One of the biggest disadvantages of having your children attend two different schools, and I don't mean elementary school versus middle school, is the variation in the school-year calendar. Dallin had to wait nearly a whole week after Madeleine started school before he got to attend his first day of school!
Alas that day came and as a family we are beginning to navigate our way through the very different British school system. Can you say multiplication in French? No really, he has multiplication in French! It's intense alright, but despite the long days, high demands and ridiculous amount of homework Dallin wears a grin every afternoon coming off the school bus. His school is divided among three separate campuses. He is in the middle school at a campus quite a ways from our flat. Gratefully the school's lower school is just a 10-minute walk from us, and they offer a bus service to and from the middle and upper school campuses. It's quite a carpool this coach is.
Did I mention the smart uniforms?
Or the very old style grammar school building?
All seems a bit stuffy, doesn't it? Well all I can say is a big fat thank you to JK Rowling for making a shirt and tie seem like fun to an eight year-old boy!
The school even divides its students among four houses. Dallin is in Dickens house. Go Dickens!
Dallin is in year four, equivalent to third grade in the US
He has French on Fridays
Mondays and Fridays he learns things like cricket in PE
Thursdays is swimming a la speedo; Dallin wasn't so keen on this at first
He'll take field trips to places all over London, and in the spring they go to Devon for a week
Dallin, we think you're pretty great, especially for how you've handled all the change and for your great attitude adjusting to such a demanding new school!
Sunday, September 14, 2008
Abercorn School
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3 comments:
we miss you guys..and I have a tear in my eye right now thinking of all of the struggling you guys are doing - trying to adjust and have kids adjust - but I know it will be worth it. I looked at Dallin and I feel like he will benefit a lot in the long run. Miss you guys...nothing new here.
Dallin, I want to be in Dickens too! It looks like you have a super cool school. We miss you in our primary class. If we write you a letter, will you write us back? Love, Sister Donohue
I love it! I wish Grant was right there with you looking so handsome and sharp. I know he would love that curriculum too. Dallin, have a great school year and we all miss you!
Pete, Cati, Laura, Grant, and Hailey
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