Abacus Mom

We're British; Where Do We Send Our Children to School in New York?

Every year, many British families call me seeking private or public schools in Manhattan, Brooklyn, and the New York City suburbs.  While there is a British private school in New York, many British families seek American schools for a full cultural experience.  Particularly in the younger years, British kids can easily transfer back and forth between American and British schools.

I recommend schools both in the suburbs and in NYC.  Families are commonly concerned that American schools will not be sufficiently challenging, particularly since British elementary schools start a year earlier with the Reception year.

If you're a British or international family seeking help with NYC schooling, I welcome your contact.  Limited enrollment available so reserve your child's space. 212-712-2228 or eglickman(at)abacusguide.com

Familiarity Breeds Better Test Scores

Today the Times' Javier Hernandez had an excellent article, A Moo Moo Here, and Better Test Scores Later.   The article's key point:

Educators have long known that prior knowledge of a subject can significantly improve a child’s performance on tests. If parents have read medieval tales to their children every night, they are likely to glide through questions about King Arthur.

With this in mind, students from Harlem Success Academy visited a farm to get a leg up on New York State math and English exams.

I understand administrators' goals.  They're right -- without question, comfort with a subject improves test scores.  This is true not only for the New York State exams but also for the SAT and even so-called intelligence tests like the ERB.

I hope the children also enjoyed the visit to the farm.  When kindergarten children take field trips for test prep, I hope we as adults take pause.  This is yet another symptom of our test-obsessed society.  Hopefully in this case there was an upside--city children take a trip to the country--vs. the usual downside.

Article about Speyer in Today's Times

A challenge for any new NYC private school is breaking through parents' resistance to spending $30,000 for a new, unproven school.

Speyer Legacy School took a giant step forward today when the Times profiled the new private school, focusing on its mission to teach the "gifted".  From the article:

Lillian Yang said that she was willing to pay for Speyer so that her son, Christopher, could get the instruction he needed (he got a partial scholarship). Since he already knows addition and subtraction, he is getting advanced math lessons in multiplication.

“With gifted children, if you don’t let them reach their potential, they will feel pressure to be the same as other kids, and that can cause them to shut down,” she said.

The article did not cover the other side of the debate.  While many parents and educators believe that early developing, bright children should be given accelerated academic material, others are not so sure.  They don't think that labeling certain children as gifted and teaching them separately is necessary.  Instead, these educators and parents think that the focus in the early years of elementary school should be on socialization.

What I know about Speyer: it is definitely gaining traction with New York City parents.  It has a diverse student body, strong art and music programs, inviting atmosphere and bright kids.  My clients with high scoring kids applying for kindergarten are considering it this year as a possibility.  Everyone’s dream is still Dalton or Trinity—but Speyer is rising, and considered by some a superior option to some less competitive private schools and public.

Questions to Think About When Choosing a Tutor

Don't just hire any old tutor off the street.   Particularly if you are hiring for ERB, ISEE, Sci HIgh (SHSAT), Hunter or any other admissions test prep, you want to make sure that you are hiring a pro.

1. Set measurable goals.  Your tutor should help you set a benchmark for where your child's learning is now, and where you'd like it to go.  For test prep, many tutors can have kids take a preliminary practice test.
2. Make sure your child likes the tutor or tutoring will go nowhere.  There needs to be a good fit between tutor and student.
3. Understand in advance how many hours and sessions the tutor recommends.
4. What is the tutor's track record?  How long has he or she been in business?  Can you speak to satisfied clients?  How has he or she trained?  Did she just pick up a Barron's book at Barnes and Noble or does she have something more?
5. Is the tutor a freelancing math teacher trying to pick up a few bucks, or someone who actually has experience teaching to a specific test?  Is he or she expert in test taking strategies and timing?

If you need referrals to a top ISEE, SSAT, Stuyvesant, or Hunter tutor, I have them.  Contact me.

The Basement Interview, Continued: Excerpt from Where Does Caitlyn Go to School?

John strode out into the waiting room.  “You’re the Greens, I presume?”

“Yes, we are,” said Chris and Jessie at the same time, standing up and energetically shaking his hand. 

