Clara Hemphill on NYC Public Middle Schools

I recently had the opportunity to talk to Clara Hemphill and ask her some questions; I'm happy to be able to share her responses with you. Read on to hear her tips for the one thing you should check out on a school tour, the most important way to be involved in your child's education, and some great schools that don't require top test scores to get in. 

Ten Questions for Clara Hemphill  

You seem to have a preference in your book for small schools? Why are small schools better? How are they different?

A smaller school makes it easier for principals to do their best work, just as smaller classes makes it easier for teachers to teach. A principal at a small school may supervise 20 or 25 teachers, while a principal at a large school may supervise three or four times that many. That said, there are some advantages to large schools -- more extensive facilities, wider course selection, and often more sports.

That's a really interesting perspective. I love small schools because of the small community, but I never thought about from the Principal's point of view.

It seems like many NYC public elementary schools are on par with private schools. Is that still true for Middle School? What are the big differences between public and private middle schools?

Private schools tend to have better facilities and smaller class size than public schools. However, the quality of teaching is, overall, comparable in the best public middle schools. If you live in a neighborhood with good middle schools, my advice is to save your money for college. Sadly, there are many neighborhoods in New York City where the middle schools are poor.

Many NYC public elementaries are suffering from overcrowding. Is overcrowding an issue in Middle School?

Class size is too large. Most city middle schools have a class size of 32.

Your own children went to NYC public middle schools? Were you happy with the experience?

My children have been exceptionally lucky -- great teachers and great principals with a real passion for and understanding of children this age.

Aren't most of the top middle schools are very competitive to get in to? What if your child does not do well on standardized tests? What are your options?

It's true that the demand for middle schools far outstrips the supply. But many good schools don't rely on test scores for admission: School of the Future and the Institute for Collaborative Education in Manhattan, for example, or the Brooklyn School of Collaborative Studies in Brooklyn.

The middle school application process seems very stressful for these little children with testing, having to choose their top schools and put them in order, etc. What can parents do to prepare their children for this process?

Ugh. It is stressful. Parent should do their best not to pass on their own anxieties to their children. Stay calm and cheerful, even if you are privately freaking out.

School tours give such a limited view of a school. How can parents and students get the most out of their tour and really get to know the school?

Look at the faces of the students. Are they engaged? Look at the bulletin boards. Are the projects interesting? Are there lots of interesting books on the shelves, or only textbooks?

How should you pick the right school? Is it OK to just let your child pick the school they like best?

The child should be allowed to have an opinion, but the parents should make the final decision. Your child needs to support his opinion and persuade you that his choice is the best.

Schools see a huge drop off in parent participation in Middle School. Is it still important to be involved as your children get older? What are the most important things for parents to stay involved in?

It's hard to be an involved parent in middle school because most kids would rather die than have their parents at school or even on a class trip. But they still need lots of support at home, particularly organizing their homework and managing their time.

If parents only do one thing to make NYC public schools better, what should it be?

Let elected officials know that we care about schools and we vote.