sarahlou145

Hoping we are through customs that quick, as i hate waiting and will be stressed from the moment i leave them till the moment i pick them up the other end!

Englishtart

That is one of the common misperceptions that I have noticed on this forum, (happened to us too) A lot of Brits coming over here have heard for years "British education is way ahead of US" so, it comes as a bit of a shock to be told "your child is behind the rest of the class" when they start school here, it's not the same everywhere, but it seems to be happening a lot more recently.

Don't worry too much though, as you say, your Son is only 6, he will catch up pretty quick, if not, they will just start him in this year again next year, not such a big deal if he is the youngest in this class...Good luck

rebs

I can't remember if you guys are on L visas? If you are, as an L2 you don't need to wait until you get your EAD to get your SSN. I applied for mine at the same time as my DH - in fact my card came through before his did.

It may not be causing you an issue to wait, just wanted you to know that you don't have to

rebs

It is interesting about the difference in schooling - I sometimes think it's just a different focus. Here in the US it seems a narrower, but perhaps deeper curriculum than in the UK.

We moved over when my son was 10 where he'd been at private school in the UK. We've found that he's lost some of the breadth of study - he'd had a couple of years learning French, more history/geography/science than here, but in the core subjects of English and Maths he was pretty much on a par with his contemporaries. Considering he had done one more year at school than kids the same age here, I think that's a reasonable level.

NYCbound

There you are, was wondering how you were getting on.
I'm not waiting for my EAD, pretty sure you don't need to.
My kids have yet to start school despite landing the same day as you guys. Not for want of trying though! Good to hear your son loves it.

Hope you are feeling well, what with the prgnancy and all that, hope you are not too shattered. Keep us updated

Englishtart

Yeah, lots of differences, History here seems to consist of just US history, rather than the World history taught in the UK. (although my Son is doing an AP world history class)

HannahGreen

As with everything else relating to US schools, the curriculum is differernt in different states and even in different municipalities.

My kids are both in high school here in Seattle. One year of US History and one year of World History are each required. Other than that, it's all electives.. My daughter will be studying modern Chinese History for a semester this spring.

In elementary and middle school, they also studied alot of world culture and history including lots of ancient history (greeks and romans).

Kaffy Mintcake

I think that's very true. I can't tell you how many times I studied the Revolutionary War and Civil War in school, but we always seemed to run out of time soon afterward, the World Wars received very little attention. We did have World History, but I remember learning about the Egyptians, Greeks, Romans, etc. I guess I would say that at my school it was ancient history.

buckers

Hi

I am not sure if it is different state to state, but i came over on an L2 and we went to the local office in Manassas va on Monday hoping i could get my SSN aswell and i was told i had to wait until i had my EAD Hubby got his fine, but i couldnt get mine, or get my childrens' until i have my EAD but hey ho......just means i have to wait a while longer but what can you do eh!!!!

buckers

Hey, the OCD kicked in really quickly so we were unpacked, first born at school and Hubby at work by the Wednesday ha ha. Yeah in VA i have to have my EAD apparently before i get my SSN unless i tick the box to say that i dont want to work, in which case i could get it straight away. But the EAD has now been sent in so until then Hubby has to deal with everything that needs an SSN and given its generally me that deals with all that sort of thing its actually quite fun to watch him melt

Hope all is going well up there........how long does it take to get there from just outside DC do you think??? Sorry Sarah stealing your post here

T

rebs

No - SSN rules are federal, shouldn't make a difference as to which state you are in - you could try a different office or making a fuss, but if it's not causing you an issue no worries

The kids won't get SSNs at all -come tax filing time you'll need to apply for ITINs for them.

SarahG

No problem, you're not stealing it at all. We are all pretty much in the same boat so all info is helpful Although I have no EAD to get as I am here on a H4 and I got a SSN when I was an exchange student in 1994 and here on a J1 visa. I needed to have one to open a bank account but never got around to opening a bank account. I have mailed all my stuff to have my records amended to at least show my SSN being in my married name as I will not be given a new card as I don't really need one.

NYCbound

Apparently it takes about 3 hours according to Google.

Peed off as kids now won't start school until Monday. They wanted them in for a reading test today for Grade determination, but as my H is away in California until Thursday pm, with the car at the airport (I should have been braver and taken him, why wasn't I braver?) I can't get them there. So now the test is Friday with school on Monday. The secretary didn't sound impressed! But what can I do it's too far to walk.
I suppose I could have got a taxi thinking about it.... Oh well!

The Horticulturalist

Hey Sarah,

Hope your wee boy will settle well in school. At least you're not up at the butt crack of dawn for the bus so I suppose that's something. They wanted to pick my son up at 0630 for school at 0745, we live 5 minutes drive from school!! needless to say he's not going on the bus

I think that at his age he'll be well able to catch up with the reading and so on. Is he in first grade? My son was the same age last year when we got here at the start of school in Sept 08, he went into a first grade class. We'd been living in London at the time of the move and so he had started school at 4.5yrs and had done two years of full time school, here the first graders had done one year of Kindergarten, not all would have been to pre-school.

If we'd been living in Scotland then I know he would have had one year less of school and that would have made a difference I'm sure. When he started 1st grade last year he was ahead of many of the kids with reading, in 2nd grade he's still doing well but many of the kids have caught up as I'm sure your son will.

SarahG

My son started school the week after he turned 4 and before we came over here, he had done about 5 weeks of Year 2. I think he is slightly dyslexic (his dad, uncle and grandfather all are) and he is very easily distracted and doesn't always concentrate well. His Reception teacher used to always be telling me he was 'emotionally immature' and it would have been better if we waited a year before he started! He seems to be so far behind the class he is in now I am worried they may ask me to put him into Kindergarten or keep him back to re-do 1st grade. I hope he can catch up a bit. I have got some books from Amazon that are for 1st graders and it is to help them with reading/writing/handwriting and maps(!) Daughter is 5 in April so she will be almost 5 1/2 by time she starts Kindergarten. She will also probably have an American accent by the time she starts so may not get quite so much attention as her brother.