Canadian School System - how does it work?
 

As my son is now 2 and a half, he would have been starting pre school in 6 months but as we are now on our way to Canada, this wont be happening!

Can anyone tell me how the school system works in Canada - I know kids start school alot later but not sure how it works for the younger kids?

Re: Canadian School System - how does it work?
 

They go to school, they make lots of friends, they learn, they take exams and then they leave. Young and old kids are the same:thumbsup:

Re: Canadian School System - how does it work?
 

They start Kindergarten at 5 - half days. Or at least that is how it works with my kids. After kindergarten they go on to grade 1 etc which is just normal full-time school.

And for younger kids there are pre-schools that they can go to if you want them to. more like playgroups than anything else and they are not compulsory. I never bothered sending my younger one to preschool because I couldn't find one close enough to where we lived that had spaces available. She starts Kindergarten in September.

Re: Canadian School System - how does it work?
 

Have a look in the Wiki (on blue bar at top of page), there is lots of info about schooling in there.

:)

Re: Canadian School System - how does it work?
 

I work part time in a preschool in Calgary. Your son can have a place in a preschool from 3 years old. Generally, children do up to 2 years in preschool before starting kindergarten. At the preschool i work in, the 3 year old program is generally playbased learning (free play rather than structured) with some 'circle time' where we do basics like listening to a story, days of the week, first colours, numbers and counting, rhymes and singing. We also do music and movement activities and some early pencil control as well as arts and crafts. The children in the 4 year old program follow a slightly more structured approach, both with play and with early writing and circle time activities to prepare them slowly for kindergarten.
Having worked in both the UK and the Canadian preschool system, my opinion is that both systems work along very similar lines, with the difference that the Canadian system has an extra year of preschool before formal schooling.
Hope this helps

Re: Canadian School System - how does it work?
 

The suggestion that any child needs preparation for kindergarten seems rather ridiculous to me:D

Why not just call it what it is: Daycare

Re: Canadian School System - how does it work?
 

My daughter(age 6) has just finished 2 years of part time kindergarten and whilst I had reservations at first of it only being part time it has actually worked out well. It has allowed us to continue doing other fun stuff in the week (gymnastics, swimming etc) that wouldn't have been possible if she'd been full time from the start and has proved to me how much your child at that age 'learns' outside of the classroom too. Although working mums might appreciate full time school earlier.

My son (age 3) has just finished 6 months of preschool and it seemed very similar to what my daughter had in the UK at that age.

Once you settle in to a community you will quickly find out about mother and baby groups, preschools, day care that are available. The only major difference from the UK that I have noticed is that some of the preschool are co-op which mean that they oblige you to help out a few times a month.

Good luck

Re: Canadian School System - how does it work?
 

I think its more to do with socialization than anything at that age, going from being at home most of the time to JK with 20 other kids could be a bit overwhelming otherwise.


Having said that, offspring #1 was relatively stimulated at the coop nursery school we enrolled in, but things have slipped there of late and #2 was bored and cranky half the time. For that reason she will be starting at the local Montessori school in the fall, where hopefully there will be a bit more focus on learning letters etc... Certainly more to it than simply daycare as far as we are concerned.


We do have serious concerns about the provinces plans to adopt full time kindergarden as our eldest definitely needed time to unwind between school days and get used to the big change gradually. I can understand how where both parents work they might appreciate the change, but for us it was nice to be able to hang out on the non school days. However, I think the full time kindergarden idea only applies to Senior Kindergarden anyway.

Re: Canadian School System - how does it work?
 

But the arguments you have put forward are issues that will be addressed by a well run daycare.

Re: Canadian School System - how does it work?
 

As someone who has worked in early years teaching and across the primary age range for many many years, and knows the value of a stimulating, well planned and structured early years program for young children, I find your comments patronising and rather rude. Perhaps if you cannot contribute anything constructive to this thread you shouldn't contribute at all.

Re: Canadian School System - how does it work?
 

Daycare is not specifically a learning environment though. What we were seeking was a way to smooth the transition from them being at home with a stay at home mum, to the dog eat dog world of 20 kids and one teacher in Junior Kindergarden. It was not just about finding a safe environment while both parents had to be at work.

Re: Canadian School System - how does it work?
 

I believe it varies from province to province but in Ontario kids start in Junior Kindergarten in the September of the year in which they have their 4th birthday. In most places it is 1/2 days (some places do full days where one week the kids go 3 days a week and the following week it is 2 days a week) and Senior Kindergarten is the same system. After that it is full time from Grade 1 to 12 and after that college or university or the real world.

Very few drop out at 16 of their own free will and with parental blessings these days (I think that is when you can finish in Ontario but I may be mistaken).

Re: Canadian School System - how does it work?
 

Well, if you can point me to any peer reviewed academic authority for the proposition that children require "preparation" for kindergarten I will happily provide you with an unpatronizing apology.

I was not rude in my post and I stand by my comment stated above that it is glorified daycare.

I have deliberately stayed out of the "Daycare or homecare is best" debate, as I find that both sides of that argument are convinced that their position is correct and that there is little mileage to be gained from the same.

Re: Canadian School System - how does it work?
 

But you post above made reference to "socialization" surely they achieve such benefit at a daycare?

I am happy to be proven wrong.

Re: Canadian School System - how does it work?
 

Good luck with finding proof. Its all conjectures and refutations, I believe.