Small Class Size, Small School, Big Friends
I enrolled my son in Catholic school for the good barf stories.
OK, I'll admit the that the main and biggest reason we bought the parochial school uniforms was due to our family's faith. A close second place were the high quality of teachers at this school and our happiness with the community of families we have found through the church. But as an individual who attended public school from kinder all the way through university and who ardently believes in supporting local public schools, a large part of me was leaning towards sending Charlie to the public elementary. Besides, our local elementary school is excellent, residing in one of the best school districts in the nation (#5, according to Forbes.)
But reflecting on my own childhood, what I loved about my own public school experience was having the same kids in my class year after year, so that we became as close as a family...barf stories and all. That classmate consistency doesn't happen at most public schools in the DC Metro area.
With small class sizes and lots of children, a student in the District and the DC 'burbs will have a largely different group of classmates each year. There are lots of reasons why that is a good thing, that making of new friends each September and not being pigeon-holed. In our county, some students in language immersion or other special programs will have many of the same classmates year in and year out. And this experience is also possible through our choice: choosing a smallish school with Saint Somebody in the title.
In my small California town in the '80s, there weren't a lot of classes per grade and they grouped high-performing kids together in one class. And so a group of 24 of us grew up together, year in and year out. Only the teacher changed each year. And we thrived.
You couldn't recreate yourself year in, year out. Each one of your friends knew everything about you. Everyone remembered when you barfed on the bus, when you fell in the stinky stream on the field trip, when you tooted like a trumpet during silent reading. In second grade we taught each other to play dodgeball and kickball, and we democratically elected to count off 1-2-1-2 to ensure the same kids weren't always chosen last for teams. In sixth grade we taught each other how to dance (John Hughes movie-ishly), kiss (badly) and curse (colorfully.) We drove our teachers crazy with our antics in solidarity, and to tears with how well we worked together on class projects and performances.
Sure, the lack of privacy in the close knit environment was sometimes tough. Everyone knew the minute you like-liked someone and they noticed when you came to school in your first training bra. But your classmates also came home with you to make sure you "got it" when stumped by long division or fractions. And the next day the whole class cheered with you when the lightbulb went off. There weren't really any freaks or geeks, bullies or divas, it was just one goofy family.
This awesome classmate unity came back to me today, as I know has happened for so many of over the past couple years, on Facebook. One of those core classmates was killed in an accident, God rest his soul, and some of us were reminiscing about our departed old friend in a sort of online wake. We agreed that that familiar community in elementary school really helped us get a great education and individually shine, so comfortable and happy were we at school each day. We expressed a desire for that same comfort and freedom to learn for our own young children.
Living right outside DC, I can't raise my kids in a small town, but I'm choosing the small-town experience of a (racially and economically diverse, and relatively affordable) private school. I have no research to back up this choice, only my faith, a personal preference and my memories. I wonder if my kids will find the close environment of a small class and small school as satisfying as did their mom.
Original DC Metro Moms post. Photo by on Flickr via a Creative Commons license.
Jessica McFadden is a mom of two, a freelance writer and creator of A Parent in Silver Spring, a website about fun activities for families in the DC area.
