Home School vs. Public school vs. Private school

I can see the benefits of all three.

how do you feel about it?

Frankly, I am least fond of public school just because it's so scary these days. What with kids killing other kids, teachers having sex with students... etc etc. while I am sure these things have always happened to some degree... it seems to be on the rise.

My little brother goes to a private school but it is VERY expensive.

As for home schooling... i don't know anyone personally that has been homeschooled but it is something I have looked into.

I got curious because I saw a bumper sticker today that said "love+nurturing+caring= homeschooling" I thought that was a little wierd.. like people who don't homeschool don't love, nurture or care for their kids. Seemed kinda silly.... but I have heard from people on other forums who have been homeschooled and love it.

What is your take on the three? what would you prefer?

Both my children have never been to anything else but public school, infact none of my extended family have entered private schooling, even though some of them could well afford it, even my doctor sent his children to public school,i do believe there are alot my options available at private schools here in NZ,but whether the actual education is any better i seriously doubt it,of course things are not nearly as scarey down under in schools yet, but you do have to pick your schools,although we have zoning and that is not always possible.

So far i am more than satisfied with the public system,as for home schooling well i have nothing against it, if you can handle it,personally i could not,and for my daughter who is miss social butterfly it would be a serious disadvantage to her,anyhow just my thoughts on the subject.

I think it truly depends on the quality of public school where you live, and the needs of your child. Homeschooling, when done right, can be great, but it can aslo be a disaster for the child if not done well.

I homeschooled my kids until my oldest was in 5th grade, my next in 4th, and my youngest in 2nd. I started when they were 4 and 5. I ended up sending them to public schooll because I work now and also because as they get to higher grades they have the ability to have a broader range of subjects, etc. I know I couldn't really teach arts, dance, foreign language, etc, but I gave them a good base, made sure they know how to read, spell, etc etc. So I think that helps them out.

Honestly, it doesn't matter if a kid is homeschooled or public schooled, parents have to teach their kids morals. With good morals it can really help them fend off peer pressure, at least a lot, and eventually they will encounter kids and people of the world, and I wanted mine to be able to have an understanding of how to deal with them. Depending on how much the parent does or doesn't try to work on socialization with homeschooled kids, some are very backwards when dealing with others as they get older because they didn't learn how to develop social skills. That's easily compensated for by making sure to take them places where they can interact with other kids.

I go to a private school and am very happy there. We do so much more outside the curriculum and have more educational opportunities than I believe the state schools receive. The whole atmosphere is different ; everyone there is intelligent (to some degree :p ) and people actually want to learn and do well, which is much more than can be said for a lot of other schools.

Also, private schools have excellent reputations and top universities will be very interested in a pupil from a top private school, as are potential employers.

Yes, private schools are very expensive. I was fortunate to win a scholarship for my school which knocks off a third of the fees, but my family is currently paying £7000 a year and it goes up a couple of £100 each year. It can be tough for some people to find the money, but I can say from my experiences it is worth it.

Well here are my experiences:

I was in private school K-2nd and then public 3rd-12th. I was too young to notice the difference between private and public, but according to my mom my second grade teacher just about ruined the entire year for me. She was a terrible person and teacher and that's why I was moved to a public school. I did fine through public school and have had no issues with colleges or careers due to my base education.

I've had a few friends do home school and I personally wasn't too impressed with the work they had to do. It seemed more of a joke to them than anything else. I think for K-6 home school would be fine, or with the proper parent. However, what I saw from my three friends was that the parents didn't really teach and the students didn't really learn. They're doing fine now, but had to work a bit harder at junior college than I did to keep up.

My brother went to private school from K-6th and then public school from 7th-12th. He was offered scholarships in multiple fields from many different colleges. He has earned many degrees including his PhD. He teaches at the university level and receives grants on a regular basis for his research and written journals. He's only 29.

So I guess the best way to sum up the examples is that it depends more on the school and staff than on the actual category that it falls into. I'm sure home schooling is the right answer for some. For others private school might be the best, but in my situation it almost set me behind a year because of a bad teacher (edit - I wasn't the only student that had issues due to this specific teacher :p ) For others public school is just as good if not better than the other options. Who knows, maybe a mix of all or some is the right way to go.

