DEAR TEACHER
– by Peggy Gisler and Marge Eberts
Helping all parents make their
children’s educational experience
as successful as possible
Choosing between a
Public School and a
Charter School
Q
uestion: I have a choice.
I can send my child to
the close-by elementary
school, which is considered a good
school, or a charter school. What do I
need to know to make the best decision?
— Uncertain
Answer: Before making any deci-
sion about which school is best for your
child, you need to find out as much as
you can about each of these schools.
Either could be a good choice for your
child. Be sure to investigate students’
performance on state tests, the curricu-
lum, extracurricular activities, and each
school’s philosophy. Visit both schools
to see what each environment is like.
You should realize that charter
schools are public schools that operate
with freedom from many of the regu-
lations that apply to traditional public
schools. These schools are often estab-
lished to realize a particular educational
vision, which you might want for your
child. They might offer high
academic standards, small class
size, innovative approaches or
an appealing educational phi-
losophy. Some serve special
populations of students. You
can learn more about the char-
ter-school movement by visiting
www.charterschoolcenter.org.
Once you are well ac-
quainted with what each school
is like, think about how your
child is likely to do in each en-
42 WNY Family January 2019
vironment. Make a list of the pros and
cons for each school. Then select the
school that overall best matches your
child’s needs. Remember that this is not
a one-year decision. You are deciding
where your child is likely to spend sev-
eral years.
Things to Consider
when Dyslexia Runs
in a Family
Question: My husband struggled
mightily with dyslexia in school and still
isn’t too fond of reading. Is it possible to
discover if one of our young children is
following in his footsteps? — Curious
Answer: There is some evidence
that the children of parents who are dys-
lexic are more likely to also be dyslexic.
Since you know that dyslexia runs in your
husband’s family, you do need to watch
for early warning signs. Dyslexia can be
identified as early as pre-K. And the ear-
lier it is identified, the greater the likeli-
hood of your child’s success in school.
Please remember that having some
of the signs of dyslexia does not mean
your children will be dyslexic. Howev-
er, if you think they might, get help as
early as you can from people (doctors,
psychologists, teachers, child-care pro-
viders) who know your child.
You also need to become as famil-
iar as you can with dyslexia. Visit the
websites of the International Dyslexia
Association, the National Center for
Learning Disabilities and the Learning
Disabilities Association of America.
You might also want to read Overcom-
ing Dyslexia by Sally Shaywitz. She
lays out what parents can do to help
their children, year by year, grade by
grade, and step by step.
Here are some early warning signs
of dyslexia: When did your children start
talking? Most children will begin to say
words by their first birthday. Then, by
the time they are 2, they should be us-
ing phrases. Plus, 4-year-olds should be
able to repeat nursery rhymes. And by
the time your child is ready for kinder-
garten, he or she should be able to tell
if two words such as “fair” and “hair”
rhyme.
Once your children were speak-
ing, how did they pronounce words? By
5 or 6 most children will not have any
problems saying words correctly. On the
other hand, children who are still leav-
ing off beginning sounds such as say-
ing “potamus” for “hippopotamus” are
showing another possible early sign of
dyslexia.
Some Techniques for
Reducing Test Anxiety
Question: My daughter gets anx-
ious before big tests. Are there any good
ways to psych her up so she will
be in a position to do well on
these tests? — Want to Help
Answer: In his new book
Psyched Up: How the Science
of Mental Preparation Can
Help You Succeed, Daniel Mc-
Ginn gives some solid sugges-
tions and five techniques that
parents can use to put children
in the right mind-set before tests
and competitive events.