Comments on: Starting School In A Foreign Country

By: Paul Allen

Paul Allen — Fri, 13 May 2011 12:01:16 +0000

Hi Natalie,
It’s an excellent question. It’s always hard to know what is best to do for your children.
I guess the big question is what would be your alternative if you didn’t enrol her in a Hebrew-speaking preschool? Given you are not planning to stay in Israel permanently, I would suggest an English speaking one would be better if any places do become available. While kids are adaptable, and are learning sponges, I think we often overestimate the ease of adaptation – there is a difficult transition stage for them to go through when they know no one and can’t speak the language. It’s worth the short term pain when you are planning to stay in the country for the long haul, but may be less desirable if you are only staying a short time.

Our daughter did eventually integrate. The other kids were wonderful from the start, wanting to make her their friend. But seeing our daughter cowering in the back seat of the car, not wanting to get out at the start of the school day was heartbreaking. And for many weeks she seemed really isolated – because she couldn’t communicate with the other children, she played by herself a fair amount at the outset. However, the upside is that she did start to understand, and then eventually speak the language, and forged strong friendships. So despite those hard first few months, the trauma was eventually worthwhile.

In short, you need to be prepared for some short-term pain if she does go to the school. But then, the longer term benefits are that she will make new friends, have contact with other children, and learn something new.

Hope that helps a little!
Best of luck with your move,
Paul

By: Natalie

Natalie — Thu, 12 May 2011 17:13:32 +0000

Hi Paul, I am going to Israel with my 3-year old daughter for 1- 2 years in the fall. I am wondering whether it makes sense to enroll her in a Hebrew-speaking preschool if we may only be there for one year. All the very good English preschools are already full. I found a program I like, but it is all in Hebrew (the teachers however understand and can communicate in English, but I am not sure how much individual attention she will get with a ratio of 8 or 9 kids to1 teacher (total class = 25-27 kids). Like your daughter, mine is a total chatterbox and very social. I am worried about her feeling isolated if she cant communicate, and stalling her intellectual development. The language may be too much added stress, on top of the move and leaving her friends at daycare in Canada. What was your daughter’s experience in this respect?

Thanks,

Natalie

By: Paul Allen

Paul Allen — Tue, 05 Oct 2010 17:00:29 +0000

I’m glad you found the article useful, Colleen. It is a tough decision with children – what to do for the best? It depends on the education you want for them. There is a distinct advantage in enrolling them in the local school, especially in terms of language and integration. But if you want to help them with school work you will also need a fair degree of Spanish fluency yourself!
Best of luck with your life in Spain.

By: Colleen

Colleen — Mon, 04 Oct 2010 09:20:24 +0000

We just moved to Javea area and enrolled our 7 year old daughter into the local british school,and put our 3 year old into daycare.we are thinking of putting them both into spanish school for next year. I know our oldest will have a harder time, but we feel like it will help them in the long run. Thanks for a great article!

By: Paul Allen

Paul Allen — Thu, 02 Sep 2010 16:00:32 +0000

That must have been a huge challenge, to move at such a key time in your educational career. But it’s great that you have such a positive take on the experience. Your Spanish must be pretty good too now if you’re studying law! Best of luck with the course, and I hope you and your parents continue to enjoy life in Mexico.

By: Lupe

Lupe — Sun, 29 Aug 2010 05:44:59 +0000

Hello, I think its great that you guys did that, and its a great learning experience as well. Im from pennsylvania and my parents moved to mexico when i was 15 years old, at first i really didnt want to go, i mean i didnt even speak the language, so you can imagine how i must have felt, it was horrible, i felt so dumb i didnt know how to read or write i felt useless, but as time went by i started to get the hang of things and picking up the language.

I learned alot, im not saying that ive completly mastered the language because i havent, there so much to learn but im getting there.

I`m now 18 and in my first year of college, im studying law and am really thankful to my parents that they did this, it changed my life completly.