There is good and bad in everything, and I think it is up to the parents to do the research and determine what the best option is for their children.

I went to a private Catholic school from grades K-3 because my mom didn't like the public school in the area (inner city). When we moved, my parents enrolled my sisters and I in public school. I loved it a lot more. More people to connect with, more flexible (I hated uniforms), more subjects and lots of extra curricular activites (I was on the swim team and golf team).

I have nothing against private or home schooling, but like Karen said, if the area is nice, then I'd rather go for a public school.

HMMMM a mixture... that is interesting and something I never even thought of.

My little brother goes to a private school. He went to public during elementary school and then his mother decided that she did not want him in a public highschool so she actually FIRST sent him to military school for grade 9. He learned A LOt there. Most importantly he learned a lot of discipline and structure but the teachers were fantastic. and there was always a teacher available for after school study help and participation in school sports was promoted heavily... even if you were not good at the sport you were still on the team if you wanted to be.... they thought that teaching kids how to work and play as a team and other things they can learn from a sports team was much more important than winning... I agree. it was a good school for his first year.

After his first year she transferred him to a private school (this school costs over $30,000 a year :Eek:) he has REALLY thrived at this school. His marks are excellent... the teachers are great... and he has done some things through the school that he probably would have never experienced otherwise. They went on a trip to Kenya last year and climbed mount kenya... they were supposed to go to Napal this year to climb Everest but the guide in Napal had to give up climbing for a while becuase of a very bad lung infection. Just a lot of really neat experiences that he wouldn't have gotten otherwise. he is now preparing to head off to university for either sports medicine or sports management.... he isn't sure which one he wants to major in yet.

I am not totally confident that he would have achieved all this through public school.... he needed that more personal attention to keep him focused.

My neice goes to public school. she is in 5th grade. she goes to a French immersion school. she is VERY bright but she doesn't really like school too much anymore. BUT if there is anyone that would benefit from homeschooling I really think it would be her. Her mother is WONDERFUL and if she didn't have to work I have no doubt that she would successfully make use of the homeschooling system. My neice is so bright and most of the stuff she knows she learned at home. their favourite past time is watching the bird feeders in their backyard and finding the birds in their bird book and reading up on them. all of those kids are very smart and I REALLY attribute it to their great family life and the wonderful teachings of their parents.

I went to public school myself and back then (lol like it was so long ago) it was OK. I also lived in a vry small town at the time. but now it seems to be getting worse and worse (depending where you live I suppose) there are just too many kids and not enough teachers... there is no personal attention what so ever. Kids seem to spend more time trying to avoid fights than they do learning. Public school seems to be on a slippery downhill slope. But there are plenty of public schools that are excellently run as well.

I really like the idea of multiple schoolings throughout their school "career" that is an interesting idea and I never would have thought of that, really.

I really understand what others are saying about homeschooling though. it can REALLY be done incorrectly. I think if it is done properly it can be very beneficial... but you're right it is A LOT of work.

I have heard that there are often homeschoolers societies in some towns... where groups of parents that do homeschooling get togther with other homeschoolers and they do field trips and the kids get to socialize etc etc. and there are always community sports... which I am sure our child/children would be into if they are anything like us LOL... especially hockey hahahaha. I think sports outside of school are also a good way to mix and mingle with other children from different backgrounds that they might not meet at school. I have heard those can be VERY helpful. WOW I am glad I have a few years to think about this before a decision HAS to be made LOL.

I attended public schools grades 1 through 8. I hated it, and the thought of the high school actually terrified me. I insisted I was NOT going there, and I attended a private all girls high school. My parents weren't thrilled with the cost, natch, but I was a good student and they listened to me. I knew which school I wanted to attend, and that was the only one I applied for. It was great for me.

I LOVED having a uniform and not worrying about what to wear each night (I would get my school clothes ready the night before.)

My brother really didn't give it much thought. My parents arranged for him to attend a private high school too. An all boys school. It didn't seem to make much difference for him one way or the other. He didn't have much preference, or interest in the matter, so my parents put in applications for him at several. That school didn't wear uniforms, just dark slacks, white shirt, tie. He did well in school all the way through, also. But he had no cares where he went to high school, and I have always wondered if maybe he should have stayed at the public school.

