Schools in Santo Domingo

Sarah Stagg

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Jan 22, 2022
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The lesson I have learnt is that unless your child speaks English at home, it's not really worth sending them to an international school (where the majority of lessons are taught in English). Unless you are paying top dollar and going to the likes of Carol Morgan, the standard of teaching in international schools is generally low because there are so few teachers around who are capable to teaching in English. Better to send them to a private school where everything is taught in Spanish, and then buy in additional English lessons as you need them. That's my opinion and my experience in any case - I'm sure there are some who will have had different experiences and opinions.
This is very interesting and important to know. Thank you. I have got the general impression that the really top schools apart from Carol Morgan are Saint Michaels and Saint George. I was considering the other ones as they are less expensive and some even closer to where we are likely to live but since its vital that the students need to understand the teacher speaking in English then for an for child who only speaks English it would be so important vital to send them to one of these three schools and not take the risk!! Another thing is that Saint Michaels teaches AP classes live where as Ashton school does them only on line I believe so that is another thing to consider. It would be interesting to know if anyone here has had good experiences with lessons taught by teachers who speak good English in other schools and schools that teach a variety of live AP classes, not on-line ones.
 

bob saunders

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Many if not most of the public schools in the USA neither want, nor deserve, good teachers. They have low pay, lousy conditions, and as a bonus if you actually teach the little bastards something you run the risk of being prosecuted. They even financially incentivize vigilante investigators to scrounge up cases to prosecute. Nobody in their right mind would go into a profession like that.
I can't speak for the USA but I have two SIL in Canada , one that is now retired after teaching in Ontario for 35 year, and still works as a supply teacher, and the other one is currently a teacher in British Columbia. Both are very well paid, and excellent teachers. Neither has any of the harassment issues you speak of. Guess there is a reason Canada ranks much higher than the USA for education system.
 
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bob saunders

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This is very interesting and important to know. Thank you. I have got the general impression that the really top schools apart from Carol Morgan are Saint Michaels and Saint George. I was considering the other ones as they are less expensive and some even closer to where we are likely to live but since its vital that the students need to understand the teacher speaking in English then for an for child who only speaks English it would be so important vital to send them to one of these three schools and not take the risk!! Another thing is that Saint Michaels teaches AP classes live where as Ashton school does them only on line I believe so that is another thing to consider. It would be interesting to know if anyone here has had good experiences with lessons taught by teachers who speak good English in other schools and schools that teach a variety of live AP classes, not on-line ones.
I guess the only way to really know is to go to the individual schools and see for yourself. You don't want to make a mistake. Personally I think that because you are coming from the UK, you should look most closely at St George.
 

wuarhat

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Many of the teachers in the USA shouldn't be allowed to teach there either. https://www.expat.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=776854
I can't speak for the USA but I have two SIL in Canada , one that is now retired after teaching in Ontario for 35 year, and still works as a supply teacher, and the other one is currently a teacher in British Columbia. Both are very well paid, and excellent teachers. Neither has any of the harassment issues you speak of. Guess there is a reason Canada ranks much higher than the USA for education system.
Hmmm. Can't speak for the USA?
 
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MariaRubia

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This is very interesting and important to know. Thank you. I have got the general impression that the really top schools apart from Carol Morgan are Saint Michaels and Saint George. I was considering the other ones as they are less expensive and some even closer to where we are likely to live but since its vital that the students need to understand the teacher speaking in English then for an for child who only speaks English it would be so important vital to send them to one of these three schools and not take the risk!! Another thing is that Saint Michaels teaches AP classes live where as Ashton school does them only on line I believe so that is another thing to consider. It would be interesting to know if anyone here has had good experiences with lessons taught by teachers who speak good English in other schools and schools that teach a variety of live AP classes, not on-line ones.

I seem to remember being told that by law certain lessons must be taught in Spanish in DR. History is one if I remember correctly.

One thing to be aware of is that Dominicans have pretty fixed views of their position in society. So the top schools will have kids from families who really do consider themselves special and will want to make sure everyone knows it. So expect to see a few mums rocking up in a Lamborghini and most who look like they've spent the entire day in the beauty salon. I guess this kind of goes on at schools like Eton and Roedean, but it's very different to UK culture where flashing your wealth is considered chavvy - in DR if you've got it, you flaunt it. Personally I think many rich Dominicans are ghastly, because they have this horrible "I'm way better than you because I'm richer" attitude, even though in a lot of cases the source of said money is dirty. I just think it's important that you are alive to the cultural impact of the school that your children go to, and hopefully help them understand that even if they are lucky enough to go to the best school in town, that doesn't mean they are more important than a child whose parents live in the barrio.
 

JD Jones

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I seem to remember being told that by law certain lessons must be taught in Spanish in DR. History is one if I remember correctly.

One thing to be aware of is that Dominicans have pretty fixed views of their position in society. So the top schools will have kids from families who really do consider themselves special and will want to make sure everyone knows it. So expect to see a few mums rocking up in a Lamborghini and most who look like they've spent the entire day in the beauty salon. I guess this kind of goes on at schools like Eton and Roedean, but it's very different to UK culture where flashing your wealth is considered chavvy - in DR if you've got it, you flaunt it. Personally I think many rich Dominicans are ghastly, because they have this horrible "I'm way better than you because I'm richer" attitude, even though in a lot of cases the source of said money is dirty. I just think it's important that you are alive to the cultural impact of the school that your children go to, and hopefully help them understand that even if they are lucky enough to go to the best school in town, that doesn't mean they are more important than a child whose parents live in the barrio.
All of these schools suffer from Tapones when the chauffer-driven Jeepetas line up every afternoon to pick up the kids. You won't see any traffic cops trying to manage them either.
 

