Making Informed Choices in Your Child’s Education
Tonight we go to a Middle School orientation. The school will explain the educational and social plan they have for the kids. And while the presentation is supposed to be the same at each of the counties’ middle schools, we are going to this one and one at another school next week so we can make a more informed choice in our son’s education.
Right now, it is the unknowing that is causing me so much stress as I weigh our options:
A: Send him to the middle school he is zoned for - it is new, most of his class is going there and that is what the county wants us to do. However, we have heard that this school is getting a turn around principal; that the student body is much more diverse and there are a high number of discipline issues; and it is 20 minutes from our house which equates to a 50 minute bus ride.
B: Try to get him placed at the middle school closest to the elementary school. It is old, some kids he knows will go there, and it has a better reputation in general. I would have to drive him each day but it is close to the elementary school and I work from home, so it could be worse. Getting him placed here could be tricky. I could do it one way but that involves stretching the truth and I’d rather not do that.
So, I will go to orientation at both schools and do my best to make the best decision based on the information I have at hand. Why does this have to be so tough?
Then again, I could always homeschool him! While I think he would do wonderfully in his academics if I homeschool him , I worry about his social development if I do. If you homeschool or have any interest in it, check out Parenting Teens today for an invitation to a discussion on Homeschooling with author David Albert.
Another good resource for information on educational styles and issues that I have found is Linda Moran’s thoughts on Teens and Tweens. She always has good insight into the current teaching methods.
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4 opinions for Making Informed Choices in Your Child’s Education
V-Grrrl
Mar 29, 2007 at 9:34 pm
With a new middle school opening, the character of the old one will change, which complicates things.
One thing I would consider is that if he moves to the new school with all his peers, it will make for an easier transition for him and you–both of you will have a familiar social network. If the school is rougher, there’s strength in numbers.
If he’s not easily distracted, the bus ride can be a great time to do homework so that he has free time when he gets home.
Just a thought. We have lots of school decisions to make too. One of my big concerns about moving north when we get back is the quality and character of the schools.
char
Mar 30, 2007 at 2:57 pm
V - thanks for the words of wisdom. We went to one of the parent orientations last night. It was for the school we used to be zoned for (and that I would like to transfer him to). There were plenty of familiar faces as about half the 5th grade class will go to each of the two schools. I was so impressed with the staff and the presentation they gave. The orientation for the other school is next week. We are going and then I will most definitely have some decisions to make.
You have some difficult decisions ahead of you too! And I don’t envy you.
Babblz.com
Mar 31, 2007 at 4:21 pm
Weary Parent: Parenting Tweens & Teens » Making Informed Choices in Your Child’s Education…
Making choices about your child’s education are difficult. The more information we can have as parents, the better decisions we can make….
Weary Parent: Parenting Tweens & Teens
Apr 6, 2007 at 5:03 am
[…] Middle School parents orientation meeting last night. It was very different from the one we went to last week, yet they were both working from the same set of Powerpoint slides. I will do a comparison post […]
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