I have a local friend who home schools all her children. She works part time afternoons, 12:30 to 6 PM. She spends the morning with them, taking them places. She figures she spends half of what she would spend on a private school tuition, and they get to go to lots of places they might not otherwise. They go in to the local public schools twice per year for the national testing, and they are always the high scorers for their grades. The 2 oldest (she has 5 children) are now in Ivy League colleges.

I've been to both public and private schools. I hate private schools. While they are relatively smaller than public schools, they tend to be EXTREMELY cliquey and I can't stand that. Everyone knows everything about everyone.

Which is why I switched to public school. And I love it.

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Originally Posted by BC_MoM

I've been to both public and private schools. I hate private schools. While they are relatively smaller than public schools, they tend to be EXTREMELY cliquey and I can't stand that. Everyone knows everything about everyone.

Which is why I switched to public school. And I love it.

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Wow... that is actually how I felt about public school... very cliquey. but I guess it depends where you live too :D

Yeah, I guess it does. My public school now is fairly large, so you recognize faces, but can't place names. I'm lovin' it! haha

My son goes to public school, and it is a great school. But I think he would be more suited in Private school. He needs more one on one attention, and I think a private school could offer that better. Not realy all that sure tho, as I havent realy looked into it, cause I know darn well we could never afford it.:rolleyes:

In our town the private school goes up to 8th grade and then the students go to public with the rest of us or go to another district. The private school kids were incredibly far behind us in everything but math. It seems math is the only thing they could learn completely in a private school without any controversy. I would never send my own kids to private school.

Another thing, kids in private school are in more danger of messing up in the real world. They barely learn about drugs, much less how to avoid them. They believe myths about sex that could get them in bad situations. They just aren't prepared for the real world. Also, more kids in the private school in our town did drugs and drank than those in public school. Had they gone to public school, they'd have learned that we make fun of the kids who do drugs. Instead, they were sheltered and learned that those kinds of things are "rebellious and cool". Take something away from kids, and they'll want it more.

I forgot to mention that my parents moved to my hometown because the public schools there were better than in their own hometown. As a parent, you can choose what school district and what public schools your child will attend by "voting with your feet" - a.k.a. moving. And there are things to look for in researching a town's schools as well, like whether they encourage parental involvement, how long people have been teaching there, etc. It should always be a conscious decision on a parent's part. I went to public school K-12, Paul went to private all but two years around junior high.

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Originally Posted by Karen

I forgot to mention that my parents moved to my hometown because the public schools there were better than in their own hometown. As a parent, you can choose what school district and what public schools your child will attend by "voting with your feet" - a.k.a. moving. And there are things to look for in researching a town's schools as well, like whether they encourage parental involvement, how long people have been teaching there, etc. It should always be a conscious decision on a parent's part. I went to public school K-12, Paul went to private all but two years around junior high.

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There are also plenty of Websites that Rate public schools, and are a great help, when thinking of moving to a new area. We used them, when we were going to move.

I think there a merits to all three systems if done correctly. Research shows that smaller class sizes are advantageous- and most private schools offer smaller classes than most public schools. However, I'm not sure it's worth the extra cost, unless you've got a lot of money to throw around and the school is known to be better than public in the area.

I worked at a private school for kids with learning differences, and the students definitely received more individualized attention, they had the best resources, etc, but it cost $25,000/year. I've also observed at lots of public schools (I'm going to school to be a teacher) and I have to say I'm impressed with a fair number of them too. Money doesn't buy a truly caring, compassionate teacher, which sometimes can make all the difference.

I think home schooling could be good, with the right parent and the right child. But, I think socialization is very important, especially for young children, so you'd have to make sure they get out enough with kids their own age. My cousin home-schooled her oldest daughter for a few years, but the girl didn't have any friends except her younger sister, and now she will not even talk to kids her own age. :( She is incredibly smart, but she is completely silent in school. Luckily, she goes to a great school that tries to help her out socially, and recognizes her issues.

