Private school with social support
My 7-year-old son is in a large OUSD public elementary and it has become pretty clear that he needs a school with more support around social skills. He has always been an introvert and gravitates towards adults. In the 3 years he has been at his school he hasn't made any real friends. The few relationships he has had have all turned negative in some way, i.e. "you can sit with me at lunch" kind of things. The school does a good job of talking about being inclusive and accepting but I find that without caring capable adults on the playground to help guide kids towards those kinds of behaviors, inclusiveness isn't going to happen. We are hoping there is a private school in the area that does a good job of helping young kids with this kind of stuff. Does your private school have caring adults on the playground to help kids navigate tricky social issues? If so, please share your experience. Thanks in advance!
Parent Replies
Our 10 year old attends Sunnyside MicroSchool in Oakland which has been such a blessing for my family after being at two different private schools both who said they do a good job navigating social issues and really didn't. Sunnyside is a very special program for a small group of mixed age kids, up to age 11. It caters to kids who are more sensitive and quirky (sometimes called "2E") and who might have asynchronous learning styles. The teachers are trained in NVC and Collaborative Problem Solving. With a small community of kiddos, they navigate social issues beautifully. Things do come up but ultimately the class is like a little family that has strong relationships and care for one another. Website is http://www.sunnysidemicroschool.com/home.
I recommend core academy in Walnut Creek. They start in 3rd grade 3-8. Recess time sadly at most schools is when most teachers go on break and there are fewer eyes watching and sh*t goes down. 7 was a difficult age of impulsivity and lack of social skills for my 10yo. Find the right supportive environment ASAP - the self confidence issues and other host of negatives make it worth your effort.
my kid was having difficulty with annoying older kids at 4 square. The school immediately handled the situation and changed the environment adding more teachers to the area and creating a second game. The older kids were spoken to and felt horrible knowing they had acted like bullies. Many kids at alternative schools have been bullied themselves. What’s been so great at core is having my kid not have to compare himself to others. He is gifted and he is smart but he is also so aware of his deficits and they paralyze him and cause him to act out and be an outlier when he’s in the right environment- there are Little to no problems. School environment is everything!!!!