My children, ages 9 and 10, have not progressed academically since I took them out of private school a year-and-a-half ago. I took them out to save more money to buy a house, which I have now done. I have to admit that there have been some advantages to public school, mostly in the area of social integration within a diverse population, but they have adapted to the low-expectations of the school in general. For example, my oldest son has gone from being extremely motivated to quite nonchalant. My youngest son hardly gets any homework, has not had to write much at all, and there hasn't been any at-home projects to work on at all. I feel terrible to take them out mid-year to re-enroll them in their old school, but I'm afraid too much time has already been wasted in terms of academic progress. To be quite honest, I think they had better work habits, motivation, and academic skills a year-and-a-half ago than they do now. Any advice?
If you can afford it and if it is a better school, then do it now! They'll be better off in the long run!!
I don't know your situation and only you can answer whether or not moving back to their old private school is a good idea. But since you asked. . . .
Due to a variety of reasons we put our kids in a private, college-prep school 10 years ago and didn't look back! Apparently your public system is not challenging them. While I will admit (Please no one spam or threaten me) that public schools are overall a great system providing a great service, we decided to put our children in a private system for many reasons and it was the best decision we ever made. And since our oldest was in 6th grade when we moved him to a private school, we wish we would have done it sooner so he could have gotten the same foundation as our daughter who has been in the private system since she was in 1st grade.
I realize not everyone will see the benefits and/or can afford the difference, but personally, I say if you can, pull them out and put them back in the academically challenging environment.
If you can afford it then move them back now before too many other bad habits form. It's not like you are moving them to a foreign school. They will adapt, quickly I'm sure.
Go for it!!!
What do you gain by not?
And as for friends... that's what playdates are for.
I would meet with teachers and find out whats going on and why maybe they need to be in a advanced class they could be bored
Change the schools. Hindering they're education another half of the year seems a waste of their minds ;)
You know your kids best. Are they pretty adaptable in general? Keep in mind, you are not sending them to a strange place, it's a school they know and have been to before, the staff and some students and the routines will be familiar to them. If you feel this is in their best academic interest, I say give it some serious consideration - what do you think will provide the better benefit, not disrupting the children by keeping them in their current school, or moving them to a more challenging environment?
Go for it! If you can afford it, and it is a better environment for them, and they have friends there that they had to leave, I am not sure of the down side. They are still young, it's not like trying to catch up in high school.
I say sooner than later is better, thinking long term. It will be rough on the kids, but better now than later!
Have a discussion with your children about your concerns. Let them know you want the best for them and that putting them back in the old school is on your mind. Accept their opinions but you have the final say. Without having the "Because I said so" attitude, let them know what you have decided in a few days after the conversation.