I teach a lot of home-schooled kids piano. Some of them seem dedicated to their school work, some not. One kid I talked to today said his parents were thinking about sending him to public high school because he procrastinates and didn't listen to his mom like he would a teacher.

I guess the best thing would be to compare schools in your area, and decide what you feel is best. It's good you are thinking about it early- it's an important choice! :)

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Originally Posted by IRescue452

In our town the private school goes up to 8th grade and then the students go to public with the rest of us or go to another district. The private school kids were incredibly far behind us in everything but math. It seems math is the only thing they could learn completely in a private school without any controversy. I would never send my own kids to private school.

Another thing, kids in private school are in more danger of messing up in the real world. They barely learn about drugs, much less how to avoid them. They believe myths about sex that could get them in bad situations. They just aren't prepared for the real world. Also, more kids in the private school in our town did drugs and drank than those in public school. Had they gone to public school, they'd have learned that we make fun of the kids who do drugs. Instead, they were sheltered and learned that those kinds of things are "rebellious and cool". Take something away from kids, and they'll want it more.

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This really shows the differences where you live can make.... my brother was sent to private school BECAUSE he was starting to get in a bad crowd that drank and did drugs (going into grade 9 so that makes them what? 14?)

At his private school (although I suspect this probably shouldn't be taken as the norm as it is insanely expensive... luckily his mom can afford it) they are far more advanced than the public highschools he would have been in. I think it has helped him deal with the real world better than public school did or would have. Of course... starting out in a military school ALSO REALLY made a difference. He has a lot of freedom at his private school... but he also had to learn that with that freedom came responsibility and in turn responsibility for his actions. It is a Co Ed private school as well.

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Originally Posted by sparks19

Wow... that is actually how I felt about public school... very cliquey. but I guess it depends where you live too :D

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same here lol every public school I went too was incredably cliquy, I had like NO friends it was so bad. the private school I went too however had no cliques at all, I mean there were groups, but everyone intermingled, I had 3 seperate groups of friends. I am a very shy person so the cliquyness o the public schools just made me more reclusive. but after 4 years in a private school where everyone was essentally friends or aquantences with everyone helped me come out of my shell..I started never saying a word, I finished grade 12 regularly being the person who's name was called for talking in class lol. so I am biased toward Private school myself. sure its pricy, but there ARE other ways, I sure as heck could not afford to go to one of the top private high schools around, I started the school on a scholarship, and coniunued on Burseries, the ONLY thing I paid for was Film class, and that was only $40.

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The private school kids were incredibly far behind us in everything but math. It seems math is the only thing they could learn completely in a private school without any controversy. I would never send my own kids to private school.

Another thing, kids in private school are in more danger of messing up in the real world. They barely learn about drugs, much less how to avoid them. They believe myths about sex that could get them in bad situations. They just aren't prepared for the real world. Also, more kids in the private school in our town did drugs and drank than those in public school. Had they gone to public school, they'd have learned that we make fun of the kids who do drugs. Instead, they were sheltered and learned that those kinds of things are "rebellious and cool". Take something away from kids, and they'll want it more.

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wow is that different from here, the public school kids here are so incredably far behind the private school kids its insane, an A is a public school here is the equivilant of a C in a private school. we are so far ahead of the public school kids its almost pointless, as we would all go to collage together and atuff that we learned in 11th grade was being taught because the public school kids never learned any of it.

same deal with drugs, my best friend goes to one of the biggest drug addict schools in the city... its public. its always suprises me how many people assume that everyone in private schools are stuck up etc... out of all the poepl in my private school, I did not meet one single stuck up person. I met dozens on a 2 hour visit to my friends public school. people DO do drugs in a private school, I had a few aquantances who were druggies. smoking? we have a smoking shed out back, grades 10-12 are allowed to smoke around the shed. we are also NEVER taught myths about sex, more like we had to do our own research and create presentations about safe sex. no gong to a private school we were deluded about nothing, we were wimpley taught safe ways to go about it. example..students threw parties all the time, yes with drinking and no parnets. know what they also did? they required everyone with a car to hand their car keys to the host, if they were drunk they were to stay over at the hosts home, no exeptions. we also never has knife fights, school stabbing or shootings, or deaths from students driving home from parties while drunk. virtually every single public school in my city has had one or more of the above.

