Private Armenian Schooling?

[ArmoBarbi]

I know that Armenian schools have been discussed, but I live in a place that doesnt have any private Armenian schools. I was given the idea by a friend from Glendale to work in one while I do my grad work, so Ive recently been looking online and simply fell in love!

I wanted to know if anyone has gone to private Armenian school or plans to enroll their children in the future, etc. I think I would like for my kids to go to a private Armenian school. Let me know if you think its a good idea/worth it and why please.

[Che_Ka]

YES!! DO IT!!!

I went to a private Armenian school from kindergarten until 12th grade - it singlehandedly shaped the person that I am.

Some people argue that students who graduate from Armenian schools are no more fluent/educated in Armenian language and history than are students who graduate from public schools. This may be true for a certain percentage -- but the fact remains that no place else is your child going to be given the opportunity to learn his mother tongue, literature, and history. Many students graduate Armenian schools with little proficiency in Armenian language/history. But often, these students don't speak Armenian at home, or they did not attend Armenian school all of their lives, or more often than not, they are just not good students as it is -- so they aren't proficient in English, math, science, etc either. The bottom line is that if you stress to your child to take his/her Armenian classes seriously, he/she will. Where else will they have to recite Armenian poems once a week? Or have Armenian spelling tests? Or be assigned a project to make a model of an old Armenian church (I made St. Krikor Losavorich church)? Or take part in Armenian plays?

Beyond actually learning the language and history, I think it's even more important that the students at Armenian schools FEEL ARMENIAN: everybody around them is Armenian, often there is an Armenian church near/on campus, there are assemblies for Armenian holidays, you get to learn about Armenian words/foods/customs of other 'types' of Armenians, etc. All in all, you get a deeper sense of 'Armenianness.' Also, many Armenian schools today send their graduating classes to Armenia at the end of the school year -- what an experience!

The only downside is that in a diverse society, some people question whether it's a good idea who segregate ourselves: For me, this is a nonissue. It boils down to this -- if we don't segregate, we are certainly doomed to assimilation. If we segregate, we might have a chance to prevent, or at least delay it.

No, I am not closed-minded. No, I did not have trouble making non-Armenian friends in college. And no, none of my classmates did, either. One of my best friends today is Salvadoran.

Furthermore, having gone to school with the same people for 14 years, I have such tight friendships with some of my former classmates. I have a group of friends that I have known since I was 4. You can't get that anywhere else.

I am a very big supporter of sending each and every Armenian child to an Armenian school, from kindergarten to 12th grade. It is our only chance for survival in the US. I cannot stress that enough.

To those who did not go to Armenian school, I do not mean to discredit you or make assert any claims as to your degree of 'Armenianness.' I just think that if there are 2 consecutive generations with no Armenian education, than that is a surefire road to assimilation. Case in point -- one of my best friends has a mom who attended public school. But she decided to send her daughter (my friend) to an Armenian school. My friend says that if she didn't go to Armenian school, she'd have no idea what it means to be Armenian, or feel any pride in her ethnicity.

[ArmoBarbi]

Well, I have to first tell you that, although I am only Armenian, I was not raised to care about my Armenianness at all. I am a Bakvahye who moved to Russia at four and to Michigan at eleven. I never even heard the language growing up. I knew nothing. Its something I discovered and developed on my own. Im actually going to be an Armenologist (just learned that title heheheh) and plan to raise my children Armenian.

I really appreciate your input. This is exactly what I was looking for. Merci

[Che_Ka]

You're welcome! I'm glad to hear your story, and I hope there are many others out there who are rediscovering their roots.

I hope your parents are speaking Armenian to you now that you've discovered your heritage! (Assuming they know it, that is...) Parents are the best source for these things.

[ArmoBarbi]

You're welcome! I'm glad to hear your story, and I hope there are many others out there who are rediscovering their roots.

I hope your parents are speaking Armenian to you now that you've discovered your heritage! (Assuming they know it, that is...) Parents are the best source for these things.

My father lives in Europe and we never see each other. My mom forgot Armenian from never having to use it as an adult. I will be learning it through school and travel.

I agree with you, thats exactly why I feel like its my responsibility to give my children Armenian exposure through school since I know that they will not hear it from their family. (Unless my husband's family, but I want to marry a guy who's family speaks Russian for the sake of my family and everything)

I wonder if anyone else is going to actually vote instead of just looking (hint hint)

[sad_eyes]

I would agree to it. Your children would have the best of concept through cultural communication and understanding as well as there would be no language barriers.

[CatWoman]

I went to a public high school here, but before that in Iran, I went to an Armenian school which pretty much everyone did but my parents thought that wasn't enough, since we only had like 2 hrs a week of Armenian, we had a group of 5-6 kids that would get together once a week for 3hrs at home with a private teacher and study Armenian... Ahhhh good ol' days!

As for my kids, definitely!

[ArmoBarbi]

Yet they didnt vote lol

Thank you for the input. My mom is already annoyed with me for talking about how great private Armenian schools are. Reminds me of the time I picked my major... lol

[ckBejug]

YES!! DO IT!!!

I went to a private Armenian school from kindergarten until 12th grade - it singlehandedly shaped the person that I am.
.....

Where did you go?

[ArmenianKid]

Well, I have to first tell you that, although I am only Armenian, I was not raised to care about my Armenianness at all. I am a Bakvahye who moved to Russia at four and to Michigan at eleven. I never even heard the language growing up. I knew nothing. Its something I discovered and developed on my own. Im actually going to be an Armenologist (just learned that title heheheh) and plan to raise my children Armenian.

I really appreciate your input. This is exactly what I was looking for. Merci

well im the youngest in my family by nearly 7 years. by brother is in active duty in the armenian millitary, my dad is retaired from the armenian army my whole family but ME was born there. but around me they wont speak armenian and try to act as american as can be. so i was raised to forget about the armenian in me, i know how u feel.