snowshoveller

Well, just to start a bit of a general debate on the subject of elementary schooling.

My personal view is that it is very different to the UK, and I am almost certain that over the whole school life there is not a lot to choose between them, but the 2 systems go about it in a very different way - much more nurturing seems to go on in canada.

Most of the young adults/university students seem to be on a par with those I have met in the UK, but I am a bit concerned at the level of literacy in younger kids(age 6-8) who appear to have a well supported homelife. I know they have only just got to school, but even so.

My neighbour(who has 15 year old twins) was surprised to find that my daughter who was 7 at the time could read a chapter book.

My daughter now in grade 3 has been in apparently one of the more academic schools in town, for 2 years and has been coasting to the point of boredom, We have found a math enrichment program which has given her new enthusiasm for learning again, but it just shows the lack of numeracy skills of her classmates even more.

In the UK she attended a private school, and until starting the math program I am convinced that if asked to she would not have been able to pass an assessment to re-enter the same or similar school in the UK.

As I say I "think" the gaps become less noticeable over time but I'd like to know it rather than think it!

What say you?

Lights blue touch paper and runs

Almost Canadian

I don't know why your neighbour said this: my daughter is in Grade 1 and attended for a term in England before we moved here. She can read chapter books with little difficulty and my wife, who volunteers at the school, says that most of the children in Grade 1 can.

It seems to me that the main difference is the obsession with results in England. In fact, you have referred to them yourself. Whilst your child may have been fantastic at English and Maths in England, what would she have known about history, geography, etc.

For my two penneth, it seems to me that Canada compensates for the loss of measurable results (i.e. skills in English and Maths) on the basis that other, non measurable indicators, social studies etc. are studied at an earlier age. To my mind, this is why lots of English parents complain about how far behind their children's abilities the Canadian children are. Whilst this may be so, it seems to me that that is because the Canadians are concentrating on other areas whilst in elementary school and, as you have indicated, they all seem to reach the same point in the end.

iaink

Different approaches, similar results academically.

In the long run the more nurturing, less exam driven canadian system seems to produce more mature, engaged members of society as an end product and does not focus on academic achievement to the exclusion of all else.

And despite that school leavers here reach the same or better levels of literacy, numeracy etc as UK school leavers.

If you cant tell, I prefer the canadian approach, I think more kids are more comfortable with there place within the system, and dont feel as pressured.


My eldest is in grade 1, but as its french immersion its probably not entirely fair to judge her reading. Shes certainly capable of reading chapter books...but getting her motivated to do it is not so easy. Her french skills though are certainly way ahead of her english cousins

triumphguy

My daughter is in grade three and is reading novels (not Harold Robbins obviously, or Kafka!)

By international standards Canada has good schools.

MrsDV

I have a daughter in Grade 2 and a son in Grade 3.

From what I have seen, I think the curriculum is much broader here, my kids have done a lot more science, geography and social study than they would have done in the UK.

What I like most about the school here (and I don't know how school specific this is) is how welcoming they are to parents, actively encouraging involvement in the school rather than keeping you at arms length (as I think they are prone to in the UK).

My kids enjoy school and are learning and have enthusiasm for the things they are learning. Are their abilities in literacy and numeracy developing at a slower pace than in a UK school? The truth is I'm not really sure but even if it is the case I'm pretty sure it would all even out over time

My grade 2 daughter can certainly read chapter books and she's by no means outstanding in her class.

Like the UK, I think much will depend on the local demographics, school management and individual teachers.

MrsDV

ExKiwilass

My 2 cents:

Finland does really well on those international test thingies and they don't start school until 7 according to my finnish mate. I'm not worried about what level the kids are at 6 or 8. It's over the long term that counts.

I like that our school board is open to trying new things. We're tossing up between a fine arts elementary or french immersion right now for our daughter (registered at both). It's nice to have options like that that are FREE. The fine arts school has a proper dance studio, art studio etc, a compulsory choir, music lessons, etc. Burnaby is also talking about putting in Mandarin language at elementary level too.