“I’m John MacLaine, a senior at Navy School.  I’ve matriculated at this fine institution for thirteen years.  I’ll be interviewing you.”

“Great,” said Jessie, thinking this was normal procedure.  “It’s nice to meet you.  It will be interesting for us to get a real student’s perspective.”

“Yes, that certainly will be educational for you.  Come, let’s go down to the subterranean level, where we will be conducting our meeting.  I’d like to learn more about you and your lovely daughter, and tell you more about our illustrious institution.”

“Awesome,” said Chris.  “We’ve read a lot about Navy School and we want to learn more.  Caitlyn is a terrific girl.  From what we understand, we think she’d be happy here.”

“I read about Caitlyn.  She certainly did sound terrific.”  John was gratified he actually had read about Caitlyn and not chucked her file.  Although if he had chucked it, he had total confidence in himself that he could still handle this situation with total aplomb.  That was the kind of guy he was. 

Normally, Navy students weren’t supposed to take the elevator, but John figured today was a special situation so it was permissible.  He escorted Jessie and Chris into the elevator, and with a straight face, asked Mr. Briggs to take them to the subterranean level.  John led them to the small, dank room.

“Won’t you take a chair?” he asked, holding the folding chair for Jessie.  As she and Chris squatted down into their seats, he said, “I regret that it’s a tad damp down here.  There are just so many people applying to Navy that we have to use any office available for interviewing.  I know when you see our world-class facilities, you will witness for yourself why the school is so popular.  So, you wrote that Caitlyn enjoys music?”

From Where Does Caitlyn Go To School?  Available to read on your Kindle, and with the app Kindle for iPod, on your iPhone or iPod Touch . If you're going through or about to go through the admissions process, now is the time to read the book!

The Basement Interview: Excerpt from Where Does Caitlyn Go To School?

   Willa, the admissions director, had her secretary bring John, the admissions intern, into the office.  “John, it’s clear to me from your work so far that you understand our goals in the admissions office.  I believe you have the maturity to handle a parent interview.  I’d like to give you a special opportunity today to meet the Green family.”  Willa handed John the card with the family’s names.

“Sure, Mrs. Phillips.  The Greens?  I never heard of them.”

John was a natural.  Willa loved John.

“I haven’t either, John.  But perhaps there is something desirable about them?” Willa said doubtfully.  “That is what I am trusting in you to find out.”  She gave him their file.

“Where do you want me to meet with them?”  John asked.  He wondered if he would sit in Willa’s office in her ornately carved chair.

“There’s a little room in the basement, near where Mr. Briggs keeps his janitorial supplies.  Can you bring three folding chairs down there?” ...  to be continued.

From Where Does Caitlyn Go To School?  Available to read on your Kindle, and with the app Kindle for iPod, on your iPhone or iPod Touch . If you're going through the admissions process, now is the time to read the book!

 

Getting into Stuyvesant (SHSAT Test Prep)

Back in the day, the people I knew who attended Stuyvesant liked to program, build bridges, play chess, and smoke pot. 

It's not so laid-back anymore.  Have you seen all the storefronts devoted to Stuyvesant Specialized High Schools Admissions Test prep? 

If you can afford it, get a tutor.  Contact me for the best Stuyvesant tutors: one of them used to give talks at Stuyvesant with me.

If you can't, take a class.  Be careful at these storefront places that they're not just mindless drill-and-kill.  Make sure they're actually teaching to the Stuyvesant test.

A great prep book to get: 

Cracking the New York City Specialized High Schools Admissions Test

And finally, a book about Stuyvesant, as well as other top NYC public high schools:

New York City's Best Public High Schools

Getting Into Hunter

As a Hunter grad, I can tell you, the old days were easy: you went in, you took the Hunter test, you prayed, and sometimes you made it.

These days, it's not so simple.  The test prep wave has raised the bar for everyone. 

If you can afford it, get a tutor.  Contact me for the best Hunter tutors: one of them I have known since I went to Hunter.  (He was the student body president.)

If you can't, take a class.

A book about Hunter, as well as other top NYC public high schools:  New York City's Best Public High Schools