School

There has been much interest both here and abroad in when the children will begin school.

The elementary is just up the road from the rental house and the bus picks up at the top of the street. Our landlord left behind uniforms for us and the kids go to school barefoot. How much easier could it be?

Today is a holiday, the Queen’s birthday, and after the next two weeks the school kids here take a two-week vacation before beginning their new semester, so that would be a good opportunity to get these girls started, except...

1) I am unimpressed with the quality of education.

Elementary is elementary. It couldn’t hurt Elle. She might even go right into second grade based on her age. Gracie might enjoy the social aspect, but you’re always told in school that you are not there to socialize, so what would be the point?

Core subjects at the high school level are English, Mathematics, Science, and some hodgepodge course, Studies of Society & the Environment, which notes that it incorporates Personal Development Education, whatever that may be. The basics have all been previously covered at their Grade 9 levels even though Sarabelle didn’t formally do any schoolwork at all last year. Aside from choosing Japanese as an elective (and getting to go on an awesome field trip to Japan) and Art (which we’ve already studied in greater depth), Sarabelle’s other options include: Creative Design in Food & Fashion; Drama; Football; Graphics; Health & Physical Education; Home Economics Food Major; Physical Performance & Aesthetics (a class in aerobics, dance, gymnastics, and my personal favorite, circus); and Tropical Fashion Design. There are a few more serious sounding electives, Business Education (personal finance and consumer rights and responsibilities. How to Be a Consumer? Pass.); Design & Technology (development, nature, and manipulation of industrial systems. After finishing The Long Emergency and The Omnivore’s Dilemma, the whole industrial thing is a huge turn-off); Industrial Technology (same as the previous course but easier, focusing on the characteristics of materials: wood, metal, plastic, electronics); and Information Technology Education (learning Microsoft Excel, Access, Word, Front Page, and Publisher with Keyboarding Skills an integrated part of the entire course). Purely vocational. Bleah.

2) I dragged over The Trunk full of materials (and paid a ton of overweight charges) and am determined to use them.

An education first, a vocation later.

____


My first impression of the Australian “State School,” was of a correctional institution or a mental hospital, even though I understand that my response to the term is a purely cultural conceit, similar perhaps to the incorrect impression a Brit might have of American “public” schools, which, unlike their public facilities, actually are for the general public. Until now, believe it or not, I was still somewhat on the fence, a painful barbed wire cattle fence, but seeing it in writing, I think the choice is obvious.

True, it would be a chance for the girls to make some friends in the area, but I’m hoping joining a sport or club will fill that void. We have the excuses that they just finished their school year and are due their (summer) vacation, they would either be repeating a grade or dropped in the midst of a higher grade, and besides, we have tickets to return to the States at the end of November, before the local school year is officially ended. Better to start off fresh next year, right?


I have never let my schooling interfere with my education.

-- Mark Twain