A new chapter began in little Mimi's life last week -- she started preschool. Real preschool. Like she goes for a few hours every afternoon at our neighborhood public school kind of preschool. Wow, where did the last four years go because I kind of want them back . . .
We attended orientation and were almost nauseous with excitement when we realized her growing school now has a new principal, assistant principal, counselor, AND preschool teacher named Ms. Jami. Oh, my. And Ms. Jami is about the cutest thing I've ever seen. She keeps her long hair in a ponytail, always has on a fun matching cardigan, and wears preppy little boat shoes. She's so together and fresh and enthusiastic that I could just eat her up.
She and the new administration gave me goose bumps, and there are several reasons for this. When we moved into this neighborhood, I took one glance at the school, the students, the teachers, and the parents, and I said, "No way." I didn't just think it. I said it to about everyone who asked my opinion. The school's appearance was a little shabby (and not in a chic kind of way), the administration looked a little stiff, the kids didn't even look like they lived in the neighborhood, and some of the parents looked fresh out of prison. If schools in Chicago aren't full, then children can register for up to 30 schools in a lottery system, and it appeared that every student had won the lottery. I always wanted Mimi to go to public school with neighbors so we could all walk and play together easily, so this made me nervous.
Over the past two years, some amazing changes have happened at this school. Neighbors and parents have taken an interest, and the place is shaping up quite nicely. Parents got together and agreed to begin signing their little ones up for the free half-day preschool, and now the school is filled with neighborhood children up to about second or third grade. And you better believe that I was pumped to register Mimi last spring and thrilled to know she had a spot.
So here are the Darbys walking the block and a half to our new preschool . . .
Where the magic will hopefully happen:
Some of the other children and parents had familiar faces, and Mimi was happy to line up and be the first in the door. Ahem, I mean squirm to the front of the line and beg to be the leader, but I digress. The drop-off was successful, and I was excited to get home with Mack to spend a few moments before nap time. In a selfish way, I'm happy she got into the afternoon class because for the first time in two years it allows me two whole hours to get things done. Amazing.
I couldn't wait to meet her in the afternoon, and I could have cried when I saw her face light up as she spotted me. "Mommy!! I'm so glad you're here!!" she yelled but then was quickly told she needed to stay against the fence until I signed her out. This seemed really confusing for her and her classmates who were begging for hugs after their first day. I turned toward the teacher and others who had also arrived early to line up to sign her out, and then several moms who had just showed up motioned for their little ones to come to them and then basically broke to the front to sign out first. Ugh, how I despise a line-cutter.
On our walk home she clung to me and begged me to carry her. She told me she had fun and really liked her teacher, but didn't say much more . . . and Mimi Darby is never short on words.
The next day we still had a great drop-off, but pick-up was about the same -- kids lined up like detainees and late moms busted to the front. On our walk home Mimi was much chattier about their crafts and songs and books, which definitely calmed my nerves. Then she told me about some conflicts with other girls who are "sometimes mad at her" and told her she couldn't go to Scooter's for ice cream with them . . .
. . . and then the sick feeling began in my stomach. We just left a wonderful program at the Y, and that very morning I watched the little ones at the Y walking together and longed for Mimi to be with them. I loved her teacher, her friends, and their mothers (loved, loved, loved the mothers), but they were all very tiny and young and the teachers were new -- she can't go back there. At dinner that night I couldn't hold back tears as I told Clint about my feelings on being a mother of a little girl who was growing up and dealing with new issues.
Of course, the very next day Mimi announced to me that the girls were friends again and that she could indeed go to Scooter's with them one day (by the way, the girls are precious and Mimi wasn't at all innocent). Her teacher giggled about some of Mimi's dramatics, and I was feeling a little better.
But now Mimi cannot go to school. The Chicago Teacher's Union and Rahm are going at it on issues such as health insurance, class size, teacher evaluations, rehiring laid-off teachers, salary increases, and on and on and on and, whew, and on. As a former teacher and now parent, I have been reading as much as I can get my hands on to try to find a fair and sensible article. I am highly annoyed by how they can't come to an agreement on certain issues, and I think back to my experiences. I made pennies, spent tons of my own money, was at school from about 6:45-5:00, graded essays until my eyes crossed at midnight, was forced to teach the test, spent countless hours at cheerleading practice, always had some form of extra duty, and had an air conditioner that laughed at me sometimes when I turned it on in the Mississippi heat. THIS is what most teachers experience. Lack of funds, lack of parent support, lack of administrative support. If happens at some point to most teachers I know. The weak (such as myself) move on, but the strong have all my respect. TEACHING IS THE HARDEST JOB I EVER HAD. But the teacher's union here has put their foot down. And I do not envy the city government who has to deal with them. How in the heck they plan to make a HUGE diverse group of teachers and students happy is beyond me . . .
