Thursday, July 2, 2009

School's Out

Kiddos finished school today and mammy cried.

Their school has been so fantastic. Sonny's teacher is so patient (tough, shouts and strict) but patient. The trips they have been on are just amazing. I offer these photos (click on the word photo) of their trip to the Vanoise National Park as one small example.

The 30 little blighters are only 5 and they snow-shoed all day from 9 30 to 3 30pm with an hour for a picnic lunch. We saw bouqetin, chamois, eagles, fake marmottes!
Another morning I dropped sonny in late, she was teaching them about rhythm on drums she brought back from Senegal.

Most mornings she had a selection of world music playing, including irish!

In terms of concrete outcomes for the year sonny learned to:
  • Understand and speak french well from scratch.
  • Write (badly, but his teacher says with computers now, not to worry)
  • Ski Alpine, cross country and snow shoe.
  • Swim (badly)
  • Appreciate nature in the flesh.
  • Discipline
  • Make recycled paper
  • Make natural paints
  • Present the above at the County Science Expo in french.
  • Understand about their twin school in Senegal and the different plants, dress, culture, lifestyle.
  • How to make apple juice from the local farmers

All this on the public education system.

We paid €33 for them to have breakfast at school for the year (obligatory)

Really I cannot see the irish education system living up to this.

I am destined to start every sentence in future parent's committee meetings with ...

"When I was in France...."

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