Author Topic: Warning about Hyde School from an educational consultant  (Read 52634 times)

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Offline Anonymous

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Re: Warning about Hyde School from an educational consultant
« Reply #180 on: November 24, 2009, 04:37:00 PM »
H Y D E =

H itler
Y outh,
D edicated
E nforcers[/quote]



H-HELL
Y-YOU
D-DIDN'T
E-EXPECT
« Last Edit: December 31, 1969, 07:00:00 PM by Guest »

Offline edconsultconnecticut

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Re: Warning about Hyde School from an educational consultant
« Reply #181 on: September 12, 2011, 03:12:13 PM »
I have worked with students and families from Hyde for the past 15 years and this is simply not my experience.  Imagine that we have Student A) and Student B).  After Hyde, Student A) goes on to college, graduates, and leads a positive, productive and honest life.  Student B) drops out of college, begins to abuse drugs and is like a “tornado roaring through the lives of others.”  Does this mean that Student A) succeeded and Student B) failed?  No, it means that Hyde was able to reach Student A) and was not able to reach Student B).  Like any other school in America, whether public or private, you will have some students and families that had an incredible experience and some that had a very negative experience.  All this is indicative of is that it was not the “right” school for their family.  I often tell clients that if they are looking for the “perfect” school for their son or daughter, they will need to build it themselves.  No matter how aligned a schools values and ethics are to your own, most parents will undoubtedly disagree with some facet of their child’s education and or the school’s curriculum.  Far too often, and I am guilty myself, as a father of three, we as parents want to “pass the buck” when it comes to our child’s struggles and failures.  However, we are more than happy to take and point credit for their successes.  Hyde was founded on two basic premises, “Every individual is gifted with a unique potential that defines a destiny” and “Parents are the primary teachers of character, which makes the home the primary classroom.”  In my experience it is the latter that parents struggle with, especially when their child fails to live up to the standards and expectations set forth.  Hyde is far from traditional, but many of the students that I have referred there over the last 15 years have gone onto to do extraordinary things.  A clear distinction needs to be made; is this the wrong school for my child or is this the wrong school for me?
« Last Edit: December 31, 1969, 07:00:00 PM by Guest »

Offline Ursus

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Re: Warning about Hyde School from an educational consultant
« Reply #182 on: September 12, 2011, 09:27:26 PM »
Quote from: "edconsultconnecticut"
I have worked with students and families from Hyde for the past 15 years and this is simply not my experience.
Well, thank you kindly for your input. Is Hyde School your only client?

Quote from: "edconsultconnecticut"
Imagine that we have Student A) and Student B).  After Hyde, Student A) goes on to college, graduates, and leads a positive, productive and honest life.  Student B) drops out of college, begins to abuse drugs and is like a "tornado roaring through the lives of others."  Does this mean that Student A) succeeded and Student B) failed?  No, it means that Hyde was able to reach Student A) and was not able to reach Student B).
It could also mean that Student B found Hyde to be a very damaging experience. Not everyone takes well to being subjected to a thought reform milieu overrun with punitive dogma.

It could also be that Student A had several siblings (potential attendees), or parents that contributed heavily to the school's coffers or recruitment efforts. Funny how those kids always seem to do better at Hyde.

I'm sorry, but I find your explanation simplistic and disingenuous.

Quote from: "edconsultconnecticut"
Like any other school in America, whether public or private, you will have some students and families that had an incredible experience and some that had a very negative experience.  All this is indicative of is that it was not the "right" school for their family.  I often tell clients that if they are looking for the "perfect" school for their son or daughter, they will need to build it themselves.  No matter how aligned a schools values and ethics are to your own, most parents will undoubtedly disagree with some facet of their child's education and or the school's curriculum.
Yep, but those disagreements usually focus on small details, or a change in schools would be effected in short order. Most parents, believe it or not, are pretty happy to put up with a lot of those minor disagreements so long as their kid appears to be progressing and is in a safe environment. I'm not so sure that Hyde is a "safe" place, from both a physical as well as psychological standpoint.

Quote from: "edconsultconnecticut"
Far too often, and I am guilty myself, as a father of three, we as parents want to "pass the buck" when it comes to our child's struggles and failures.  However, we are more than happy to take and point credit for their successes.
I'm not sure I follow you here. When people compliment me on my kids, I usually say it's all on them and their own efforts and unique abilities, not mine.

In fact, your observation sounds rather similar to the above apologist rationale for why some kids don't do well at Hyde. If a student does well after their stint at Hyde, is 'cuz HYDE was able to "reach them." Hyde takes credit for this! If not, it's 'cuz Hyde just wasn't able to reach them, or the student wasn't up to "internalizing the process." The unspoken implication here is that this must be the student's fault or lack of ability. Hyde acknowledges no potential blame in this.

Quote from: "edconsultconnecticut"
Hyde was founded on two basic premises, "Every individual is gifted with a unique potential that defines a destiny" and "Parents are the primary teachers of character, which makes the home the primary classroom."  In my experience it is the latter that parents struggle with, especially when their child fails to live up to the standards and expectations set forth.
Interesting that you claim to know so much about Hyde, since neither of those two phrases were ever used during at least the first decade of Hyde's existence.

In fact, Joe Gauld was usually telling parents that *HYDE* knew better than they as to what was best for their kids (see "Isn't Hyde Ever Wrong?" from 2002). That latter phrase re. "parents are the primary teachers of character" seems to have really taken off as a good marketing tool when Hyde began to branch out with its charter school efforts. What better way to win over the hearts and minds of a (usually desperate) school district?

As to the first phrase you note above, the term "unique potential" was certainly used early on, to ad nauseum degree even, but that came straight out of the Human Potential Movement. That's wasn't Joe's concoction. The rest of the phrase, including especially the "destiny" part, didn't get added on 'till later.

Since you infer so much experience with Hyde, "edconsultconnecticut," perhaps you could explain the phrase: "Every individual is gifted with a unique potential that defines a destiny." While suitably florid, and loaded with emotive impact, it seems kinda vague, when you come right down to it and actually try to think it through. One could even take it to mean something akin to "what you are is what you'll be." Which is a bit... fatalistic, dontcha think? It would almost appear to remove all hope for change, when one takes it literally and at face value (which, I admit, IS how I'm prone to take things, be that as it may).

Quote from: "edconsultconnecticut"
Hyde is far from traditional, but many of the students that I have referred there over the last 15 years have gone onto to do extraordinary things.  A clear distinction needs to be made; is this the wrong school for my child or is this the wrong school for me?
Why don't you tell us how *YOU* would describe Hyde as being the right school for someone, "edconsultconnecticut?" That does appear to be the opening you're fishing for, eh?  :D
« Last Edit: December 31, 1969, 07:00:00 PM by Guest »
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Offline katfacehead89

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Re: Warning about Hyde School from an educational consultant
« Reply #183 on: August 04, 2021, 02:28:59 PM »
Sounds about right.