I went to public schools, and although I was an outcast from day one, I was never attacked with anything more dangerous than a wad of spit or a snowball. (Well, a fist ONCE, but the kid's parents brought her to my house to apologize later, and revelled so sadistically in her misery that I immediately understood why she was violent and couldn't really hold it against her.) However, this was in a really rural area. The only drugs we had regular access to (except for a couple rich kids) were beer bought from older siblings at insane markups and really lousy pot, so I wasn't too impressed with that option.

I've actually met one homeschooled guy who totally regrets not having been "toughened up" in the public schools. In homeschooling he encountered only enthusiasm for his strengths, patience with his weaknesses, and overall acceptance. When he hit the real world, he says he was just completely at loose ends for a couple years. But I also know parents of special-needs kids who homeschool because the bullying their kids got in the public schools was just more than the kids could realistically be expected to withstand without permanent damage.

The people I've met who studied in private schools have been all over the map. I think it totally depends on the school (and, of course, the student and the family). I think if you have the money and the time to research a good variety of schools, it's probably a good option.

Love, Columbine

Only rich people can afford private education in my country,however there are a few scholarships available now, but far and few between.

I am fortunate enough to go to a great public school that is typically farther ahead, or right on par with the private schools. From my experience, the private school system here has massive fall backs. It was very cliquey and you could pay for your marks. I never found the teachers to be any better than what I have now, and I always felt very sheltered and lacked street skills. Only the wealthy can typically get into private schools and because of that it gave a very unrealistic view of the real world.

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Also, private schools have excellent reputations and top universities will be very interested in a pupil from a top private school, as are potential employers

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I actually disagree. Around here, top universities are just as interested in the public school students as they are in private. If you have the marks for a top university than it doesn't matter where you came from.

In the end, there is no right answer. Education is what you make it and it various from person to person.

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Originally Posted by CagneyDog

In the end, there is no right answer. Education is what you make it and it various from person to person.

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Words of wisdom!

If you aren't familiar with the dog food debate, this debate isn't too different :p The underlying denominator is that it all depends on the individual him/herself. Education is not a one-way road. If your kid likes public school, great! Keep him there. If he doesn't, consider homeschooling or private schools. If he hates it there, find alternatives. It truly depends on where you live, your own child's determination (self-motivated children have done fabulously in public schools), your financial situation, etc.

I spent K-8 in public schools and, while I hated it then, I ADORE it now. Now that I'm spending 9-12 in a Catholic school, I realize that my true friends were the ones from public school. I have to agree in part with IRescue. Many of the kids that came from private elementary and middle schools had very little life experience. In all honesty, I found it disturbing how sheltered they were. Additionally, my middle school's academics were far above par. The only kids who took accelerated math classes (meaning Alg 2/Trig in 9th grade) were from my public middle school.

In the end, *this all doesn't matter*. By the time your kid is beginning to read/write, you'll see very quickly what type of learner he is. If he is self-motivated (as I consider myself :p), he can very well excel in public schools. If he requires a bit more attention to stay on task, attending a more structured private school may not be a bad idea. Lastly, I have a close friend who was homeschooled K-8, and, while I adore her, it's sad how little life experience she has. =/ Good luck choosing! I know it's mind-boggling!

I haven't read all of the replies because I have to be out of the house shortly, but I will just comment on my own. My husband and I chose to send our children to public school through 5th grade and then switch them to private (Christian) school from 6th to 12th grades. My kids, having had the benefit of both, said they much preferred their private school experience. They knew it was a financial sacrifice and thanked us for investing that money on their behalf. I do believe it has also helped shape the adults they are today. :)

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Originally Posted by IRescue452

Another thing, kids in private school are in more danger of messing up in the real world. They barely learn about drugs, much less how to avoid them. They believe myths about sex that could get them in bad situations. They just aren't prepared for the real world. Also, more kids in the private school in our town did drugs and drank than those in public school. Had they gone to public school, they'd have learned that we make fun of the kids who do drugs. Instead, they were sheltered and learned that those kinds of things are "rebellious and cool". Take something away from kids, and they'll want it more.