So Mimi is out of school until further notice, and I'm thanking my lucky stars she's only in preschool and I stay at home.
On another note, Mack started his own little preschool today . . .
. . . and this is the best shot I got of him. Little guy with a red nose who had just face-planted on the concrete.
So Mimi is out of school until further notice, and I'm thanking my lucky stars she's only in preschool and I stay at home.
On another note, Mack started his own little preschool today . . .
. . . and this is the best shot I got of him. Little guy with a red nose who had just face-planted on the concrete.
I have been nervously anxious about this once-a-week morning class because little Mack is so clingy and, well, kind of immature. From talking with other moms who have daughters first and sons second, this is kind of the norm. I think he's going to be okay, and I think this little class is perfect for him. The school is at our church (that we have been really, really bad about skipping lately), so Mack is familiar with his classroom. His teacher has over 20 years of experience under her belt and more energy than anyone over the age of four should be allowed to have. She had great suggestions on how to help with the transition and made me feel all warm and fuzzy to be there. I left Mack knowing that he is going to be just fine.
On my ride home from Mack's school, the sick feeling came back to me. Why in the hell is it not okay for me to also have the same comfortable feelings with Mimi's school? Deep down I wished Mimi was at the same school as Mack, but I was afraid to admit it. I really want her in a safe, happy place where the teachers and the students have chosen to be there. Is it wrong for me to feel this way???
I am a public school advocate. I want everyone to be given the opportunity to be educated in a safe environment with a diverse group of classmates. I want her to learn to read and write and add, but I want her to deal with students and issues that are REAL. I don't want to raise her in a bubble. But she's in preschool and so little . . . can I keep her in the bubble for just another year or two?
Seriously, I need some feedback from those of you who've dealt with private AND public for the younger years. Am I being too protective? Should I rip the band-aid off and just keep her in public? I have fond memories of going to my private Presbyterian preschool and kindergarten, and I so want Mimi to have these same memories . . . Sigh . . .
3 comments:
Ok, I am a product of public schools and taught at public schools for 7 years til I went private. I believe in public schools, but my kids will go to private schools. The right private school is much more "with it" as far as where education is going and what kids need to be prepared for an ever changing world. I think private schools now are much more like public schools were when we were kids. You know, before everything revolved around a state mandated test. I appreciate the safety, smaller sizes, and more attention the kids receive now vs. the public schools. We take a standardized test, but we don't revolve around it. We teach to real world situations and we effectively differentiate for students using adaptive teaching and are able to take advantage of technology. There are some days that I think I should have stayed public. Public school kids deserve good teachers and good ideas and teaching. But, like anything else, there's too much red tape and I don't want my son missing out on the "good stuff" b/c of the red tape. Yes, I realize that I will be paying out the wazoo, but I look at it as an investment in his future.
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Thanks and have a great day!
GI was a product of Mississippi public schools (going to schools in Ackerman, Fulton & graduating from Corinth High). I never knew about private until I met my sorority sisters from the delta. Anyway, we were in the same predicament a few years ago in Dallas. Jack was at the most amazing private preschool program. But we were faced with go to the neighborhood public school that was up and coming thanks to some in the neighborhoold or do the private thing. My prayers were answered in the fact that we moved to Austin and are in one of the best public districts BUT here are my thoughts on what we were going to do in Dallas:
So when I would drive by the neighborhood school at drop off/pick up about 90% of the kids were definitely not from our neighborhood. This did not sit well with me. The ones who did go were HUGE proponents of it and the English/Spanish program. However, I felt that because everything was new my son would be sort of a "guinea pig" trying to find the right solution to educate him. Then once he was done with primary the middle school was TERRIBLE. So, then what? I just hope and pray it would be good in 5 years? That was just not good enough for us since we would have had the $$ for private or been able to move to a smaller house but in a much, much better- established school district. It was very hard because our neighbors were so gung-ho on the neighborhood school and it was receiving good marks. But it just scared us too much because both my husband and I consider ourselves intelligent and came from (what we think) great public education backgrounds! Plus the teachers were very established in the private schools and had been there for years. Whereas the principal was brand new and a lot of teachers had only 1 or 2 years under their belts...not to say new teachers don't bring new ideas. We just wanted something a bit more established.
I wish you and Clint the best of luck because it is the hardest decision! This is afterall your children's future. I say to pray hard about it and decide what is best for YOU AND YOUR FAMILY and not let all of the outside pressures get to you.
Kate (Adams) Braddock
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