Monday, January 4, 2010

First Day of School

Here are the kids right after we picked them up from school - happy! gleeful! wound up! and it wasn't just the pastries we'd bought to celebrate THE FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL!!! It was probably the longest day that Mac and I have ever sat through - and we pretty much just sat through it, wondering every minute what was going on. We all went together at 8:30 a.m. and the very nice Directrice told us where the kids were placed and who their teachers were going to be, and then it was just a matter of walking them to their classrooms and saying goodbye. All three kids were absolutely amazing, giving us a hug and walking into classrooms full of busy, happy French kids. The classrooms are nice and open and clearly have tons of activities going on. Lots of imaginative play for the kids to plug into. We thought there would be tons of forms to fill out, some kind of bureaucratic something, tests, something - but no, just come on in and join the flow. There was only one set of forms to fill out and (this I love), it had to do with lunch. The kids are staying for lunch at the Restaurant Scolaire (can I translate this as Scholarly Restaurant? it's got a nice ring to it) and that whole service is taken very seriously. There are meticulous explanations of the food (all fresh, all made for just the number of students registered), and detailed instructions for payment - I just love that there is this careful attention to setting up the structure for lunch. It's 2 euros and 21 cents per meal, and if one misses 4 meals (or a week's worth), one gets reimbursed. We paused over that number 4 for a second and then moved on (it will come back to be significant). Mac and I wandered around somewhat aimlessly and tried to open a bank account (bank closed on Monday) - we then had a coffee and tried to read Le Monde (as in-depth and difficult as ever about politics, although the culture section remains spectacular to read through) - and then came home and oh, look, it was time for lunch. We were totally restless, and I kept wondering if the kids were nervous or scared, or what on earth it was like to be in a French school for the first time. I remembered my first days in the States, of course, and the whirl of confusion, but also the fascination. What would it be like for them? We set up our study upstairs and counted the hours: now they were in school, now they were in their lunch + 2 hour break (amazing!), now back in school. And then, whew!, time to go get them. We were 15 minutes early but the doors don't open until 4:30 p.m. precisely. I think that like so many things in France, there is a mutual respect across boundaries: parents don't wander around the school (I wonder if there's even a PTA); they let the teachers do their work. And the teachers let the parents parent. Well, 4:30 p.m. came and we started looking for Oliver as a bunch of kids his age were coming and there was our little guy! and he jumped in our arms and was just so happy, so up! It was such a glorious feeling. Right away he said "Well, I know what my favorite subject is." And, eagerly, we say "What, sweetheart?" and he replies: "English!" Ha ha! Indeed, they have a period for English - and math and, we couldn't get much else on that front today. We asked about lunch and the description was delicious: some kind of ham and cheese crisped together (croque monsieur?) and potatoes and green beans and a choice of clementine or yogurt - and the food is brought out to them, it's not cafeteria style! Then we went to the next building over to get the girls - Iris was in a circle seated close to another little girl, and the teacher told us that she'd had a bit of a down moment when people were moving to and fro and changing activities, but that after that, a little girl had taken her under her wing and that Iris had been part of a bunch of little girls for the rest of the afternoon, playing/learning happily. Eleanor's teacher said that it was a great day for Eleanor, no problems at all, just blended right in. Eleanor herself said that she cried after she saw Oliver at lunch and they had to be separated again (for her to go to nap, I believe). Oliver said that he comforted her and that she was ok. We didn't get to speak to Oliver's teacher, but a whole slew of little boys who were staying for the after-school program called out to him and it just blew my mind to hear them saying "Olivier! eh, Olivier!" and waving at him - he was introduced in front of the class at the beginning and got to talk about Indiana, and then he said many of the boys were crowded around him at recess - they seem sweet, mischievous, like a friend of mine said little French boys are. I do believe that Oliver is going to have a great time. Iris cracked us up: as soon as we were in the car she said, "That was the best first day of school ever!" and we rejoiced and were glad. And then she goes "I find that it helps if you just say 'oui,' 'oui,' 'oui' to everything." Didn't David Sedaris have a similar insight? (something about saying "d'accord" to everything). When we asked Eleanor what her favorite part was, she said "the green silk couch." Mmmmmm, wonder what that is! But we know she sang songs and played and had a great time. Can you believe they're in there from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.? with this 2-hour break for lunch and play from 11:30-1:30 p.m., granted. Oh but wait: so we're standing around waiting to get in, and I strike up a conversation with another parent and then it suddenly crosses my mind to ask: so is it a 4-day school week? "Mais, bien sûr." It turns out that THERE IS NO SCHOOL ON WEDNESDAY! This is what it was like when I was a kid in Switzerland. I just can't believe it's still done that way. They've done away with Saturday morning school, so now (and this really does change the landscape of our sabbatical), the kids will go to school Monday and Tuesday, we'll get a family day on Wednesday, they'll go Thursday and Friday, and then we'll have our glorious week-ends. The pace just seems so much more humane. I remember Oliver struggling to go from 0 to 60 in transitioning from pre-K to all-day Kindergarten. There is much to think on here in terms of pedagogy and how our two cultures think children think and learn. I can tell you one thing: if anyone is thinking of sending their children to a French school, Brittany is definitely the place to be: they are so used to English-speaking children here because so many British folks have come down to stay. It's ideal in that there are English-speaking teachers and just an ease with having English-speaking kids around: full confidence that they will transition into French no problem. The kids are picking up on that confidence, I think. Tonight, as I was trying to remember a detail from last night's adventure of Baby Pink Dragon and Her Friend the Little Girl (which I tell the girls a "chapter" of every night while Oliver reads Calvin and Hobbes), Iris came up with it and I thanked her. "No, no, Mom," she said, "It's merci beaucoup." And so it has begun - we will see what tomorrow brings; then we'll recoup Wednesday; then see what Thursday and Friday bring. Amazing.

