Schools in Toulouse?

[sharonn]

HI We are moving to Toulouse for the next school year (2011-2012) and have 3 elemantary school children. None of us speak french and need some advise on where best to place my children. At a first glance, the public school seems to exclude parents and the international school seems to be exclusively english speaking. Is there a half way point available?

[Bevdeforges]

How do you mean "the public school seems to exclude parents" ? Admittedly, the French public schools do not involve parents in anything like the way that the US schools do (though parents are expected to help their children with their homework - and there is homework from the very early grades).

Normally, the French schools will give extra help to newcomers who don't speak French to bring them up to speed in the language.
Cheers,
Bev

[sharonn]

Originally Posted by Bevdeforges

How do you mean "the public school seems to exclude parents" ? Admittedly, the French public schools do not involve parents in anything like the way that the US schools do (though parents are expected to help their children with their homework - and there is homework from the very early grades).

Normally, the French schools will give extra help to newcomers who don't speak French to bring them up to speed in the language.
Cheers,
Bev

HI Bev
Thanks for your reply. My comment was based on French friends, who have been able to compare both the French and US systems. We are currently in the USA, so the move will be from the USA.

Are the private schools more encouraging of parents being involved in the schools (homework is a given!)? My experience of being in the US and being able to be very involved in the school has been an experience that I would not want to give up.
thanks Sharon

[dijid]

Originally Posted by sharonn

HI Bev
Thanks for your reply. My comment was based on French friends, who have been able to compare both the French and US systems. We are currently in the USA, so the move will be from the USA.

Are the private schools more encouraging of parents being involved in the schools (homework is a given!)? My experience of being in the US and being able to be very involved in the school has been an experience that I would not want to give up.
thanks Sharon

You're going to have to talk to the private schools. Or, more importantly, talk to parents that send their kids to the private schools. What the administration says may be entirely different than what they do.

Yes, French schools do not welcome parents in the school except for parent/teacher meetings (which are rare). I've often felt that the big gates at my children's schools are more to keep parents out than to keep the kids safe inside! French schools are VERY different from US schools and you and your children need to be prepared for this. They tend to follow a more classical education style in which young children memorize poems, take dictation and learn by rote memorization. They don't accomodate learning disabilities or other special needs well. (Although they do have special schools for the disabled.) And the schools are all about academics. Other than sport (gym class) there is nothing "fun" during the day: no art, music, choirs, clubs, etc. You are expected to enroll your children in those activities on Wednesdays or Saturdays when they are not in school.

If you are not going to work, you will definitely want to check on what the policy is for eating in the canteen. I had to fight tooth and nail to get my kids enrolled in the canteen twice a week. Normally, non-working parents are expected to fetch their children from school each day and feed them a hot lunch at home. Note that bringing a bagged lunch to school is not an option, and the school lunches are way more expensive than what you've paid in the US (4-7€ per meal!) If your kids are picky eaters, they are going to have to adjust quickly. My kids aren't dismissed from lunch unless they have actually eaten.

When you look at schools, definitely find out what language support they give to non-French speakers. Do they have CLIN or FLE classes? And how often? My youngest entered in CP and they did not provide any instruction at that age and it was a disaster. My older two got support, and have far surpassed her in French. Kids don't always just absorb the language and pick it up naturally. They need help and support and a safe environment in which to practice.

Good luck with your move and school search. I don't want to scare you, but I want you to be prepared for all the stress that comes with switching to a French school from a US school you've been very happy with.

[Bevdeforges]

What dijid said, although with the caveat that schools in areas with a larger population of foreigners tend to have somewhat better support for the newly arrived foreigners (i.e. French language support).

The State takes its responsibility to educate very seriously and when the kids are in school, they are subject to the State, not to their parents. If you object to a book the kids are reading or the teaching of evolution or sex education classes (not that they have those - at least they don't call them that) or anything else, there is not a thing you can do about it.

You have your shot at them when they are in your custody. The State has them while they are in school - and the goal is to turn them into good citizens, firmly acculturated in French society (which includes appreciating French food and sticking to French rules and laws). It is, admittedly, a very different approach to education than in the US. If you want to take your kids out of school for a few days - to travel or for anything else - you need to get permission from the school, and you may actually have to take their lessons with you so they don't fall behind.

The local schools often have a parents' council, but that usually deals with practical issues like school lunches or bus routes. The parents do not have any rights regarding curriculum, as that is set by the State.

As far as the private schools go, you'd have to check with them individually to see to what extent the parents are involved. There is the option of home schooling, but even for that, you must register with the State and meet certain minimum requirements regarding curriculum and testing (and includes the children learning French).
Cheers,
Bev

[sharonn]

Originally Posted by Bevdeforges

What dijid said, although with the caveat that schools in areas with a larger population of foreigners tend to have somewhat better support for the newly arrived foreigners (i.e. French language support).

The State takes its responsibility to educate very seriously and when the kids are in school, they are subject to the State, not to their parents. If you object to a book the kids are reading or the teaching of evolution or sex education classes (not that they have those - at least they don't call them that) or anything else, there is not a thing you can do about it.

You have your shot at them when they are in your custody. The State has them while they are in school - and the goal is to turn them into good citizens, firmly acculturated in French society (which includes appreciating French food and sticking to French rules and laws). It is, admittedly, a very different approach to education than in the US. If you want to take your kids out of school for a few days - to travel or for anything else - you need to get permission from the school, and you may actually have to take their lessons with you so they don't fall behind.

The local schools often have a parents' council, but that usually deals with practical issues like school lunches or bus routes. The parents do not have any rights regarding curriculum, as that is set by the State.

As far as the private schools go, you'd have to check with them individually to see to what extent the parents are involved. There is the option of home schooling, but even for that, you must register with the State and meet certain minimum requirements regarding curriculum and testing (and includes the children learning French).
Cheers,
Bev

Tx Bev. A lot to think about! Sharon