All that said, I wish there were uniforms in schools here and more choice for single sex education, but you can't have everything. Overall Canada does quite well internationally.

englishintruder

No disrespect meant but the words" Private School " Probably helped in the UK.
Do you think your kids would be the same if they went to public school?

snowshoveller

I have no idea, but she attends a private school here in canada too. Generally I'm pretty happy with the schools but there and UK, And as other folks have said time spent in other areas is helpful, a french lesson every day is good, and she already has much the best french of the family. Back in england she studied social sciences, geography, history etc. We are contemplating putting my son in a french immersion school, as he is a different character to his sister.

Steve_P

You do realise that in French immersion they don't get a French lesson every day they are taught all their subjects in French, no translation is offered.

ann m

When my daughter did Gr 4 here last year she was incredibly bored in maths and literacy classes - to the point of being tearful and almost falling asleep. We liaised with teachers, did some enrichment stuff and muddled through. It all worked out fine in the end - and she is thriving one year on with Gr 5. She is certainly in the top few percent but I don't know whether that is (naturally inherited ) genetics or she is still finding things a bit easy. It doesn't appear so - she doing well, at her level.

My other daughter, currently Gr 3, is also doing very well but is not that conscientious about it and doesn't really care one way or the other! I suspect therefore she could be pushed and do a lot better, but she is happy and settled and growing up well.

I agree.

I agree here too. The physical exercise programmes are more intense and more interesting too.

It sure might make things a lot easier at 7am

Personally, with a few teething problems, the girls have settled in well. And yes, on the international scales, Canada comes out well. But it must not be forgotten that Canada also fails an embarrassing percentage of it's children on the literacy world stage too.

I've heard it reported here several times that your average graduated 18 year old in Canada would not be as well prepared to enter University as their UK counterpart who had just completed A levels. Something about the depth of knowledge and the ability to research. I can't really comment personally on that. Just throwing it out there.

snowshoveller

Err yes!

The school we were looking at have both english and french tracks, the english one being one third french initially - which is the option we are considering.

snowshoveller

I suppose that is my concern! although my daughter's school runs the IB scheme, which is gaining popularity in the UK. there is an emphasis on "inquiry" initially which leads on to research methods later

MB-Realtor

My kids (4) hated school in England, they enjoyed it here.

A Happy child will learn more

Socially the kids are miles ahead here. Going to a formal dance at 17/18, picking the "lady" up in a Limo with a flower for her corsage.

Ha.... it was sh*ty discos for me at that age, and then the girls kept to their end of the Hall, and it was like you were going to be machine gunned crossing no mans land, to ask a girl to dance

gryphea

I really don't think the UK churns out 18yr olds with an ability to research or with a particular thirst to do so.

I have taught both at undergraduate level. Admittedly the canadian ones were those motivated enough to do an exchange to UK.

I am not entirely sure that private school education necessarily does either. Private school kids can be seriously 'coached' and then lack ability to learn when faced without coaching. Private education is very results driven, naturally as it uses the results to market.

Steve_P

Neither of my sons took French either immersion or took French later in high school so I don't know a lot about it other what I stated.

However we have a very good friend who was up until a little over a year ago a principal in an two track school French immersion and English only. She quite surprised me when she stated she would not recommend French immersion for most children especially if the parents don't speak French at home. If there is no help at home she said many of the children really struggled and lost ground academically.

My nephew and his wife put their children into French immersion, neither of them speak French, the daughter pulled herself out after grade nine stating she recognised the she was losing ground to her English only schooled counterparts and felt she couldn't afford to continue to lose ground through high school.

Their son had all sorts of issues in school with authority and fighting with other kids he also struggled academically. They finally pulled him out in grade 3 and put him in a regular program since then he has blossomed.

So I'm not saying don't put your children in French immersion but consider it very carefully, it works for a lot but is also a dismal failure for a lot too.