When Julianna graduated to the middle class a few weeks ago the school headmaster told us that it was more "academic". She encouraged us to send Julianna 3 mornings a week, instead of just 2, so she could keep up with her classmates.
All her classmates attend 5 days a week, full days. The afternoon is mostly rest time and some play, so we choose to pick her up at mid-day. And I wasn't ready to send her 5 days a week, so last year we opted for 2 days. It worked fine.
But since the middle class was more "academic" we agreed to the 3 mornings a week plan. In the back of my head I still thought that the headmaster's "academic" comment was just fluff. After all, how "academic" can preschool really be? [I always thought preschool was usually a bit of a euphemism for daycare anyways.]
So I gave no more thought to the "academic" comment until last week when Julianna got her first homework assignment. Yes. Homework. In the 4 year old class (Julianna won't be 4 til December, but she kind of jumped through a loophole to get in this class - everyone else is 4 already.)
So, I guess the headmaster's "middle class is more academic" comment was meant to prepare me for the homework.
School here is intensely competitive at an early age. Last fall there was a bulletin board on the wall outside one classroom that read in huge print "come and look, who's is the best?" Under that heading was a display of student's work.
Nothing like having your work displayed under the "who's is the best?" heading to inspire a little competition among the 4 year old class, huh?
Reality is, Julianna's will never be the best. She's operating in her second language. But in my book, she's the best almost-4-year-old I know!
5 comments:
mine too
GrandDad
Definitely my favorite too. You'll have to prop up that young budding ego by reminding Julianna she is the absolutely the best almost 4 year old English speaker in town - and that puts her in a special category! Love you!
Wow - what a different, tough, system. I agree, Julianna is the best almost 4-year old I know there, too! It's so interesting how vastly different school systems are across the world, and across Asia...
My list is going okay - I'm about to write a post to give a little update. :)
Love you all!
Deuce is actually 4 right now in Dog years, and aint is dumb as she looks - so I am going to have to go with a Tie - nonetheless, her fifth brithday comes soon so Juliana will jump back to the number one spot
Wow, and I feel like I have to buck the "push your kids early trend" here in the states. I figure you can push them to learn in in months when they are 3 or they can learn it in 5 days when they are five. Makes me sad that those kids grow up in such a high pressure environment.
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