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I see the truth of that first hand in my own husband. He attended a Lutheran school grades K-12. I wouldn't necessarily say it was a private school but the class sizes were small and the teachings obviously different then that of a public school.

He lived a very sheltered life and our marriage is suffering because of it. It's very frustrating.

On the other hand, his brother who attended the same school, acted out and fell into a bad crowd with drinking and drugs and lost his license to a DUI and has a very bitter and negative outlook of the world around him.

I attended public school from k-7, private school from 8-11, and public school again for 12th. There are ups and downs for both but I really do think that having a combination of experiences with schooling is beneficial. I don't remember much about going to public grade school except that the whole focus seemed to be on getting us ready for exactly what was going to be on the statewide tests and nothing else. Schools get funding based on test results so as long as they educated us on the contents of the test they neglected most other things :rolleyes: When I transferred to private school, two things became immediately apparent to me. A) The kids that had spent their lives in private school seemed very naive and younger than their age to me and B) They were also a heck of a lot smarter than me even though I had been a straight A student.
I believe that public school better prepared me for the big bad world. The quasi altruistic society that they try to teach you is out there in private school is a joke :rolleyes: You can't be gracious and understanding all your life out in the real world. It just doesn't work like that! Sure, if EVERYONE in the outside world was a real Christian then it might work like that, but it just doesn't. The kids who had ALWAYS attended private school didn't seem to have any experience at all with mean bosses/mean teachers/mean anything. I don't feel that they are able to leave school with enough preparation for what is out there. You can't protect yourself if you don't know what there is to protect yourself from! Does that make sense?
On the flip side, the curriculum and quality of classes was VASTLY superior in the private school. I started out in the same classes as the rest of the 8th graders but I attribute that to being ahead of most of my public school peers. Despite being ahead of my public school peers, I still had to work harder to catch up to my private school school peers. The classes were based on TEACHING us things rather than getting us ready to take a standardized test. The teachers were all very intelligent, highly qualified, and willing to give of their free time to help us out if we asked for it. Most of the student body wanted to learn and those who went against the grain and disrupted classes were usually the ones that people looked down on. Been there, done that :rolleyes: :D Even though I was one of those people for a while I still managed to keep and exceptional GPA :D :D
For my senior year, I transferred back to public school... There was a big element of "culture shock" because I was suddenly surrounded by C students who thought that having a C was OK and Average :eek: :eek: and also students with Ds and Fs who just didn't give a crap. When I compared the curriculum of the public school to my private school curriculum's it was kind of a joke... I remember looking over my senior syllabus' and pointing out how many years prior to that year I had learned that information. I don't think that I learned a single new thing my senior year but I guess the review of private school 9th and 10th grade classes was beneficial in some way :rolleyes:
Again on the flip side of THAT was that I was able to take an AP class at my public school that wasn't available at my private school. Most of the same material was covered in private school but was considered basic rather than advanced. Because I was able to take the class labeled an "AP" class I was able to take the AP test (aced it) and was able to get several classes worth of college credit for it.

To sum it all up, there are definitely benefits to both but I definitely recommend a mix of both.

LOL if our child is like ME.... I think he/she would definately benefit from a private or homeschool situation.... I was very smart.... but class was very boring to me and I really needed personal attention to keep me focused and interested.

If our child is like my husband (who claims he has ADD lol) public school WOULD be an acceptable choice if we can find one that has a good reputation. He was a very good student... liked class.... loved to learn and didn't need really close personal attention to keep him on task.

HAHAHAHA we were actually going through some of my old report cards one day from when I was in K-6. They all say the same thing. "Tanya is a very enthusiastic student and loves to read and participate in class. However, she does need to improve her organization and needs to talk less in class and pay closer attention to tasks." HAHAHAHA

See my thing with homeschooling... I hear lots of people say that those kids end up being sheltered and are never "toughened" up. I think that is REALLY where a sports team or outside of the home group really comes in handy. On a sports team (especially hockey :D lol) they do learn all those things if the parent isn't teaching them.... disappointment.... winning.... losing.... pain.... even fights sometimes, whether it is amongst team mates or with another team. I want a T shirt that says "everything I learned about life I learned in hockey" HAHAHAHA.

