QOTW: "Education"

iVillage Member
Registered: 09-26-2003
QOTW: "Education"
25
Mon, 01-08-2007 - 8:09am

BOARD QUESTION OF THE WEEK:
(Thank you to the board member who posted this board topic for us)


"For education preferences - are you working at or have you even looked at alternatives to regular/ parochial schools?


Are you planning to push your kids to college? Do you think it's imperative they go?


We recently had the prophet of our church tell our youth (ages 12- 18) to sacrifice EVERYTHING for a good secondary education - and for parents to do the same. He went on to say that it is THE most important thing next to religion and morality for every person to obtain. Interesting."


Did you go to college?


Powered by CGISpy.com

Pages

Avatar for bradleyteach
iVillage Member
Registered: 06-29-2001
Mon, 01-08-2007 - 8:36am

This is a great question, Laura. Thanks.

<CENTER><A href="http://www.youngsurvival.org/"><IMG src="http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y23/jennt1111/mindy2.jpg"></A>


 

iVillage Member
Registered: 05-15-2005
Mon, 01-08-2007 - 9:12am

"For education preferences - are you working at or have you even looked at alternatives to regular/ parochial schools? Yes and Yes - When Lon entered into school, he started a year early (Kindy JUST after he turned 4 - but he had already reading fluently and writing for almost a year.

Photobucket

iVillage Member
Registered: 03-26-2003
Mon, 01-08-2007 - 9:49am

"For education preferences - are you working at or have you even looked at alternatives to regular/ parochial schools?

Photobucket  

iVillage Member
Registered: 03-29-2003
Mon, 01-08-2007 - 10:28am

"For education preferences - are you working at or have you even looked at alternatives to regular/ parochial schools?

My kids attend a pre-k - 12 private college prep independent school. I wouldn't consider public or parochial. If they left this school, they'd go to another private independent. There are no plans to leave this school, but I realize things can happen to change that.

Are you planning to push your kids to college? Do you think it's imperative they go?
I believe it is imperative my children go to college. It's not even a question in this house, a 4 year degree is the "norm". Their school has 100% college attendance and of those 95% graduate college. That being said I don't think everyone has to go to college. We need tradespeople and workers of all levels.

We recently had the prophet of our church tell our youth (ages 12- 18) to sacrifice EVERYTHING for a good secondary education - and for parents to do the same. He went on to say that it is THE most important thing next to religion and morality for every person to obtain. Interesting."

I agree my #1 with my kids is their faith, my #2 is their education.

Did you go to college? Do you think it is more important for kids to go now than it was when you were in that position?

Let's be serious, we at least want our children living middle class lives, at least I do. To be able to at least that they need an education. I own a company I won't consider people for certain positions without a degree. It's not just the piece of paper, it's about their values, about sticking to something and believing in themselves enough to want better for themselves.

Will you pay for your childs education or do you think it is more important for them to fund their own education?(DH recently read an article in his FORTUNE magazine that said it is more important for adults to save for retirement than it is to save for their child's education as there are many forms of help available to them) We have a college fund set up for the kids. We assume we can continue to pay current tuition dollars for college. We are saving the difference between our tuition and the cost of a private university. If they go to a public university we won't have to put out any more $ past high school.

iVillage Member
Registered: 03-27-2003
Mon, 01-08-2007 - 11:08am

<"For education preferences - are you working at or have you even looked at alternatives to regular/ parochial schools?>

Yes I have. I homeschooled my 9th grader last year because the high school he was zoned for was ridiculous when it came to their testing scores (13% of freshman PASSED the math portion). I was scared to death, by my dad told me "You can't do any worse than the school would do!" That really boosted my self-esteem and we had a great year! His end of grade tests scores placed him in all advanced classes when he started this year at a new High School. As a parent, I feel it's my responsiblity to provide what my kids need educationally. I'd be doing them a disservice if they weren't allowed to reach their own potentials. I'm very blessed to have two kids who are academically gifted.

I think, personally, that my kids have what it takes to succeed in college. We have always placed the idea of college as the next step after high school. I don't think it's imperative that people in general go, but kids that actually want to go and have goals in life should be given the opportunity. There are kids who hate learning and won't succeed in a college environment and many who would benefit more from trade schools or with other opportunities, nothing wrong with that!

I agree that everyone needs to be a contributing member of society and education can be found in both books and on the job. The economy would come to a screeching halt if 100% of us were college educated white collar workers..Society needs all levels of workers!

I attended college right out of high school but got pregnant and married my military man...weeks after winning a state competition for my Marketing Plan...I didn't return and finish until about 18 months ago (I was on the 20 yr degree plan!). A major victory for me but it really meant more doing it as an adult. My husband has two master's degrees, so yes, higher education is very important to our family.

