Posts Tagged ‘school’

We are discussing school issues in our neighborhood right now.

It’s not easy.

We’re living in an rural area far north-west of the much bigger town where the town council is and where most people of this area live. To put is simple: Our local school costs more money than the big town schools do, so a comity is telling the council that moving grade 8-10 (Norwegian grades, btw) out of our village and to the big town 30 kilometers away (some of our far away neighbors have over 45 kilometers to drive to the big town) is a way to make the money-spending more fair to all of the inhabitants of this area.

And the argument? We need schools with better quality so our youths can learn and get something positive out of all the years they spend in school. But here is the big thing; we already have a great school – in fact the best school in the area (and that is documented, not just me saying that it is so). We have highly educated teacher and good students results. And most students, teachers and parents are really happy with how things are. And even though there sometimes are too few pupils in some grades (kiddo’s class is for example only 5 pupils), it is common for two and two grades to share a classroom (so it still gives him plenty of  pals to play with. He’s not, after all, limited to only the kids at the exact same age as his…).

Tonight there was a meeting at the school discussing this. A lot of people attended and all agreed: we need the school here for all the grades (1 through 10). Off course there are sometimes the right thing to do to let some of the pupils go to another school (in Norway it is common to go at the school nearest where you live, very few are home schooled and only a few attend private schools) – no one wants any youths to feel terrible about going to a school where they have no friends! And sometimes it is better to sit on a bus for a couple of hours (or more) to go to a school where you find higher quality of learning or learning the things that means the most to you. But really; isn’t it just as great to go to a school in your neighborhood and use the couple of hours not sitting on the bus to have fun with friends, do sports or homework?!?

And another thing. Even though they don’t plan to send grades 1 through 7 out of the neighborhood any time soon. I’m sure the school will fall in quality when loosing 30 % of the students and ca. 40 % of the teachers. And there will be far less people to socialize with too – and some people are already worried about our youths not having large enough groups surrounding them as it is, thinking it might make them less social. Think about what this will do to our younger kids..?! Loosing all those great bigger kids to interact with. (Ok. That last one was sarcasm, sorry!)

So please, people of the big town, find another way to increase the quality in all the schools in our area, not taking from the smaller schools.

Big isn’t always better. And why must we all be the same anyway?!

We’re starting to get into our morning routine on school days.

MT is up by 7 am and turn on the cartoons while he’s eating. I get up as soon as I can after that and makes him food (if he hasn’t done it himself already) and then packs his ruck sack with whatever he needs that day (today he got to bring his knife for wood work, he was super happy! I guess they are keeping the bandage handy ). Then I finished up in the bathroom and at 8 am MT rush in to get his clothes on and then run out to the car (I suspect he forgot to wash his face this morning – can’t understand why that has to be pointed out every time??!!? :p ).

Yesterday he did find it hard to start school again after only one day there and then a day off; but he managed to pull himself together when it started (I’m told) and that I’m happy about. On Monday I was with him in the class room for a few hours, yesterday I followed him inside, today I stayed with him in the school yard – but tomorrow I’m just making sure he gets into the school yard and then I’m going back to the car to stay there until the school bell is ringing to watch him going in.

I’m trying to ease him into independence the soft way (that usually works best for him!)

Later in September I plan to let him go the last part of his school way; the safest part. But I’m not letting him go alone the whole way to school this year; too much traffic around here! (And I don’t think it’s any better at the new place we’re moving to later this fall.)

Anyhow, my breakfast is ready (and so is my coffee ). I’m taking most of the day off and won’t go to the office today. Only have to prepare a few things for the mini-weekend with the new Confirmants and make sure I have control over the progress for my sermon on Sunday.

See you around!! I’m going blog hopping through my google reader (finally getting it loaded up with lots of blogging goodies!).

8:15 am

I have an early morning tomorrow so will just leave you with the photos right now. I’m glad MT did find school fun and engaging, can’t wait to hear what  he have to tell when he’s back home from school tomorrow – his second day of school  (they have Tuesday off since they are at school full day even in 1. grade, since we live in rural area this is better than to organize buses to drive to and from school more than once a day….). Click the images for a little bit more about them.

8 am

10:18 am

10:19 am

2 pm

..and then we went to the store to buy him a knife that he’s alowed to bring on Thursdays when they have school outside in the woods. I love that he gets to learn such skills – and have band age ready…. I guess there will be more about this later. Night!

I’m not sure who was more excited, me or him, but right now he’s at school having his first day in 1. grade. I got to go after meal, he has an older pupil looking after him and do know the place well so he was ready to face it alone for a couple of hours. I’m so proud of him and so happy for all that he will learn and all the questions he will figure out. Right now I’m drinking my first coffee of the day (oh, yea, early morning start) and is browsing a few blogs and other favorite places online. I have photos to unload from my camera, but I’ll get to that later.

Have a beautiful Monday!