School Life

Look at those two faces. Gosh.

So the deal is this; so much has happened that it is hopeless to catch up on the pictures and experiences. So I will just jump in with what is happening for us now. And I can have the romantic notion that as time moves on I will integrate it all. (no one should anticipate this too greatly....)

The biggest thing I have yet to share is regarding Ava and her schooling. Before we came to the CR I had been in correspondence with a school in Ricany that teaches in English and Czech. I decided to enroll her in the kindergarten program, as I felt that the pressure of first grade in a foreign country would be too much. It would be enough just to be here and be among foreign speaking peers. There would be 6 year old kids in the class, (though Ava is 7) and I did hope she could just float by with a light, easy, fun year while hearing and maybe learning a foreign language.

But.
It did not work. She tried, she really did. It was a sweet program. But Ava was so very clearly not in the right place. She towered both physically and mentally over anyone else in her group. She, logically, felt the discomfort one feels when you know you are just not in the right place. I heard her and I understood. It just felt ... not... right.

So I called this English/Czech school to ask about the first grade. It was full already.
Next option. Well, if we were to avoid travelling far distances each morning... then the next option was regular Czech  public school.

She wanted to try it.

And, friends, she is still there. In large part I feel that it is successful. We found a classroom where the teacher speaks some English. Ava likes school very much. The students have been warm and welcoming to her. Not surprisingly none of the students speak any English. Many can say "hello" and "goodbye" and they like to say this many times to us both each day. But otherwise, my sweet girl is thrust into a classroom where everything is taught in Czech, sung in Czech, and explained in Czech. And yet, she manages.

To say this is polar opposite than any experience that I have had with Isaac's schooling would be such an understatement.

Here are the similarities: They sit in desks.  There are about 20 similar aged peers in her class. They are learning letters and numbers for the first time in 1st grade.

Here are just a few of the big differences:  Ava has homework. She is given grades. (Thankfully she does not know this. I will not ever tell her.) She is expected to write very small. (I think this is not developmentally appropriate.) They compete in class. (She "won" two gummy bears for being in first place in a math test. Math test, friends.) She has come home with a note in her pencil box that says, "Your pencil is not good!" with the underline tripled for effect. And one other little piece that is very different... Her teacher does not like me. Serious major frown on her face whenever she sees me. Thankfully the love of teachers and faculty back at MWS keeps my heart light and I am able to simply smile and send lots of love right back at that stony scowl. Ava does not know about this either... and in fact I think the teacher is fine with Ava. She just does not like me. Oh well.

One positive difference: They are done with school at 11:45 am. I have picked her up every day at that time. But just this past week she started to have lunch with the class. The class takes a five minute walk to another building where a very nutritious and hot lunch is served to all the children for the cost of what amounts to about $1.00. Everyday there is soup and meat and vegetables served. She has done this now only three times, but she seems to like it. I pick her up at the lunch building at 12:20. And she is done!

So we have time to have cozy and creative afternoons. Although, what she wants to do most... is more writing. This girl loves to begin a fresh new notebook and fill it with stickers and labels and numbers and letters. But she hates, hates, hates homework. (And I don't blame her.) When I pointed out that she sometimes does identical work in her own notebooks that she is dreading so much in the homework, she very wisely pointed out that was because no one looked at her notebooks and corrected them. Wise girl. (Could be right out of "The Homework Myth", right?)

So I soften all of this by reminding her that they do it differently here. That I see that she is doing great work. That I am super proud of her effort. That what she is doing here in a school where she does not speak the language is brave and strong. I tell her I that she is learning so much more than letters and numbers. That this is going to be something she will carry with her forever. I say it to her and I say it to myself. I cling to the ideas in my own heart that she is developing a greater inner flexibility, that her ears are being opened to the sounds of languages that I will never hear and she will never lose. And I remind her, and myself, that it is just a year in a very long journey of school life.

And she seems happy. This child of mine who is not known for her cheerful mood, is actually happier with this structure. So we continue on... and I hope my beliefs about all the benefits hold true.

Our journey continues...

Ava on the day we bought her list of school supplies. I must admit that being in the presence of such clean  fresh paper was extremely exciting.