Fwilkin

Hi
we have been here a year so I know covid has a lot to answer for but my 2 girls 11 & 6 really haven’t advanced in there schooling since coming here.
my 11 year old seems to be able to do what she wants at school, chew gum, take her phone in and use a calculator for even the most basic maths questions. My 6 year old hasn’t improved with reading or writing since arriving.
does anyone have any experience with the education system? I’m so used to the uk where it’s so structured.
I’m really worried about there future if we stay here and the education remains like this.
thanks to anyone that can help.

HGerchikov

We were extremely worried at the Grade 6 - 8 point with our boys. They didn’t seem to be doing anything at school and we felt they were way behind where they should have been. However, things really ramped up between grades 9 and 12 and we are very pleased with where they eventually ended up after their education was over. The slow early years gave them an opportunity to develop other interests and activities, and the lack of stress allowed them to be kids. They must have been learning something in those early years because they really took in a huge amount in the last 4 years so there must have been more groundwork done than was apparent.

DMajor

They are preparing her well for Tim Horton's.

eversmannx

IB Program was suggested in other threads.
we are thinking along the same lines for kindgerten, felt it's all play compared to what we saw in UK a year before. But having a long chat with the teacher... made us relax a little... apparently the very relaxed approach in the early years seems preferred and also prepares them for later years. and said the approach (in BC) is somewhat similar to the Finland approach.

dbd33

Are the Finns considered to be particularly well educated?

eversmannx

Maybe subjective...
10 reasons why Finland's education system is the best in the world | World Economic Forum (weforum.org)

I am going with IB... like you suggested.

dbd33

That was an interesting piece, thanks for the link.

Oink

I think what you're all missing is Canadian eduction systems work well for Canadians. They get the basic liberal understanding and that's it. It's not a competitive and dynamic system because it doesn't need to be. The county is blessed with an abundance of natural and cultivated resources. If they need money they just cut stuff down, dig stuff up or grow stuff, and their uncle will give them a job. The UK has very few natural resources so the main resource is human capital and as such, a competitive advantage is gained through education and the rationing of education.

Tirytory

Although the way the housing market is here, my kids will have to do very well at becoming a stock broker/venture capitalist to be able to afford to buy something here. In the last two years our house has conservatively gone up in value by $700k. It’s quite ridiculous.

dbd33

It was a running joke when the kids were at school that they didn't know anyone who had two parents from the same country. It's only now that I realize none of those countries was Canada. Admittedly, they went to French language schools and in central Toronto, but, still, the proportion of immigrant children was off the chart. I suppose this may be because cradles have faith in the local system while people from educationally competitive nations search out the IB schools. Certainly the sign at the entrance showing the chart of scholarships won had disproportionately Asian names. I think that, if you are considering that your children may want a future anywhere then French immersion and the IB is the way to go. If you think they'll be happy in Saskatchewan then not so much.

Secam

International testing of 15 year olds.
Science - Canada 7th, UK 15th
Mathematics - Canada 9th, UK 26th
Reading - Canada 3rd, UK 21st

https://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tan...-math-science/