Summer break in the southern hemisphere is coming to an end. In a few short weeks, the kids all go back to school. When we are in the US, we feel the crisp fall air and see school supplies on sale at every store, but here, the telltale sign of summer's end is kid-sized lab coats.Lab coats are the required uniform of public schools in Buenos Aires. It's like tiny mad scientists have invaded the streets. Whoever decided to put white outfits on kids clearly has never done a load of whites, especially here, where they don't know that washable paint exists. Medical-related uniforms seem to be a theme in Argentina, as the nannies and housekeepers wear scrubs to work, too.
Teague goes to a private preschool with classes for children ages 2 through age 5. He's the only foreigner at his school, which doesn't faze him at all. Because of this, he is fully fluent in Spanish. "Real" school begins here at 6, with what would be 1st grade in the US. This year, Teague will be in class from 9:00-4:30. A full day. Luckily, he has the option to eat lunch at the school or to come home for an hour at lunchtime. His school moved buildings and now has a larger space with a big rooftop playground. Last year, his class got to help 'move' there, each child carried a book over to the new space. I am hoping that the bathroom towel (singular) that every kid in the school shares to wipe their hands was left at the old place and there are paper towels in the new bathroom. Por favor!
Teague goes to a private preschool with classes for children ages 2 through age 5. He's the only foreigner at his school, which doesn't faze him at all. Because of this, he is fully fluent in Spanish. "Real" school begins here at 6, with what would be 1st grade in the US. This year, Teague will be in class from 9:00-4:30. A full day. Luckily, he has the option to eat lunch at the school or to come home for an hour at lunchtime. His school moved buildings and now has a larger space with a big rooftop playground. Last year, his class got to help 'move' there, each child carried a book over to the new space. I am hoping that the bathroom towel (singular) that every kid in the school shares to wipe their hands was left at the old place and there are paper towels in the new bathroom. Por favor!
In public schools, kids here only go to school half-days. That's half days for 1st graders through 12th graders. Can you imagine? This is touted as a cost-saving measure because with a morning session of school for one group of kids and an afternoon for another, they can use one building, one day's worth of electricity and one set of teachers and churn through twice the number of students.
Teague will attend school in BA until late November and then start real kindergarten in the US when we move at the end of this year. We're really hoping to find a bilingual school, or at least a tutor, to keep him fluent once we're stateside. We are really going to miss his little school!
Teague will attend school in BA until late November and then start real kindergarten in the US when we move at the end of this year. We're really hoping to find a bilingual school, or at least a tutor, to keep him fluent once we're stateside. We are really going to miss his little school!
The paper products required for Teague's class this year. I haven't purchased the rest of the stuff on the list yet.
1 comment:
How amazing that he is fluent. (And that y'all are too!) I just think that is so cool!
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