Navigating the school system

Starting school is such a big deal. This is the place where your child will be spending considerable time for the next 12 to 13 years, and beyond; the place that will form parts of their personality; the place that partly shapes their world view and where they will create lasting memories and friends.

 

It’s a big, big deal and I don’t think I was fully prepared for it.

 

My first hurdle was understanding how the Irish school system differed from the model in Canada. I went to a secular public school with all religions and backgrounds in attendance. It didn’t matter if you were baptised, we didn’t wear uniforms and classes weren’t separated by gender.

 

When my husband and I first started thinking about when and where to enrol Joan, for me, a lot of ‘foreign’ things came up in the conversation; primarily, would it be an issue that she isn’t baptised? I had to fully comprehend that in some instances schools would make preference for children who had been christened over those who hadn’t.

 

Then there was what I call it the ‘ladder system’ where by one religion was prioritised (especially if the child had a sibling in the school) followed by another followed by … my head started to hurt! I also had to get my head around the fact that there was a greater demand on some schools in the area than in others and the fact that my middle name is ‘last minute’ would stand against me. (My fault, no one else’s!)

 

Next was when to start her in school. As a May baby she is at that stage of the year whereby she could start this year or next year and there seem to be advantages and disadvantages to both. Fortunately in our area, schools offer a reception class, which seems to be the best of both words. It is getting her ready for what is expected from her in a school environment, encouraging that next step of independence and challenging her in ways that will benefit her.

 

 

Next I wanted her in a class with boys and girls, as I don’t ever recall working in a place that was just for women. There have been numerous studies around the world grading performances of children in mixed gendered classes verses those in all boys or all girls’ schools; however, I believe that in life you are seldom in a situation whereby one gender is totally absent so Joan should learn to co-operate, be friends with and excel a long side both boys and girls.

 

Next, the uniform! I had mixed feelings about this. I was worried it would be a struggle every morning to get her into it as currently if she doesn’t like something, I find it hard to convince her to wear it. I’ve also always had an uncomfortable relationship with anything institutionalised and because I didn’t wear one, a uniform on some level represented this to me.

However I also completely appreciate the opposite argument that a uniform helps in a school environment, controlling judgment and avoiding pitting kids against each other based on what one family can afford and what one family might not be able to. I am also honestly wondering how to keep it clean for a week. All suggestions welcome…

 

 

So after a lot of discussions with my husband, other parents and friends who are teachers I feel as certain about our decision as I can be. It is going into the unfamiliar, not just for Joan but also for us as first-time parents. But on the flipside of this, there has been a lot of excitement in our household over the past few weeks and it is growing.

 

I loved school, I loved starting a new grade each year and the memories of all this have come flooding back as Joan and I talk about ‘big kid’ school. We are practicing writing and reading. We are working on always remembering to wash our hands after we go to the loo and making a point of Joan dressing herself in the mornings (no matter how long it takes!) She talks daily about starting the new school and seems pretty pumped about it.

 

It will be a new chapter in parenting with new challenges and all of us learning new things. But we are really looking forward to it and will support Joan all along the way!