<p>I am like IvoryK. I loved living NYC and I love and adore New Yorkers. But when it came to leaving, this sort of hyper-competitiveness in education was one thing we were so glad to leave behind (even though our D was having a great time in a fantastic preschool). I think with the boom in kids in the city, the pressure has likely gotten much worse. </p>
<p>Some parents have great difficulty sorting out “what is good for my kid’s overall development and wellbeing” from “what will give my kid an edge in the competition”. These are often not the same thing. </p>
<p>I did not start any school until first grade (my parents did not even have a highschool education and I think they forgot to enroll me for kindergarten so I just stayed home and watched TV). But I ended up doing a PhD at a top 10 school, fully funded along the way. Indeed, more evidence of many paths to the same outcome.</p>
<p>When I lived in NYC a friend of mine was head of one of these schools. In that I was a 20-something single person, I didn’t have the perspective on it all that I do now. I wonder if those aspiring pre-K’ers will all turn out like the kids on “Gossip Girl”!</p>
<p>My experience with pre-school and kindergarten is now nearly 20 years old I do remember that at our very expensive day care center, a lot of parents objected to kids learning to read and do simple arithmetics, so the teacher who had begun to introduce phonics and number games was told to stop, much to the dismay of the kids. They’d been so proud of their achievements!
When S got to kindergarten, the same issue arose. Middle class professional parents insisted that kindergarten was about introducing kids to being in school, not about academics. It was the lower income families who wanted their children to learn.
My feeling was that middle class parents expect to do a lot of teaching themselves in an informal way (reading to their kids, playing Q&A games while traveling, taking them to museums, and so forth) while lower income parents with fewer resources see the schools as the primary site of learning for their kids.
Admission to highly selective preschool programs or kindergartens is usually seen as a conduit for admission to highly selective elementary and high schools. The phenomenon is most acute in NYC but it also exists to some extent in the Boston area. For many parents, it’s not about the experience their child will have in particular preschool programs but about positioning said child for admission into the selective elementary schools.</p>
<p>As a non-native NYer who became a NYC parent, I can’t think of anywhere on earth that I would rather raise children. The City kids are not the least bit envious of those with suburban upbringings. Indeed, my own neighborhood has MANY young families who are second generation to my neighborhood. The “kids” grew up here, went away to college, got married, and then, when it was time to raise kids, moved back. </p>
<p>So, different strokes for different folks! Some of us LIKE it here !</p>
<p>I definitely get what jonri was saying. As a mom of 2 kids in NYC, there’s really no place I’d rather be and raise my kids. My kids get the best of the city and its culture - the arts (broadway shows - attended even by my 3 year old as a class trip in pre-school), zoos, museums provide the best classroom experience for any child. </p>
<p>My daughter took the Hunter HS test in January and was accepted for the incoming 7th Grade, and although the tuition is free, I do have to pay over 3K for her private busing which is nothing, compared to the education she will be receiving at Hunter. At least, the next time I look at an application will be for college (yikes!) assuming she doesn’t screw up HS. LOL</p>
<p>My impression is that NYC schools have the same problem as many other large city school systems–great schools for gifted students or those willing/able to pay private school tuition, but a huge gap between those and the poorly staffed, underfunded schools for the masses. Pity the “average” child in with below-average, uncaring, or even violent children. </p>
<p>In some schools, the “blackboard jungle” still exists.</p>
<p>NPR recently had a few articles on their website relating to the importance of play in small children, this one notes that creative imaginary play has decreased considerably over the past 50 years as we have increased our emphasis on “enrichment” activities - to the detriment of our kids:</p>
<p>Wow…this thread has meandered. But on the topic of NYC schools. It is true that there are some really bad schools in NYC. But it’s not just the gifted who can get a good education here. </p>
<p>NYC has the most complicated high school choice system I’ve ever seen. The elementary school process isn’t a whole lot easier. That said, in my obviously biased opinion, NYC does a better job of educating its students than any other major American city. One reason is that below the very top schools, there are a number of excellent public high schools, which are required BY LAW to take a certain number of average kids (based on middle school test scores.) If you look at Jay Mathews’ list of excellent high schools, you will find the names of a few NYC public schools that you have probably never heard of. (One example would be Long Island City H.S. ) The Newcomer Schools do an OUTSTANDING job. (The newcomer schools are for students who have been in the US for less than 3 years.) </p>
<p>Some of these schools have excellent vocational tracks. Kids graduate with skills that enable them to get jobs. While 80% of Aviation H.S. grads do go on to college, for example, those that don’t can get very good jobs. Businesses are glad to get Murray Bergtraum H.S. grads. </p>
<p>Additionally, the Catholic Church has many elementary and high schools which cost, but much, much less than the independent schools. Many of the students who attend them are non-Catholics. Many are minorities. Many come from single-parent homes, with single parents who are excellent parents. A few are sports power houses and their grads are often given athletic scholarships. </p>
<p>In all honesty, if I had an average kid and was working class, I’d rather live in NYC than in the kind of suburb a working class pay check would enable us to live in.</p>
<p>In most of the US, schools are paid for with property taxes. The less affluent the community, the worse the schools.</p>
I do remember that at our very expensive day care center, a lot of parents objected to kids learning to read and do simple arithmetics, so the teacher who had begun to introduce phonics and number games was told to stop, much to the dismay of the kids. They’d been so proud of their achievements!
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