Waldorf home and going to public school?

[TulsiLeaf]

We have had to stop homeschooling our daughter. It wasn't a happy decision but a necessary one for our family ( husband is going to school).

But public school frightens me and I wish that I didn't have to put her in it. I am worried that she is going to lose that little spark that waldorf education does for her being in public school.


Anyone else still do waldorf at home and send their kid to public?

[mamaUK]

I do! And K is fine, I think the values we have at home (waldorf inspired) are so strong for her that they help to balance out any negatives a public school might have. Also, don't forget, there are positives to public (state in the UK) schools too! But, I worried myself about this for two years and have eventually accepted it and am happy how it is panning out.

[Tashakittie]

I understand your feelings entirely. I live in an area where the public schools are awful, and there is no Waldorf. Not much of a community for our lifestyle, either. We are constantly debating homeschooling vs. public school. I don't think your dd would lose her "spark." Speaking from experience, dh and I both were educated in the public school system, and while we detested it, we were very creative and nature-oriented in our home lives. I have friends' kids who are Waldorfy at home, but attend public school, and everything is fine. As the kids are young, the socially fun aspect weighs everything else out for them.

[TulsiLeaf]

Originally Posted by mamaUK

I do! And K is fine, I think the values we have at home (waldorf inspired) are so strong for her that they help to balance out any negatives a public school might have. Also, don't forget, there are positives to public (state in the UK) schools too! But, I worried myself about this for two years and have eventually accepted it and am happy how it is panning out.

I forgot you do!


We did a walk through of the school today and while M loved it, I left there going "omg, why are we here?"

We walked to the kindy wing ( I do like that they have a whole side just dedicated to kindy with their own playground and bathrooms and things) and one class was out to play with a teacher who was a sub. The sub looked annoyed that we were walking through and she just looked annoyed in general. She has the kids line up and well you know 5 year olds, most of them can't stand still long enough to fall asleep! There are lots of ants in the pants going on. Well she screams at the kids "I TOLD YOU TO GET IN LINE NOW SHUT UP AND GET IN LINE". The assistant principal, myself, my husband and our daughter just froze in place. The look on the asst. principals face was nearly priceless. She was like that is not status quo for our school. We do not tolerate that. And before I could think I said really loud and I know the sub heard me "yeah, that better not be, because I will pull my child out and report the school if I ever saw that happening again"

The whole rest of the walk through was alright, but I couldn't stop thinking about it. It made me overly critical of the school and I just wanted to take my child home and never come back. We came in right as one class was in rest period and I dunno, it just looked so chaotic. They were supposed to be resting, but one kid was laying on the floor, with no mat, another one was running around the darkened classroom, a few others were around the teacher. That is fine, but what really bugged me was that they must have done a project that involved cutting just before because they hadn't cleaned it up at all. There was paper clippings all over the floor, the desks were cluttered. I dunno. M's pre-k classroom was cluttered with things but that is because they had a lot in a small place, but everything had a place. This was just chaotic. I am thinking about asking if I can volunteer in the classroom so I can clean it up.

You can just tell that it is a poor funded school. I mean they have some high tech things, but you can tell that it's not put where it should be. This school has a high population of state assisted kids. Lots of kids in foster care, lots of kids getting the free lunch, lots of low income kids. And while that is wonderful and I am glad that M will be exposed to kids from all backgrounds and shapes and sizes and colours and all that, the school shows that. Get what I mean? They have low FCAT scores (our statewide standardized testing)and that really effects their funding. It's just sad.


But I am trying to go in with an open mind. I really am trying. M is excited, and this is about her and not me.

I just realized how much I am going to miss my baby being home with me.

[daisymommy]

I so feel where you are coming from--because I'm in the same boat with my kids. Here is a discussion from several months back that I started. The responses from other moms were very helpful to me.

http://www.mothering.com/discussions...=public+school

I must admit that we have "fallen off the Waldorf wagon" though. But there is something about Fall, with all of it's cozy-nesty-ness that always draws me back to Waldorf. So, here I am again, trying to rekindle the flame inside me, and get me back into it again. Because I really do feel like it's best for kids; my kids at least.

Good luck!

[Tashakittie]

I'm in FL too, and one of the biggest yucks about public school is FCAT. It is an entirely evil, outdated method that accomplishes nothing. And, I have never met a single parent who approves of it, or finds it effective for anything. I am terrified of it, and forcing my kids to endure it.

[mamaUK]

Originally Posted by Tashakittie

I'm in FL too, and one of the biggest yucks about public school is FCAT. It is an entirely evil, outdated method that accomplishes nothing. And, I have never met a single parent who approves of it, or finds it effective for anything. I am terrified of it, and forcing my kids to endure it.

what does FCAT stand for?

[PabloHoneySF]

First, can I offer you many hugs? We just went through this and it was SO hard! I blogged about it a few months ago and if you read it, I hope that you know you aren't alone in your feelings about public school

http://asmalltribe.blogspot.com/2010/03/education.html

I had been so in love with Waldorf education and have practiced so many principles of it in our home, but the reality is that we can't afford it. We are fortunate to live in an area with really great public schools, but I had the same reaction you did as I was touring the different schools (schools are assigned by lottery where I live). I found the classrooms chaotic, too many primary colors blaring at me and damn... where the heck was the finger knitting ?! I actually started crying when I walked into a Kindergarten classroom.

