Comments on: Nursery University (TV show Monday night)

By: cpsobsessed

cpsobsessed — Mon, 25 May 2009 13:11:08 +0000

Dive – whoa, that is big. Keep me posted. Changes here.

By: also obsessed

also obsessed — Fri, 15 May 2009 04:27:06 +0000

THANK YOU , C!!!!!!!
I feel people have put so much into this 5 1/2-6 hour day (or what, 2-4 hour with PreK) with their kids and forget that the KID and the FAMILY have so much to do wiht that child’s success!!

A teacher once told me that there are 4 general scenarios to a kids’ academic success:
1) stable loving family life and good school – coudl be an optimum outcome
2) stable loving family and not so good school – still could be an optimum outcome
3) unstable family and good school – not necessarily so good outcome
4) unstable family and not so good school – not a great chance

so, C, thank you for your example.

By: aevans

aevans — Thu, 14 May 2009 00:56:15 +0000

I should perhaps clarify–technically not bi-racial, but multi-ethnic???

By: aevans

aevans — Thu, 14 May 2009 00:55:49 +0000

Some may be feeder schools, but most are not. I heard one couple say at the end as they were beginning their kindergarten process (apparently two years prior to said child ENTERING kindergarten) that there are fewer spots for kindergarten than nursery school. And yes, I was a little put off by that myself. I’m wondering if the bi-racial house helped. My son being bi-racial I believe definitely helped our choices improve greatly.

By: C

Wed, 13 May 2009 22:25:46 +0000

I just want to keep things in perspective and mention an example of a young person I know who attended a CPS neighborhood elementary school in a low-income neighborhood on the southside of Chicago, got into a selective enrollment high school, and is currently completing the 3rd year at Yale.

By: cpsobsessed

cpsobsessed — Wed, 13 May 2009 17:35:35 +0000

Were these preschools that feed into elementary schools? Or is there some kind of social ranking that makes people care more about where their kids go?
Also, my mom said some girl got into 8 preK’s – wow – what was that family’s secret?

By: another mommy

another mommy — Wed, 13 May 2009 15:38:04 +0000

I thought it was pretty funny. Did you all see the part when the director of some preschool gave the tour and they cut to a woman with tears in her eyes when the director indicates that new students are chosen by random lottery. I cracked up. Or the part when the pushy woman got turned down by her first choice preschool and wrote a letter to the preschool director and hand delivered it to the school. I will give her credit, though…she did everything she could do to get her kid into that school. Thanks for telling us about the show. I never would have known about it if I didn’t blog here from time to time.

Oh-and CPS Obsessed, you are not a nutcase. We all just want the best for our kids! )

By: cpsobsessed

cpsobsessed — Wed, 13 May 2009 15:22:20 +0000

I forgot to mention – several years ago when I was in the midst of my preschool search, a co-worker quit and wrote us each a card. On mine, it said “I hope you find the perfect preschool.” That’s when I knew I had become a true nutcase about it.

By: cpsobsessed

cpsobsessed — Wed, 13 May 2009 15:20:55 +0000

My mom watched it and said the exact same thing – the trauma of parents thinking that a preschool would determine their life’s success.
At least we have NYC to make us look not as psycho. They set the bar high!

By: aevans

aevans — Wed, 13 May 2009 15:04:46 +0000

I finally watched it last night (thank God for the DVR). It made me cry it was so horrifying. Literally. I can’t imagine actually thinking preschool was going to predict my child’s success in life. But then again, I’ve been a freak of nature about the whole kindergarten thing. Crazy.