Back in the Saddle

Let me tell you something about Swiss public schools- they are completely different from US public schools. Here are some of the differences I've noticed:

• Swiss kid's start Kindergarten when they are 4. They go to kindergarten for two years where they primarily focus on socialization, exploration and good behavior.
  
• The registration process is pretty much non-existent. To register your child there is one form to complete. ONE FORM. Birth certificates are not needed and you do not need to submit a doctor's form with proof of vaccinations.
  
• Most 4 year olds walk to school... by themselves. Want to freak out an American mommy? Let her see a 4 year old walking home alone sucking him thumb. The Swiss like to encourage independence at an early age, and allowing the children to walk to and from school alone is one way of achieving this.
  
• Regardless of the weather, the kids play outside. It doesn't matter if there is snow on the ground, it's raining, or extremely frigid- the kids always have outdoor recess. Children are bundled up and sent to school prepared for any type of weather.
  
• Indoor shoes are worn at school. The kids are required to keep a pair of soft soled shoes (such as crocs) at school which they change into as soon as they arrive.
• There are lots of outdoor excursions. You will often see groups of kindergartners walking towards the woods or throughout the city. This is very unlike the US where the kids rarely leave school grounds, and when they do, there are permission forms to sign and buses to get the kids to their destination.
  
  

So how do I know so much about the Swiss Kindergartens?
We enrolled Luke about 3 weeks ago.

After trying to find a preschool for Luke to attend for months, we decided to stick him into a Swiss kindergarten. It certainly is different from what he is used to, with the biggest difference being the language. Four days a week Luke's school is taught in Swiss German and one day a week it is taught in High German. Another difference is that he now goes 5 days a week, from 8am until 12, and one day a week he is expected to go back for an afternoon session (we haven't done this yet).

These changes are hard on Luke, and honestly I'm not sure how he is adjusting. He usually protests in the morning, and today I even had to leave him in while he was crying. (Sad!) He is, however, happy when I pick him from school and excited to tell me what he did that day. Every Friday his class hikes in the woods behind his school, and so far this is what he enjoys best. I'm hoping that his anxiety will soon abate and that he will look forward to school in the morning. After all, it's only for this year. Next year Luke will attend kindergarten at the same school as Sam, which should be much more familiar to him. Of course, he may end of loving Swiss school so much that he wants to stay. Time will tell.

Luke, after his first day of school- he was so proud of himself! The yellow safety belt you see is worn by all of the younger children. They need something to make them visible when walking alone!