7 comments:

  1. Hello Harris/MacKenzie family!
    Ahh, France sounds just amazing! Both the tourist and everyday aspects just seem absolutely lovely. The fact that school is four days a week is genius. I myself would not mind staying until 4:30 if Wednesdays were days off. It sounds like the classroom atmosphere is great too! I wish I could be there in France, but this blog is the next best thing! Have fun!
    Hannah

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  2. Hi dear Hanna! Come join us! :-) I bet that you'd thrive here. What I really like about the Wednesday to ourselves is that it feels like we're trusted to do something interesting and productive with our time. It'll probably just be grocery shopping with the kids, but hey, maybe increasingly in French! Let me know what you're curious about, or curious to see (the cheese aisle?) and I'll take pictures/blog about it! bye, sweetie! Anne

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  3. During our sabbatical, I remember a kind of delirious freneticism mixed with the kind of relaxation possible when freed from most everyday obligations. We felt more 'alive' because we wanted to use every day, there was more than enough to do that did not rely upon a video screen, and the kids did not whine about being 'bored' as they waded knee-deep through toys (as here). We kept thinking: 'leave with no regrets at not having tried something'.

    It is so fun to see how you are in that wondrous transport. Drink it all up! Now, we've heard SabbaticAnn's voice (which is not so effervescently different from her normal voice); when do we get the dry wit and razor observations of SabbaticalMac? In particular, I think his comments on local architecture, or even the narrative lines carved on Breton faces, would be fascinating.

    California for Simon and me tomorrow; Jerusalem for Jake and R. on Sunday. Poor Micah has to stay home both times. It is seriously tempting to send an embassy from our family to yours in June after we're done here. Thanks for the great stories.

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  4. Anne, I am a friend of your mother-in-law and she told me about your adventure in France. I live in Chicago. I LOVE LOVE LOVE your blog!!! I was absolutely riveted tonight reading your entries thus far, and I'm eagerly anticipating spending part of each day with you (in spirit). Just the thing to help me get through the long, cold Chicago winter. Thank you for taking the time to do this every day. Patti Weatherup

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  5. Hi Anne!
    I would love to come join you... Well, perhaps someday I'll get to France. From the way you mention the cheese aisle, I'm sure it's quite a spectacle. Maybe a picture of the pastry shop as well? I look forward to hearing of you latest adventures. Say hi to Oliver, Iris, and Eleanor for me!
    Hannah

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  6. This is the post I've been waiting for -- I'm so thrilled to hear that Oliver, Iris, and Eleanor had such a successful premier jour à l'école! The best first day of school ever. ;) Good to know about the usefulness of "Oui, oui!", too. (For the adults, there's the ever-helpful "Excusez-moi, mais j'ai un petit problème.") Bonne continuation to you all! We're taking great pleasure in following your exuberant blog. And, by the way, your house on DePauw Ave. is still there -- wrapped in the cold, cold Indiana winter, and lonely without you, but still standing... xoxoxoxoxo

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  7. Thank you thank you so much for these comments (and for confirmation that the house still stands, Carrie!) - I never did get to see that terrific movie you recommended (it was on reserve for a class until the 20th of December), but now I truly can't wait. There is this high degree of professionalism blended with this atmosphere of imagination + patrimoine (so, let's make up stories about the elves that danced around the megaliths, kind of thing) - very cool. Well, lest I blog here, I'd best stop and blog above (or over there, or wherever!).

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