunities even if they do attend "regular" school. I've also been impressed with some of the creative offerings and opportunities found within many public schools themselves. I'm still a bit intimidated about the whole school application process (we don't have a zoned local school), but am feeling very optimistic about some of the offerings out there. I've still signed up for some of the NYC homeschooling email lists, though, as I've found them to have useful information even for those of us who plan on going the regular school route.
I'm not the original poster, and am planning on sending my own kid to public school (we'll be in district 1, and are hoping to get a spot in one of the progressive schools there), but the reason I thought NYC would be one of the best places in this country to homeschool is because of all the resources; there's no reason anyone in NYC has to do it alone, and they could easily arrange a very flexible schedule that took full advantage of the city's many educational opportunities (both the formal, i.e. museums, and the informal -- visits to restaurants, new neighborhoods, etc.) and pulls it all together into a total package that also includes plenty of interaction with people of all ages. I used to be adamantly anti-homeschooling, and still generally think it has a lot of potential flaws, but for the right child and the right family, it could be a pretty amazing, and a lot less limiting than going to the same location every day with the same kids and the same teachers. A homeschooling family would have tremendous opportunities right at their fingertips in NYC, which is something that would be much more difficult if living in a smaller town or city.
All that said, I think it's also very possible for families to take advantage of NYC's many opportunities even if they do attend "regular" school. I've also been impressed with some of the creative offerings and opportunities found within many public schools themselves. I'm still a bit intimidated about the whole school application process (we don't have a zoned local school), but am feeling very optimistic about some of the offerings out there. I've still signed up for some of the NYC homeschooling email lists, though, as I've found them to have useful information even for those of us who plan on going the regular school route.
I don't mean to hijack the thread or go off on a tangent so I hope this post doesn't get pulled, but the above post is really rather poignant. As a little kid attending NYC public schools, I took our occassional school trips for granted. In elementary school, we went to the UN, the Propsect Park Zoo, the Bronx Zoo, the Stratford Shakespeare Festival 3 times, the Museum of Natural History, the Planetarium when it was separate, Sagamore Hill, and a bunch of other stuff. In JHS, my English teacher took us to a play on Broadway. In HS, the social studies teacher took us to some artsy film in a theater on the uppser eastside (and stopped of at Bloomies while we watched her buy a new pair of shoes), the other French teacher took her classes to a French restaurant in Manhattan.
While growing up, I took all of this for granted. And fortunately, my parents took me to lots of cultural stuff too. When I became an older teenager and started to travel a teeny bit outside of NYC and met other people my age, they thought I was the luckiest, coolest kid. Their school trips consisted of a visit to a grist mill, some seasonal activity at a farm,some historic local house, maybe a local play, an amusement park, a fort, whatever. Only the older kids got to take an overnight to some place that had a major museum or educational attraction. To me, taking a guided tour of the UN was no big deal. Doesn't everyone? Even kids from mid-sized cities don't have the same educational school trip opportunties. They might have one or two major attractions, an aquarium maybe, or one or two moderate sized museums. That's it. The scope is limited even if their city has a couple of of major sites that attract tourists and student visitors. So kids from NYC, Washington DC, Boston, Philly do have the advantage of a wide variety of educational outings encompassing art, history, music, dance, all of the science disciplines, and agriculture. It would be nice if all of our students could take advantage of it.
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