But I think no matter what kind of school the child goes to it is VERY important that the parents are active in the school. That the parents participate in school activities, PTA, whatever. but I do think it is important for the parent to be involved.

I didn't read any of the other responses yet so I may end up saying something others have said.

This is something I've been thinking about a lot too. I really don't want my kids to go to public school. I've been thinking a lot about which would be better for us- private school or home schooling. I know I can't really make a decision now, I need to wait until I know my kids are older (at least born!). I think it'll depend a great deal on their individual personalities and needs as well as our family as a whole.

I personally am not at all a fan of public schooling. I feel that most teacher (at least around here) end up being more of a babysitter than a teacher. I only attended public school and I feel like I missed out.

As far as private schools go I think it depends on the individual school, but the ones I've seen have done a much better job of actually educating the kids. Parents also seem to be more involved in private schools (from my experience). My sister, my husband, and both my sisters-in-law attended both private school and public school. They all liked private school better. My dad as well as my husband and I were all quite involved with my sister's private school. We really liked the family involvement and the wonderful relationships between everyone there.

I think that it depends on the parents wether or not home schooling should be an option. It's much more demanding for the parent, but I also feel it's more rewarding for the whole family. Socialization is also an issue here, the kids need to have a way to meet and play with other kids their own age. If a parents can't accomplish that that I don't think they should even consider home schooling.

Education is what you make of it.

Case in point: I attended public education all the way through (well, college was 'private' in that it was a Quaker based school, but, if you know the Quaker faith...well, the religious views just aren't forced on you).

Lady I worked with was privately educated, all the way through.

We both ended up at the same place, same pay, job, status, etc. :D

I live in England and the public schools here are very good.

All three have their strong & weak points. As mentioned, the best school for any child is one that works well with their learning style. mIne went to private and public schools. I have to say that while I liked the Montessori school they went to , the school had a large number of students who were "kicked out" of public schools. They caused a lot of problems there. My son was stabbed in the ear and nearly thrown off a balcony by one of the little dears that public school had the good sense to ban. I was very very upset - especially because we weren't rich - it was a real stretch to have 2 kids in that private school. I guess I expected more for that kind of money. I love the Montessori approach, but a safe enviornment is really important. Kids don't learn well when they feel uneasy & threatened all day long, whether its a public or private school.

I know a lot of people who home school, but I didn't feel it was the right choice for me. I'm their "Parent", I don't think it's helthy to also be "the teacher" for all their subjects. I wanted them to interact with other adults, just like they will in the real world. I teach them many things as their parent, but I'm not interested in being their only influence. They deserve to hear different perspectives on subjects other than just mine.

Me, as a student, have been going to public school all my life. However, I have visited private schools in my area because my parents were going to switch me to one. The little while I was there, I just couldn't stand it! The kids seemed so much more baby-ish. And I don't know, I'm sure if I went there my entire life I wouldn't mind it, but since I'd been going to public school, I thought they were baby-ish. Plus, I hated the fact of wearing uniforms. One of my public schools made us wear uniforms and I absolutely hated it. We couldn't have an individuality, at least in my opinion. You show what kind of person you are, mostly by what you wear. Luckily, I only went to that school for half a year before going to the school I am now. The best switch of my life!

I now go to a public middle school were I get a feel of all the good, the bad and the ugly parts of life. ( :p ) Well, at least part of it because now we have so many varieties of kids. I've learned how to be liked by many and not have enemies, without changing the way I am. I'm sure that will be VERY useful in the future.

I guess that's just my biased opinion. I didn't give all of it though, as I'm sure it would offend people. You can PM me if you want to and I'll give you the entire thing, just as long as you don't get mad at me. :p

Greyt information thus far, but I just wanted to comment on the importance of parent involvement. Honestly, if your kid is self-motivated, all you have to do is drive him to and from school :p I truly believe that your child will succeed in any environment if he/she is deeply and emotionally motivated. The only way you can do that is through at-home parenting. If you can give your child a sense of strong motivation and humility from his early years, what school he goes to will not make a vast difference. Once the emotional aspect is there, he will strive to succeed in any environment.