I only work part time now but plan on working full time to pay for his education. If he goes locally he can commute from home but if he moves out I'll continue to pay tuition as long as he's going full time. I hope to be able to cover all of his costs because I was sent off with credit cards and loans and ended up leaving college with so much debt it almost ended my marriage. I guess we'll take each semester as it comes! :)

Denise

iVillage Member
Registered: 03-26-2003
Mon, 01-08-2007 - 11:33am

BOARD QUESTION OF THE WEEK:
(Thank you to the board member who posted this board topic for us)


"For education preferences - are you working at or have you even looked at alternatives to regular/ parochial schools?


My kids have attended either private schools or have been homeschooled.

Photobucket

Avatar for cathiann
iVillage Member
Registered: 03-27-2003
Mon, 01-08-2007 - 1:10pm

My kids go to a Catholic school, but we seriously considered homeschooling for this year--Luke still talks about possibly doing it.

Surviving Middle & High School
iVillage Member
Registered: 01-17-2004
Mon, 01-08-2007 - 3:13pm

"For education preferences - are you working at or have you even looked at alternatives to regular/ parochial schools? "

My kids attend the public school. Before I had kids I picked this location for the schools. I have looked at private schools (mostly for my son, not my tween daughter), but ultimately I thought the public school had the most to offer.

I would love to send my tween to the private high school in town, but that appears highly unlikely. In town is an elite boarding school that receives applications from all over the world, and they take about fifty local students as "day students". The boarding school in the next town over has the same arrangement. Unfortunately, the competition to get in is so fierce that you would need to be brilliant, and talented to get in. While I don't think my daughter will get in, I do think her best friend will be going there. I will revisit this in a few years when it is time to make decisions for my son. He does have the intellect to get in.

Our other options are the vocational school, boarding school (not an unusual choice in this area), a catholic high school, or the public school. We are not boarding school people. The catholic high schools available for girls are less rigorous than our public high school, and I am not even considering the vocational school. Our public high school gets a fair amount of good state-wide and national press. So, public school will be my default answer.

"Are you planning to push your kids to college? Do you think it's imperative they go? "

I do think college is imperative. Most of the good jobs in Massachusetts are "knowledge based". I don't think I will have to push them to go to college. All of their neighbors (even those in trades and civil service) have college degrees. Many went to top tier colleges, and at least half have a masters degree. The public high school IS a college prep school. The lowest level of classes is "basic college prep". Ninety five percent of the public high school's graduates go on to some form of college. Eighty five percent will go on to a four year college.

"We recently had the prophet of our church tell our youth (ages 12- 18) to sacrifice EVERYTHING for a good secondary education - and for parents to do the same. He went on to say that it is THE most important thing next to religion and morality for every person to obtain. Interesting."

Secondary education starts at middle school, so I think your prophet is a little late. Even though we send our children to public school, we have sacrificed a lot for their education. In Massachusetts, it is very expensive to live in a good school district. I could pay a hundred thousand less for the same house one town over, in a half decent community. Education also takes place in more than just the school. There are music lessons, museum trips, private therapy, educational testing, and enrichment courses. All of these extras are expensive, but were necessary for our family. I do think most of the kids in town do equate a good education with a good standard of living. The smartest kids start talking about the SSAT and prep school admissions in sixth grade. My daughter does know that school is her most important job, and everything else comes after her school work is done.

The down side to this is the kids are under a lot of pressure, and are competitive at a young age.

"Did you go to college? Do you think it is more important for kids to go now than it was when you were in that position?"

Both my husband and I have degrees. College was important when I was a kid, but I do think even more doors are now closed without a degree. This may be different in other parts of the country.

"Will you pay for your childs education or do you think it is more important for them to fund their own education?(DH recently read an article in his FORTUNE magazine that said it is more important for adults to save for retirement than it is to save for their child's education as there are many forms of help available to them)"

We will pay for the value of a state college degree, and hopefully more. I think my son will present us with the bigger tuition bill. They might have some loans. I am not too worried about retirement because I won't always need my house in a prime neighborhood. I have a newer home (due to EXTENSIVE renovations) in a neighborhood that has been popular for over two hundred years. I plan on selling it, and moving to a place with a lower cost of living.

iVillage Member
Registered: 05-15-2005
Mon, 01-08-2007 - 3:24pm

<>


Hahahahahaha - He was simply refering to education after high school - I call anything after high school secondary because you have to get through high school first.

Photobucket

iVillage Member
Registered: 09-26-2003
Mon, 01-08-2007 - 3:57pm

The schools my kids go to depends on where we are living and what schools offer!


Powered by CGISpy.com

Pages