Gifted Issues Discussion homepage Forums General Discussion we went to visit a private school

there is a expensive private school in our area. Well actually there are quiet a few. but this one is supposed to have a child centered philosophy. We are poor. We're so poor..... (fill in the end of the joke)

Anyway the tution for the school for one year is a little over 1/3 what we make in a year............ combined. We can't afford to pay them any money really. but they say they have financial aid.

We finially went to an open house today and I held my pinky up the whole time. (*he he he*) but really it seems pretty good. The staff seems on the ball and the classes have around 10 kids. And they are all pretty bright and if not they get, the real help they need. We met some of the students very nice kids. They seemed to be pretty well focused.

DS7 is on the fence..... he is afraid of losing the friends he has now. Which I can't blame him for..... he says its nice but I don't want to go there.....

His current school situation has become pretty bad. the 504 plan went out the window and he has had a bunch of absences because of his sinus problems.

Not sure if we should move ahead with it, if he is not interested in the school, and just move ahead with homeschooling, which he also says he is no interested in. But I can't really leave in good conciense where he is. Either situation would be better.

what do you think?

I think oipen houses give you what they want you to see. What happens if you show up unexpectedly? Are they able to receive you? If not, what are the reasons? Do the reasons make sense or make you take pause?

Ask questions!!! Talk to parents! Get perspective!! We learned the hard way that you should never judge a book by it's cover.

Private does not = excelent
Public does not = poor
and vice versa... use your parental radar!

Poor is often good for expensive private schools like that. You may be in better shape than someone much more well-to-do.

Can you assure him that he can still see his current school friends afterschool and on weekends? (This worked for us with homeschooling.)

If the friendships are all that's bugging him, and if you think it's a better situation than the one he's in, AND if you can get a scholarship for him so that you can afford the school, then it seems like a workable situation. Plus you can always tell him that if it doesn't work out, he could go back to public school. That's one nice thing about public school--they pretty much have to take you. So it's a reversible decision.

I don't think you want to force him to go if he's sure he doesn't want to. But I also think you can confront his fears in a positive and persuasive way.

But I'd find out about the scholarship first. If you can't afford the school, there's no sense in persuading him that he wants to go!

Both of you give great answers!

i have been doing research about the school asking around, they seem to be basically what they claim. honestly however for the price they charge, you would think they could easily afford to give each child there own computer and a small car, possibly a butler....lol I didn't see a lot of computers or technology there and what I did see i was painfully unimpressed by. We are a family that runs on computers. DS7 was on a computer before he was potty trained. So that worries me.

I asked about the scholarship.. basically reading between the lines, you apply and if they like ya, they get you the money to go there. They all seemed to like DS7 and we're pretty impressed with him. but we'll see.

I am a computer guy. (Big computer guy) But there is a lot to be said for doing things and learning things in real life. Not seeing state of the art computers at a school wouldn't make me rule out the school although I would probably ask follow up questions. In fact if I found a school that had authenticate Apple ][ or TRS80s I'd actually be impressed because they'd probably be teaching some of the low level fundamentals.

So I'd ask follow up questions, but that wouldn't turn me off altogether. Computers are just tools.

JB

Psst, JB...we have a computer issue in another thread--the Descartes' Cove question.

we're not ruling it out

and I did talk to the computer teacher, he seemed like a petty knowledgeable guy. He and DS7 geeked it up for a while, and DS7 was impressed with him.

He talked about teaching flash, which would be great, and we talked about programing, he wants to start with html, which seems really appropriate.

But I wonder where they put the crank to start up the computers?...
(get it, get it... cause there so old, like a Vicrtolia... *giggle giggle*)

When the time comes I suspect DSx2 and I will actually "build" a computer.

Yes, html is good to start. Good fundamentals. Way back in my day, when we had to program up hill, both ways, computers didn't have graphics and we used a predecessor to html for word processing...

JB

Heading over to the Descartes' Cove thread now....

Did you carry your little brother on your back, too, JBDad?

Trust your mom gut about the school. If it walks like a duck and quacks like a duck, and your DS is a fan of that particular brand of duck, then it's probably a duck he can live with.

Do you have any other public school options in your area? My kids are in a public magnet school where they had to test to get in, but anyone in the county can test as long as you agree to provide transportation if they get in. This is a very high achieving school and has been great for my kids. You might see what other options there are in your area (if there are any!)

Also, I agree about trusting your mom gut. He's probably not going to want to try something new because it is new and unknown. I'd say you decide what you think is best and then sell it to him!!!