It's been a long, hard transition for me, but when it comes down to it, it's about my son. I realized that it was about making the best of the situation I had no control over AND that while my son is at a public school, it doesn't need to change what we do in OUR home. I make sure my son gets good quiet time when he gets home to counterbalance all the stimuli at school. We still have a daily rhythm of baking Mondays, Painting Tuesdays, etc.

I really encourage you to volunteer at the school if you can. A teacher might appreciate assistance organizing his/her classroom. I started volunteering and have loved getting to know the kids from other backgrounds and it's been great to do small things for the school and class when we can (providing art supplies, baking for a fundraiser)... and it may help you to see your daughter happy at her school instead of missing her at home.

I really wish you the best of luck!

[jillyofthevalley]

We're waldorfy at home but my kids attend a public french immersion school. I just couldn't pass up the opportunity for my kids to learn a second language. I don't completely love the school but it's not all bad either. Our school district just recently outfitted their kindergarten classrooms with toys and furniture from one of the local waldorf stores, which I'm just thrilled about since I still have two at home and will be heading off to school in the next few years.

I think as long as the children are thriving it's all good. They may be exposed to some not so great things but you can balance that out at home.

[TulsiLeaf]

Originally Posted by mamaUK

what does FCAT stand for?

Florida Comprehensive Assessment Test®

I would write what I really feel about this test, but the TOS would prohibit me from saying what I truly.


Basically it a statewide assessment test that is supposed to show where the kids are at at the school. You would think that is alright, in theory, but it's not. Students are graded on it and the school is given a grade. My daughters school is a C (which is average. The letter system is A being outstanding and F being horrific. There is no E grade). The problem with this is that the state of Florida uses it in the wrong way. Instead of using the FCAT score to help out students, bring in more help to schools that score low, they take away their funding, fire the teachers and basically run the school into the ground. My kids school is scoring average and it is one of the most underfunded schools in the area. It is considered a "rough" school. Why is it considered a rough school? Because since it is a neighborhood school, around the neighborhood there is a lot of section 8 housing (think counsel flats), and where there is section 8 there is lots of children on foodstamps, medicaid, welfare, lots of foster kids. You get the idea. The county doesn't want to admit it, but it is generally a school full of minorities. Everyone around here complains of the school and it's "colourful" ways. How bloody horrid is that?

You know, when I walked into that school, I was SO refreshed to see a colourful mix of children. Latino, African American, white, Asian. You name it, there is a lot of races of children there. There is also a lot of children from very different backgrounds, very poor, to foster kids, to us (young parents in school with no money) to kids that come from money. But what I was disappointed to see is that the funding was so bad because of their FCAT score.

[TulsiLeaf]

Originally Posted by PabloHoneySF

First, can I offer you many hugs? We just went through this and it was SO hard! I blogged about it a few months ago and if you read it, I hope that you know you aren't alone in your feelings about public school

http://asmalltribe.blogspot.com/2010/03/education.html

I had been so in love with Waldorf education and have practiced so many principles of it in our home, but the reality is that we can't afford it. We are fortunate to live in an area with really great public schools, but I had the same reaction you did as I was touring the different schools (schools are assigned by lottery where I live). I found the classrooms chaotic, too many primary colors blaring at me and damn... where the heck was the finger knitting ?! I actually started crying when I walked into a Kindergarten classroom.

It's been a long, hard transition for me, but when it comes down to it, it's about my son. I realized that it was about making the best of the situation I had no control over AND that while my son is at a public school, it doesn't need to change what we do in OUR home. I make sure my son gets good quiet time when he gets home to counterbalance all the stimuli at school. We still have a daily rhythm of baking Mondays, Painting Tuesdays, etc.

I really encourage you to volunteer at the school if you can. A teacher might appreciate assistance organizing his/her classroom. I started volunteering and have loved getting to know the kids from other backgrounds and it's been great to do small things for the school and class when we can (providing art supplies, baking for a fundraiser)... and it may help you to see your daughter happy at her school instead of missing her at home.

I really wish you the best of luck!

For some reason your blog post seems VERY familiar to me. I am pretty sure I have you on my blogster roll (I have been very naughty laterly with my replies. But I read). Let me go check that out. Thank you very much for the BTDT encouragement.

[TulsiLeaf]

Originally Posted by jillyofthevalley

We're waldorfy at home but my kids attend a public french immersion school. I just couldn't pass up the opportunity for my kids to learn a second language. I don't completely love the school but it's not all bad either. Our school district just recently outfitted their kindergarten classrooms with toys and furniture from one of the local waldorf stores, which I'm just thrilled about since I still have two at home and will be heading off to school in the next few years.

I think as long as the children are thriving it's all good. They may be exposed to some not so great things but you can balance that out at home.

We are hoping that this school is temporary, but hey it could surprise us and be better than we thought. There is a school about 5 minutes from our house that I would like to get her into next year if we have to public school her. It is a school for the arts and it sounds like a perfect fit for her. They do second language (spanish around here. And that is great because my husband is teaching her spanish), play instruments, do theatre, musicals, drawing and all that. It's a magnet school, so you have to make sure you sign up in time and get on the list. But I hope if we have to public again next year we can get her into that.

[paakbaak]

I was looking for Lazure pics and found your thread.  My son is in private school, so I´m interested in knowing how it´s going for you!