So, I'm hitting another parenting milestone...I'm about to register Joshua for kindergarten in the fall. This is huge for us because he's never been in daycare or preschool or anything, and doesn't really handle big changes very well. I'll be trying to prepare him all summer, that's for sure.

What do/will you do...public? catholic? english? french? private? Oy.

I am fairly certain we'll end up enrolling him in french-immersion public, but we're doing the open house circuit of nearby schools this week and next. The next likely possibility is french-immersion catholic because the school is literally only a few houses away, which would be very convenient. The glitch is that we're not catholic, and since we're practicing members of the United Church, I'm not sure if I'm comfortable with the religious education he'll get there...but, geez, it's practically on my doorstep. There aren't many private schools here (just a couple of small christian ones) and we couldn't afford tuition anyway, so they're off the list right away.

I have had several people tell me that if I want him to be REALLY bilingual I should plop him right in full french school, but I can't see him paying any attention at all in a class where he understands nothing. Also, I would understand nothing. At least in french immersion they ease them into french instruction (giving me time to take lessons as well). DH speaks french, but not me, and I'll likely be the homework-helper.

I'm stressing.

Wow! Kindergarden already? But isn't he only turning 4 in April? I thought that you had to be 5 to start kindergarden...

What happened to your home-schooling plans?

I guess that I am not really answering your questions. I am just so excited to be online at the same time as you.

It's my biggest dilemma. Right now, he's totally immersed in a french pre-school. At first, he was dreading going, but it turns out that there is another boy who speaks english-only and they are joined at the hip. His teacher doesn't speak much english so I know that he is being exposed to french full time.

I think that I do not feel comfortable sending my kids to french school. I have a few reasons, one being the one you mentioned (my dh speaks french but went to english school his whole life, and I would probably be the one to help with homework and I am not french, although I can speak and write a little).

Also, it's a political thing here (what isn't ). I am not 100% sure, but I think that if I do enroll them in french school, then they will have to attend until college. The laws here are pretty strict; you can only send your children to english school if you have been educated in english schools in Canada (I think?). So, if I send them to french school, then that would be it...forever. Then my grandchildren, and so forth would have to go as well...talk about pressure.

All this to say that I think that our attitude right now (at least mine anyways, can't really speak for dh) is to send them to an english school, hopefully french immersion. I learned french in school and it wasn't french immersion; plus we live in a predominantly french neighbourhood; my inlaws are french...I think that they will learn it no matter what because we live in Quebec.

As for the religious schools...they don't exist here anymore. When I went to school, the school boards were either Catholic or Protestant, now they are French or English.

__________________

Marisa
mom to Alex (Sept 2002) and Samantha (Jan 2005)

Hi there RoseAnne!!

We are registering Matthew for Kindergarten next week for the fall as well. How did our boys grow up so fast?!

We are sending him to a nearby public non-french immersion school.

We made this decision because, it is closeby, it is a good school from what I have heard and read and as for the french thing, I feel comfortable letting him wait until grade four to start learning french.

My dh and I don't speak french at all-well only conversational.

I cannot believe this fall they will start the incredible journey of school!! And since Josh will be turning a year old then, oh I will be a MESS!

When is your registration night?

Take care,
Anita

__________________

Marisa ~ Around here, there is still JK and SK, and JK starts at 4 (or almost 4) years old. It's not law that they have to go, but almost all do, and Joshua needs it. I'm not worried about him academically, as I think he's doing fine in that regard, but he needs the socialization and I am looking forward to some mommy and Marisa time. They go 3 full days one week and 2 full days the next.

We went to the 'open house' at the public school tonight, well, we tried anyway. I screwed up the date or was given the wrong date...it was, um, last night. The english kindergarten teacher was still there though, and she was so awesome. She spent quite a bit of time with us, and explained so much. I was 90% sure we'd put him there before tonight, now I'm 98%. The catholic school didn't even know when they were having their 'open house' when I called last week, and no one has got back to me yet, so I don't know if it's even worth it.

I sort of have an attitude and if signing my kid up for one school took away my option to change my mind if it's not working out, then I'd pick the other just because. But if you start him in english...could you ever switch to french? I'm so glad things aren't like that around here.

ANITA! So nice to see you around. Yes, how did our boys get so big?

Yes RoseAnne! I have attitude,too. That's my reasoning. DH feels strongly that our kids should speak French (and I do, too considering that it is the language of Quebec). I feel that the more languages you learn, the better. I understand that it is easier to learn a language when you are younger, but I feel that we can assess the situation as we go. If we see that by the end of grade school he (or Samantha) haven't learn French then we can always send them to French high school. The other way would not be possible (switch from French grade school to English high school). That would have been my ideal situation. I think the only way around the loophole would be to send them to private school (don't know if we are going that route).

__________________

Marisa
mom to Alex (Sept 2002) and Samantha (Jan 2005)

We are enrolling Kat too.. Time flies eh.. We have decided to do an english school that has full french immersion. For two reasons... She hasn't been exposed enough to the french to be dumped into a full french school and the french school is 5 days a week, full days.. And she hasn't had any daycare, any preschool, nothing away from mommy, so i think it would be too hard of a change for her. We are probably moving in the next 2-3 years, and when we move, we will be switching her to a full french school. we havent done any open houses or anyhting, just going to the closest school that a neighbours girl goes to and our other neighbours boy will be in the same jk class as well, so it works out well. French is definitely important to us since Steph's first language is french, But i figure as long as he is teaching them at home for the first couple of years after entering school and in full time french by gr 3 or so, then all is fine.

(And what's really scary with this school thing, is next year at this time we will be getting Ellie tested to enroll a year early! Yikes!!)

__________________

Since the Catholic school is sooooo close I would make an effort to go to the open house if they are having one or even seeing if you can talk to the teacher. To me the Catholic school would be more of a Christian education and would in no way go against any of your beliefs. I think though that it all depends on your comfort level and if you feel 98% better sending him to non Catholic then do it. I don't ever want to send Keegan to school and can see it being hard no matter where I am sending him

I wish that they had JK everywhere. They have a preschool option but you have to pay if you want your child to go in Saskatchewan and Manitoba. I am not sure that we will even sent Keegan because I am not sure that he needs the socialization. I may feel different by the time that

__________________





Co-Host of the Canada Board

I have no advice to offer just experience. We sent our 2 older DC to French catholic because that is where I went and for the first 3 years of their lives we only spoke French to them and they only spoke French so they had to go to French school and at the time, we only had French Catholic schools (we now have a French public - We are not practicing Catholics but I wanted to give my kids pretty well the same education that I had) I am French but my husband was raised English and we mostly speak English at home and now the older two only speak French at school! My husband can speak French and does so to Claire and when the other two were little he only spoke French to them. We live in a community that is mostly French (Kapuskasing, Ontario) and I really wanted (want) my children to learn the language properly and be fluent in both official languages. Now, I know alot of people that their children only spoke English at home but they sent them to French school (in JK) so they would learn it. The kids did great!!! They picked it up right away (like the little sponges that they are!) and now, years later, the kids are fluent even though their parents aren`t!

Anyway, we do what we can and we make decisions based on so many factors and the more choices in front of us, the harder it is to decide. I am sure whatever you decide, your DC will get a good education. Good luck!!

__________________

Happy Claire