Auryn

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I seem to remember being told that by law certain lessons must be taught in Spanish in DR. History is one if I remember correctly.

One thing to be aware of is that Dominicans have pretty fixed views of their position in society. So the top schools will have kids from families who really do consider themselves special and will want to make sure everyone knows it. So expect to see a few mums rocking up in a Lamborghini and most who look like they've spent the entire day in the beauty salon. I guess this kind of goes on at schools like Eton and Roedean, but it's very different to UK culture where flashing your wealth is considered chavvy - in DR if you've got it, you flaunt it. Personally I think many rich Dominicans are ghastly, because they have this horrible "I'm way better than you because I'm richer" attitude, even though in a lot of cases the source of said money is dirty. I just think it's important that you are alive to the cultural impact of the school that your children go to, and hopefully help them understand that even if they are lucky enough to go to the best school in town, that doesn't mean they are more important than a child whose parents live in the barrio.
Sociales is mandatory but I’m not sure about Spanish.

The bolded part of your reply is very valuable to this thread because in my experience, the wealthy Dominicans with tact and class were aware of this and didn’t participate. Families from other countries as well made efforts to ensure that their children were not displaying entitlement.

Flaunting new money or dirty money was generally not tolerated.

People did try to flaunt their wealth, but the extremely wealthy families and those with experience outside the DR did not stoop to participate in that and therefore made it fairly unacceptable as a rule.

These schools don’t usually send the nann(íes) in scrubs or have the driver show up in a fancy car. Older students especially would be vocal about it being tacky, and call it out as a tasteless display.

I could see the parading of wealth more so at schools that have lower tuitions or that have become less reputable. Not to say it doesn’t happen at Morgan or the other two, just that it was outside the norm if it did happen.
 

It wasn't me

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location, location, location
I can't speak for the USA but I have two SIL in Canada , one that is now retired after teaching in Ontario for 35 year, and still works as a supply teacher, and the other one is currently a teacher in British Columbia. Both are very well paid, and excellent teachers. Neither has any of the harassment issues you speak of. Guess there is a reason Canada ranks much higher than the USA for education system.
Many of the teachers in the USA shouldn't be allowed to teach there either. https://www.expat.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=776854
Hmmm. Can't speak for the USA?
‽??????????????
Yet you did LOL
 
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JD Jones

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And in Santo Domingo outside any school at closing time it's completely normal. Every parent thinks they are 100% entitled to park right outside the gate.
That's why one needs to know where these schools are, and avoid them in the early afternoon. The jam seldom lasts more than half an hour or so.
 

MariaRubia

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That's why one needs to know where these schools are, and avoid them in the early afternoon. The jam seldom lasts more than half an hour or so.

I think the traffic jam in SD seems to start first thing and go on all day. Hopeless trying to get around the city these days.
 

NachoBroadway

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Jan 3, 2017
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I went to Carol Morgan for several years, excellent facilities and curriculum.
The only difficulties I experienced was severe bullying by my classmates as I was one of the few dark-skinned students on campus.
 

Sarah Stagg

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Oh my gosh! That's terrible. I'm so so sorry for you!! It's heart breaking. If you were here in London dark skin is now embraced in the schools in many parts of London. It celebrated and something to be proud of. Times are changing thank goodness! They are taking steps to change things here - which is fantastic because slowly I think there is an embracing of difference and beauty in all differences.
 

NachoBroadway

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That must have been a horrible experience. What years did you attend?
1992-1995 It's been a while but it was very difficult on me mentally. A lot of name calling, not being picked on sport teams and getting my books knocked out of my arms while walking to class. Despite that, I praise my single mom for working hard to get me the best education in a new country for me, I moved away from NYC during 4th grade. Carol Morgan facilities were like a college campus, and to this day people still open their eyes in amazement when I tell them I attended that privileged school. Nowadays, my nephew attends 2nd grade in a top 3 private school in Santo Domingo, We're experiencing microaggressions. One is about his hair length, if it grows more than 1 inch they make comments to my sister about cutting it, that he is "pelu", when the other male students of straight hair are allowed long hair down to their necks. It's the challenge we have to deal with wanting the best education for our next generation here.
 

NanSanPedro

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1992-1995 It's been a while but it was very difficult on me mentally. A lot of name calling, not being picked on sport teams and getting my books knocked out of my arms while walking to class. Despite that, I praise my single mom for working hard to get me the best education in a new country for me, I moved away from NYC during 4th grade. Carol Morgan facilities were like a college campus, and to this day people still open their eyes in amazement when I tell them I attended that privileged school. Nowadays, my nephew attends 2nd grade in a top 3 private school in Santo Domingo, We're experiencing microaggressions. One is about his hair length, if it grows more than 1 inch they make comments to my sister about cutting it, that he is "pelu", when the other male students of straight hair are allowed long hair down to their necks. It's the challenge we have to deal with wanting the best education for our next generation here.
2nd Grade would be about 7 or 8 years old or so. Pelu? They can't be serious.
 

Auryn

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Dress codes are strictly enforced at these schools.
No bright nail polish or flashy jewelry for girls either.