Private Schools

[ChemGal]

I have the feeling that in certain provinces, it's more common for people to send their children to private schools. Growing up in Alberta, I knew a few people who went to private school but it was less than 10 and in some cases it was due to specialized programs for students with pretty severe learning disabilities.

I do know when I was in school there was an attempt to get all of Western Canada on one math program, but other places dropped out as it was too hard. So it's possible our schools here are (or at least were) doing a better job. Universities started looking at high school marks from different provinces differently too.

So is it common for people to send their kids to private schools in your area? Does anyone know any info on public (including Catholic in that if it's done in a similar way to public) vs private schools? I could probably find out myself, but don't feel like searching for now!

 

[Mendalla]

Not really common, I wouldn't say. There are some private religious schools (Christian and Muslim for sure, not sure about Jewish) in London but those obviously cater to a specific audience. Most of the secular private schools in town, e.g. Montessori and Waldorf, only go to grade 6 or 8. AFAIK, the only one that went to high school went out of business. Matthews Hall, our prestige private school is both academically and fiscally challenging (we did check it out but rejected it) though they have been growing. Upshot is that most people in London (e.g. everyone I know) send their kids to either public or separate (publicly funded Catholic) schools or their French counterparts.

 

[Jaebius]

So is it common for people to send their kids to private schools in your area? Does anyone know any info on public (including Catholic in that if it's done in a similar way to public) vs private schools? I could probably find out myself, but don't feel like searching for now!

That kind of stuff can be searched for on Bing, so I will just share a personal view. Two of my three sons have really benefited from attending a private academy here in Toronto. I believe the overall quality of education has been better than in the public schools - I base that simply on a subjective level after speaking with other parents. I'm also happy that my son's academy has chosen not to introduce the Ontario sex-ed curriculum (not that I want to discuss that here again).

 

[chansen]

Remember folks, don't take the bait.

 

[Mendalla]

That kind of stuff can be searched for on Bing, so I will just share a personal view. Two of my three sons have really benefited from attending a private academy here in Toronto. I believe the overall quality of education has been better than in the public schools - I base that simply on a subjective level after speaking with other parents. I'm also happy that my son's academy has chosen not to introduce the Ontario sex-ed curriculum (not that I want to discuss that here again).

That's part of the appeal of private schools, to be sure, especially for religious folks. If I wanted "Christian" values as part of my son's education, I would certainly have chosen one of the local Christian schools (there's a couple that I know of). However, the public school system works just fine for me.

(Is that taking the bait? Or I need to try harder? )

 

[KayTheCurler]

In my community the choice is - public or Christian schooling. Last I heard the Christian school had about six students - most of them from one family.

 

[revjohn]

Causation vs Correlation

Are private schools better because they have a superior teaching staff?

Are private schools better because they have a superior curriculum?

Are private schools better because the education they provide costs more to recieve?

Are private schools better because the teacher to student ratio is smaller than publically funded alternatives?

 

[Luce NDs]

Don't take the bait or de bate in the complex matter of when the chaos cannot settle out as zero sum ... and the peace of light ...

It comes to a point some call the center of gravitas ... actually a place of no volumes and maas ... from then on you're on your own ... just another stray thought in the eternal sole ... deep in the poe-L ... a place absented by mortal demons? Some say abstract space ... obviously a dark commentary ... on the windows of naïveté ... people trying to joust into nothing as if thye owned ID ...

 

[Lastpointe]

Both my children attended a private elementary school. My son followed through with private boys high school. My daughter , public arts high school.

one London. Niece attended a private school , somewhere downtown Mendalla though i forget its name. Her brother did the new Catholic high school and i forget its name. Youngest sister attended Lucas

Accademically all five of these kids are bright. But they got alot of different things through their schools. Lucas definately fell short of the others for academic standings.

But what my kids got initially was small classes, 14 in grade 1, which grew to 20 by grade 6. That is a nice size. Enough friends but lots of one on one time with the teacher. They were able to do things public schools no longer do, partly by attending longer days. Classes started at 8:30, it was an expectation you stayed for lunch, school finished at 3:30 but there were teams and clubs and sports until 5

The kids all played intermural sports, lunch often included planned team events, after school clubs and bands, drama.......
Teacher libraian, gym teacher, daily french, bi weekly art, assembly, ledership opportunities.

For me, i think it is the extras that attract parents. I. Obviously know many parents who chose private schools. Some are wealthy, most are middle class and stretching for it. At my sons boys high school many were in bursaries, some full scholarships

High school was the same options. I think it started at 8:30. Activites daily after school. He ended up mainly doing band and by grade 12 he would go to school, stay and eat supper and study in the library and then band, often until ten, especially if plays or concerts were on the go.

 

[Mendalla]

Niece attended a private school , somewhere downtown Mendalla though i forget its name.

Probably Nancy Campbell Collegiate or Weldon Park Academy. The former took over the latter's building in downtown London in 2004 when Weldon went under. It's moved up to Stratford now (it's the one that I thought had gone under, but I see by Google I was wrong). Campbell is supposed to be Bahai (the wife of a Bahai family we know taught there for a while) but maybe she went to Weldon Park (and, really, Bahai'ism is open enough that one could probably survive there without being Bahai)?

 

[Lastpointe]

Yeah that sounds right. That niece isnt Bahai but i recall she quite liked the school. Small though

 

[Luce NDs]

Is Ba' high elevated according to old syntax where the "Ba" as sole ... a fishy thingy? Like thought to mortals ... it stinks ...

 

[Tabitha]

We have some new schools for kids with autism springing up in BC. It bothers me that these private schools charge parents their "autism funding amount" as in AB that money is to be used for programmes outside of school hours. Here in BC the private schools ask the parents for that amount but the public schools can't.