Mother Talkers

Single Sex Education Follow-up Question

by camper

Tue Mar 04, 2008 at 07:18:45 AM PDT

Yesterday I wrote a diary on the NYT article discussing single sex public education alternatives.  I just had a chance to follow-up and read all of the comments and am still mulling the thoughts over. Thanks to everyone who shared!

To me there is no topic more important than education. My parents were big on education and I was blessed with a fabulous one so I am already finding it all too easy to stress out about how to provide an education for Campbell.

We live in a small town - a proto-typical small-town-America community.  There are many, many positives to this - low crime, low drugs, low drop out rate.  We are in the process of looking at houses in the neighborhood where I grew up and I am tickled pink about the idea of feeling 100% comfortable letting Campbell run around the neighborhood with her friends and ride bikes and swim at the neighborhood pool just like I did without having to fear for her safety.

Our area schools are also good by national standards. There is a gifted and talented program that I was able to take advantage of and, should it be right for her, that will be available for Campbell.  The school system's scores are above average, the system is well funded and clean.  

All of this is to say that while our options are good and certainly we are much luckier than many Americans who have no choice but to send their children to under-funded inner city schools, I have found that I feel there isn't much choice available - there aren't many alternatives to traditional public education.  For example, I would love to do a kindermusic or similar class with Campbell but there aren't any opportunities like that and I am even seriously considering getting certified to teach a series myself.

So, my follow-up question is: How satisfied are you with the alternatives in your area?

Poll

How satisfied are you with the educational opportunities in your area?

21%6 votes
7%2 votes
17%5 votes
0%0 votes
7%2 votes
14%4 votes

| 28 votes | Vote | Results

Tags: education, parenting (all tags)

Permalink | 3 comments

  • I love where we live (0 / 0)

    We're in a small city with so many resources.  There are classes for young kids for everything imaginable (music, yoga, swimming, gymnastics, language, dance, etc.). I've never taken classes, though, since there's so much other stuff around to do.  I prefer the library singalongs and story times, playgroups run through the city, etc.  My kids and I tend to enjoy more unstructured activities, and within 30 minutes travel time we have two zoos, several farms with animals, a number of museums that are fun for little kids, so many different water fun options for the summer, etc.  We're never bored!

    As for educational options, the public schools here are run through school choice, so you rank your top schools and get assigned by a lottery system.  So most people are in a school they chose to be in, which I think is great, given my history as a charter school teacher.  When parents choose a "school of choice" there's just a greater investment in education.  There are also charter schools around and lots and lots of private school options.

    by Treena on Tue Mar 04, 2008 at 07:46:01 AM PDT

  • Oh yes--do Kindermusik (0 / 0)

    I cannot even begin to express the positive effects of this program on my daughter.

    This is why she is a music major today in voice performance and an accomplished pianist--it was this early early exposure to this program because I am not musical.

    by janetle on Tue Mar 04, 2008 at 03:54:21 PM PDT

  • I was born and raised in New York City, (0 / 0)

    live there now, and my three daughters--like their mother before them--attended girls-only Catholic secondary schools. I am a firm believer in single-sex education. There are less distractions of all kinds and it is easier to concentrate on one's studies. It worked for me very well, I attended university in Europe, some graduate school overseas, then law school back in NYC.

    The NYC public schools are such that anyone who can afford Catholic or private educational alternatives does so. Clearly, there should be more choice available to those in less fortunate economic circumtances.

    by mercedes99 on Wed Mar 19, 2008 at 09:27:48 PM PDT

Permalink | 3 comments