So back to the topic of parent involvement with the PTA and such...IMO, you don't need it =/ I've known many kids whose parents worked 10 hours jobs every day and *these* were the kids who were at the top of the class. Point is, involvement in the PTA is greyt, but I wouldn't stress it. Teach your kid the importance of education at an early age and you won't need to fret about PTA, teacher conferences, etc. :)

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Originally Posted by Giselle

Greyt information thus far, but I just wanted to comment on the importance of parent involvement. Honestly, if your kid is self-motivated, all you have to do is drive him to and from school :p I truly believe that your child will succeed in any environment if he/she is deeply and emotionally motivated. The only way you can do that is through at-home parenting. If you can give your child a sense of strong motivation and humility from his early years, what school he goes to will not make a vast difference. Once the emotional aspect is there, he will strive to succeed in any environment.

So back to the topic of parent involvement with the PTA and such...IMO, you don't need it =/ I've known many kids whose parents worked 10 hours jobs every day and *these* were the kids who were at the top of the class. Point is, involvement in the PTA is greyt, but I wouldn't stress it. Teach your kid the importance of education at an early age and you won't need to fret about PTA, teacher conferences, etc. :)

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LOL it was the only example I could think of LOL. Do they still have PTA?

More than anything I mean .... if you can.... volunteer to be a helper on a field trip.... or help with school fundraisers and activities... special events... etc etc. That will give you a true feel for the school, it's teachers, rules, and other aspects you might not have known about. Now not so much in highschool but more in elementary school. The teachers can always use the extra help keeping an eye on kids during field trips... and I remember being in elementary school and we loved it when one of the parents got to come along. My mom wasn't able to do so because she worked during the day.... but she always came to the meet the teacher nights.... always came to our plays and musical productions. always came to the sports events. I wanted nothing more than to show my mom what I had accomplished. Having her set foot in MY school where I spend half of my day was awesome for me... it was always "Mom look at this... mom come see this.... mom come meet this person. MOM MOM MOM." lol I think i would have been crushed if she didn't show any interest in my activities or my school. :D

As for PTA... LOL I don't even really know what a PTA does. it was just the only thing with a specific name I could think of hahahaha. But I think a parent should be involved in the school if they can... and be aware of what the school wants to change... what they want to improve on... or just be there to give an opinion of what the school might need to improve on. I see some public schools these days that are banning TAG as a playground game.... I think that is ridiculous and if i was a parent of a child in that school I would definately want to find out why exactly they are banning childhood games. I mean... kids get hurt sometimes that's what being a kid is all about LOL the bruises... the scraped knees... the WAR wounds from our favourite games hahahaha.

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The private school kids were incredibly far behind us in everything but math. It seems math is the only thing they could learn completely in a private school without any controversy. I would never send my own kids to private school.

Another thing, kids in private school are in more danger of messing up in the real world. They barely learn about drugs, much less how to avoid them. They believe myths about sex that could get them in bad situations. They just aren't prepared for the real world. Also, more kids in the private school in our town did drugs and drank than those in public school. Had they gone to public school, they'd have learned that we make fun of the kids who do drugs. Instead, they were sheltered and learned that those kinds of things are "rebellious and cool". Take something away from kids, and they'll want it more.

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Wow, that is a real contrast to anything I've ever heard before, although I must say that all the opinions I hear of public and private schools are generally very biased. Of course, if you had the choice between a great public school and a failing private school, surely everyone would choose the public school, each to their own I suppose. As for drugs/sex education, my school provides just as much, if not more, than anything the state schools in the area provide, and the difference is, most private school kids don't fool around in class, and therefore take more in!

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I live in England and the public schools here are very good.

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I guess I'll have to come and live in Wiltshire, because I've yet to come across what I would consider a 'good' public school, save for those that were former grammar schools. Honestly, a 40% GCSE A*-C grade pass rate is just an average round here! That in my view is appalling, I would not consider attending a school unless it was at LEAST an 85% pass rate, and seemingly only the private schools in my area can reach this standard.