A few weeks ago Charlie and I had to make a decision about schools. We had to decide which school to send the boys to next year. Jett was #1 on the waiting list for Kai's school and Kai had been accepted to Jett's school. This decision was agonizing. I'm so tired of thinking about it that I can hardly stand to write about it. I'm sure that my sister, my parents, and my friends can't stand to hear about it again.
Basically this is a blog post that I don't want to write and no one wants to read. Awesome! Yet here I go.
This decision was really hard because I had 10 competing thoughts in my head at all times:
1. If Jett were to get accepted to Kai's school (and we were pretty sure he would be), both boys would have a spot in that school until 8th grade.
2. Also, it's a really good school. Great test scores. Involved parents. Good at fundraising.
3. Also, it's montessori, which seems mostly good.
4. And it's all day preschool for free.
5. I think Jett would love montessori.
6. But Jett's school is good too. With pretty good test scores. A lot of involved parents. Good at fundraising. Free after school programming that Jett enjoys.
7. Jett loves his school.
8. Also, Kai is already accepted there and I like the prek teachers.
9. But it's only half day preK (but still free).
10. And Kai will have to reapply for Kindergarten and if he doesn't get accepted then the boys will be at different schools again, which is a drag.
A lot of our decision dealt with trying to figure out the value of a montessori education. Not just a montessori education in general (although that was part of it), but a montessori education at this particular school. It wasn't easy to figure out. This school believes that having parent helpers or observing in the classroom disrupts the learning process so I wasn't able to be in the classroom much to see how it all worked. That's not necessarily wrong, it's just not what I want. Having to stay out of the classroom also made it hard for me to see the benefit of montessori. Still, Kai has a great teacher and I believe that he has learned a lot this year. It's just been hard to figure out just exactly what it is that he's learned.
Meanwhile I volunteer in Jett's class every Monday morning. I know all of his classmates' names and most of their parents. I know what Jett is learning and how he is learning it and about where he falls academically compared to his classmates. It feels great to know all that stuff. I feel connected to the school and I know what is going on.
Then I had the thought that maybe the best school for me isn't necessarily the best school for my kids. We are talking about their education after all, not mine.
But then I ran into Jett's preschool teacher (from the last two years). I explained to her what I was going through and she suggested that I "find something else to worry about." Everyone whom I've shared this decision with has said the same thing (only not quite so bluntly). So I finally just kind of decided that my kids would be successful in either school. And if that is true, then we might as well choose the school that for one reason or another just seems to be a better fit for my personality.
Left to his own devices I think Charlie would have chosen the other school. But in this case he was left to my devices, which amounted to constant obsession and research. I think he figured that all of the hours I spent learning about montessori, talking to the teachers and principals and experienced parents, volunteering in the schools, attending PTO and LSC meetings at both schools, etc., all of that was worth not arguing with (at least not too much).
So next year Kai will go to preK at Jett's school, and Jett will continue on there to 1st grade. Next December I'll apply for Kai to go to kindergarten there, and spend all winter wringing my hands in worry about his acceptance. And then, hopefully, he will get in for kindergarten and we will be set through 8th grade.
Now don't even get me started about high school.
Basically this is a blog post that I don't want to write and no one wants to read. Awesome! Yet here I go.
This decision was really hard because I had 10 competing thoughts in my head at all times:
1. If Jett were to get accepted to Kai's school (and we were pretty sure he would be), both boys would have a spot in that school until 8th grade.
2. Also, it's a really good school. Great test scores. Involved parents. Good at fundraising.
3. Also, it's montessori, which seems mostly good.
4. And it's all day preschool for free.
5. I think Jett would love montessori.
6. But Jett's school is good too. With pretty good test scores. A lot of involved parents. Good at fundraising. Free after school programming that Jett enjoys.
7. Jett loves his school.
8. Also, Kai is already accepted there and I like the prek teachers.
9. But it's only half day preK (but still free).
10. And Kai will have to reapply for Kindergarten and if he doesn't get accepted then the boys will be at different schools again, which is a drag.
A lot of our decision dealt with trying to figure out the value of a montessori education. Not just a montessori education in general (although that was part of it), but a montessori education at this particular school. It wasn't easy to figure out. This school believes that having parent helpers or observing in the classroom disrupts the learning process so I wasn't able to be in the classroom much to see how it all worked. That's not necessarily wrong, it's just not what I want. Having to stay out of the classroom also made it hard for me to see the benefit of montessori. Still, Kai has a great teacher and I believe that he has learned a lot this year. It's just been hard to figure out just exactly what it is that he's learned.
Meanwhile I volunteer in Jett's class every Monday morning. I know all of his classmates' names and most of their parents. I know what Jett is learning and how he is learning it and about where he falls academically compared to his classmates. It feels great to know all that stuff. I feel connected to the school and I know what is going on.
Then I had the thought that maybe the best school for me isn't necessarily the best school for my kids. We are talking about their education after all, not mine.
But then I ran into Jett's preschool teacher (from the last two years). I explained to her what I was going through and she suggested that I "find something else to worry about." Everyone whom I've shared this decision with has said the same thing (only not quite so bluntly). So I finally just kind of decided that my kids would be successful in either school. And if that is true, then we might as well choose the school that for one reason or another just seems to be a better fit for my personality.
Left to his own devices I think Charlie would have chosen the other school. But in this case he was left to my devices, which amounted to constant obsession and research. I think he figured that all of the hours I spent learning about montessori, talking to the teachers and principals and experienced parents, volunteering in the schools, attending PTO and LSC meetings at both schools, etc., all of that was worth not arguing with (at least not too much).
So next year Kai will go to preK at Jett's school, and Jett will continue on there to 1st grade. Next December I'll apply for Kai to go to kindergarten there, and spend all winter wringing my hands in worry about his acceptance. And then, hopefully, he will get in for kindergarten and we will be set through 8th grade.
Now don't even get me started about high school.
1 comment:
I'm glad the decision has been made! Both boys will do great there. :)
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