Monday, December 15, 2008

A bit of a panic and French

We received a letter today, inviting us to an open evening of the education system (or something like that) so that we can hear what the directrice of the area has to say.

It set my heart aflutter a little bit. I know that M doesn't have to legally go to school yet, but the fact that they've sent us this first letter, and apparently will send us another one in January just got me worried.
The way they big up these 2 years of 'cycle initial' makes you think - how can we possibly refuse?

Which brings me onto the French. M has, for a long while now, refused to learn French. I've tried the softly, softly approach and the 'right we are sitting down at the table and learning French' approach. But up until now, my varied approaches have fallen on deaf ears. Until now. We can now have basic conversations and he is asking what words are in French.

My little boy really does come to decisions in his own way. The idea that he had to do it meant that there was no way in hell that he was going to, but if he can decide to do it himself, I believe that he will enjoy it more. Which makes sense really, but that sort of decision making is just not possible in the school system.

I would much rather he came to decisions on his own, and enjoy a subject than be forced into doing something he wants to, and not enjoy it. The idea that children should have to learn to 'do what they are told' and learn to do things they don't want to seems a bizarre concept to me.

I was lucky that I loved school (probably because I excelled in most things) and was able to drop the subjects I didn't enjoy (history) as soon as I could.

Of course the worry we had (and A still has really) is that M's French won't be good enough and will be forced into school. Of course my argument is that kids at the International schools here only learn French as a second language, so why should M have to learn in French? Of course, these fears aren't particularly backed up with fact, as we (read that as I) have yet to fully translate the education/curriculum laws.

Anyway, its amazing how one little letter can throw things up a bit. I'm sure it'll all be fine.........

2 comments:

Em said...

Sorry I meant to comment here when I first saw this post. But forgort!

Don't panic, whatever happens happens. S'long as you're always doing what you feel is right for M, then you are always doing the right thing.

Rather than you needing to translate, are there not other local HEors that already know the law there?

Twinkly Clare said...

You would think, wouldn't you? But sometimes I feel that its like getting blood out of a stone.
Maybe its because other people go with the flow, follow a curriculum, are happy for the kids to be tested etc, that means that the information isn't out there iyswim.