Schools

The search for THE school/ home/ community/ place for you & your child.
It might seem like that should be an easy task... find a good school district, a home close and community will follow. But if my friends & I are any indication it is not as easy as it should be.
To be fair... I think we want more... more then just the right school... I read this the other day and it seemed to be just what I am trying to express in the changes I have set out to make...

"...to live a life that is always giving itself away and yet is always full.... Beneath all our yearning for whatever glitters brightest in this world lies our yearning for this kind of life...."
Frederick Buechner

For some reason I have at least 3 friends on the quest for the right school... they are all prepaired to do anything or move almost anywhere (the family of my daughter's best friend at her current school is seriously considering Scotland)... just to find a good education for their children.
And I am not one to talk. School rose to the top of our priority list as we realized we were paying tuition and needed to adjust life around school instead of just coping. If traditional public school was not an option... then we needed to work our finances around that.

So as we (and several of our friends) set out to find the right school... several things seems to be motivating factors in the quest. Feel free to add to this list in the comments.

1. Education that is better then public standard US education which is substandard (yeah, I said it... it is a fact. Look at the statistics, our public education system is in as much of a tale spin as our economy).
2. Community where our children can have playmates that are close. Think the kid a couple doors down that loves to hang out everyday. Yeah, I don't know anyone that has that kind of life anymore. Maybe it is just me... or maybe it is not. But, I am hoping to find it in our new home and in our new community. Wish me luck that it will at least be closer.
3. Education that teaches a love of learning. I know I have done this for Astrid so far... I just want to keep it up FOREVER.
4. Education that integrates the arts and projects into learning... no worksheets please!
5. Education that has our children learning at their own pace. Where different learning styles can be embraced. A high achiever, and a beautifuly slow dreamer can both get their needs met.
6. Education that understands the needs of the whole child. That understands that a mind needs some stretching to grow.
7. Education that does not treat children like they are mass animals going through life day in day out. Education with joy and life.
8. Education that goes outside. That explores.
9. Education that encourages the inquisitive nature of children. When I am looking at schools, I can always tell a good teacher by the way the class responds to a visitor. Are they inquisitive, social, polite, and unafraid to ask questions? Good job teach!
10. Animals. I have to add this one, because that was a big factor for Astrid. She loves having animals in her classroom.
11. Parent community. Other parents who do not just drop off their kids and never think about their kids learning, environment, and who do what is needed (in community) to make their kids school the best it can be. From what I hear, at Wilson... I will have about half the parents in this boat and half in the other.

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I am hoping to find all of this... or at least most of it at Wilson Montessori (also known as Wilson Elementary). Public Montessori. YES! I know it will have it's draw backs. I know it might not be like the private education that Astrid and I are used to.

The school is big. That is frightening to a child who has never gone to a school with not much more than 100 kids. But, after visiting the school on Friday Astrid's favorite part was the library. She was like "THEY HAVE A LIBRARY INSIDE the SCHOOL!" "How big is it?" "That is sooo cool!" :)
The art classroom (of course) impressed me. It was floor to ceiling with supplies. It is enough to make this art supply loving girl sing. But, for Astrid (the apple doesn't fall far)... When I asked if she was ready to go... she replied "no, I want to stay and do the project."
The music room impressed Vyk. The teacher had taken the time to cut out pictures of all kinds of different cultural art and faces. Words were cut along with it to make a collage. The instruments were lining the walls... all kinds of fun to be had... it made you want to go in and make some music.
But all 3 of us were impressed by the Science & Math room. Which was like a practical paradise of knowledge just waiting to be explored. Walking sticks, python, crickets (don't tell Astrid... but they were lunch). Books at a child's reach. And Math & Science is integrated into Art & Music. Yes, the teachers talk to each other... I know it is amazing!

And Girl Scouts. I am so excited... because there is a good girl scout troop that meets at the school. I am hoping this is another way to plug into the school and get more of a feeling of community that we were lacking with private education.

And can I say... I am excited to have Astrid in a non exclusive setting. Now, I might want to take this all back when she has to deal with her first really mean kid. But for now... some of what I did not like about a private education... only the upper $ demographic being at the school... will not be a concern.

So, what will all of the parents searching come up with for their children and their education?
Scotland, Austin, private schools all over the city, commutes, magnets, home school, co-ops... on and on. I wish them all luck! I am lucky to know and work with some amazing kids and families! And these kids are lucky to have parents who care so much about how they are learning.