How long to give it
#16
Forum Regular
Thread Starter
Joined: Oct 2003
Location: Melbourne
Posts: 73
My kids have only been going to an OZ school for 2 1/2 months and already what a have seen has shocked me!!
Within the first week they tested my 5 year old and said that she was among the gifted in literacy and needed to be streamlined with the 8/9 year olds, unfortunately they never got around to testing my 7 year old. They also never got around to streamlining my 5 year old. Both the girls have found the work embarrassingly easy and are not being challenged in any aspect of maths and English..
On the other hand they are learning a language (Japanese) and learning a lot more about sport, music and art. In the Uk these lessons are not covered in great detail, but aren’t they just as important? The girls have learnt how to play along peers and help other children with the use of integrated play equipment (3 slides, and much more). They also have a lot more confidence and they have never been picked on or had a bad day!!
I am worried about the lack of English and Math at this stage but maybe we are just use to putting to much pressure on our kids in the UK and if I look back at school I hated most of it and I always felt that I had not preformed my best due to constant rising pressure from parents and teachers...
I am happy to go the OZ way and let kids play, they will hopefully learn along the way but who cares as long as they are happy and enjoying themselves. Maybe when they are older they will wish to carry on with school if it's a good experience and go to uni, unlike a lot of others in the UK who drop out after a year.
My only concern at this stage is how far behind they will be if we return!!
Within the first week they tested my 5 year old and said that she was among the gifted in literacy and needed to be streamlined with the 8/9 year olds, unfortunately they never got around to testing my 7 year old. They also never got around to streamlining my 5 year old. Both the girls have found the work embarrassingly easy and are not being challenged in any aspect of maths and English..
On the other hand they are learning a language (Japanese) and learning a lot more about sport, music and art. In the Uk these lessons are not covered in great detail, but aren’t they just as important? The girls have learnt how to play along peers and help other children with the use of integrated play equipment (3 slides, and much more). They also have a lot more confidence and they have never been picked on or had a bad day!!
I am worried about the lack of English and Math at this stage but maybe we are just use to putting to much pressure on our kids in the UK and if I look back at school I hated most of it and I always felt that I had not preformed my best due to constant rising pressure from parents and teachers...
I am happy to go the OZ way and let kids play, they will hopefully learn along the way but who cares as long as they are happy and enjoying themselves. Maybe when they are older they will wish to carry on with school if it's a good experience and go to uni, unlike a lot of others in the UK who drop out after a year.
My only concern at this stage is how far behind they will be if we return!!
#17
Guest
Posts: n/a
I did "O" and "A" levels, a degree and HNC in England.
I then did a Graduate Diploma in Computer Systems Engineering at a University in Melbourne. It was the easiest qualification that I ever did. I got exempted from the first year due to my other qualifications and the second year was simple.
There was a high drop out rate in the second year and most of these were Australian born people. The dropout's main complaint was that the course was too difficult.
I did this graduate diploma about 8 years ago.
I then did a Graduate Diploma in Computer Systems Engineering at a University in Melbourne. It was the easiest qualification that I ever did. I got exempted from the first year due to my other qualifications and the second year was simple.
There was a high drop out rate in the second year and most of these were Australian born people. The dropout's main complaint was that the course was too difficult.
I did this graduate diploma about 8 years ago.
#18
(Jon) returning to NZ 04
Joined: Jul 2003
Posts: 816
I think you summed up the differences in education systems perfectly Clare.
One is grades driven, and if you've come from that system it would be difficult to see how one with less emphasis on grades can be as 'good'.
But anyway, this has moved on from your original question back the age old education debate, to which there is no answer!
Best of luck - it took me at least 6 months to settle into UK life - so you sound like you've made good progress already. To answer your questions I would think after about 2 years you will know if want to return to the UK or not.
One is grades driven, and if you've come from that system it would be difficult to see how one with less emphasis on grades can be as 'good'.
But anyway, this has moved on from your original question back the age old education debate, to which there is no answer!
Best of luck - it took me at least 6 months to settle into UK life - so you sound like you've made good progress already. To answer your questions I would think after about 2 years you will know if want to return to the UK or not.