tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8185246012304596821.post600559035995051007..comments2023-10-07T12:57:14.147+02:00Comments on Under an Olive Tree: What makes me cry...in 1158 words.Dianehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05713828380482820298noreply@blogger.comBlogger17125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8185246012304596821.post-2264484189459932932012-07-31T19:00:34.144+02:002012-07-31T19:00:34.144+02:00hello...
nice sharing here,,,,
have a nice dayhello...<br />nice sharing here,,,,<br />have a nice dayTiranaAdukahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17417271123615320472noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8185246012304596821.post-46404447435148261372012-03-20T09:14:28.054+01:002012-03-20T09:14:28.054+01:00Diane,
I am home educating him again and told the...Diane,<br /><br />I am home educating him again and told them that, sp far nobody has sent the police to my door. But some investigation of how truancy cases work out once they get to court...well I can't say I want a criminal record, but the fine of 30 euros doesn't worry me much. And the picture from the appeals court pretty much underlines that they are loath to use the social services option of taking your child off you, even when true educational neglect is combined with other forms of neglect.<br /><br />So sod it. I will just cancel our residency if they up the ante and see if they can spare the manpower to check I am sticking the regulation number of days we allowed to spend in Italy.<br /><br />He'll start with Inter High next year, and along side we'll do Italian, Italian centric history/geography.<br /><br />I'll do the annual exams every year, but frankly no longer care if we pass or not. Careful reading of normativi points out something I never noticed before, there is no section on "what happens if your kids fails the idonità exams".<br /><br />Like the school system and the private schools being externally tested I guess they do it case by case, and since enough kids in the school overseeing me end up failing and repeating the year (several times) so they are still in prima media at 15, 16 without the school being closed or the teachers found wanting...... they are going to find it hard to make a case that will get by what seems to be a very "liberal" magistrate class. Especially since I can prove an appropriate, personalised education is being provided. I think after 8 years of my being a thorn in his side the director (now in charge of the elementary AND the media) would rather ignore me than use all and any powers he has at his disposal to try and whip me into line.<br /><br />In more cheerful news DS has a new maths tutor, who I am mentoring as she intends to enter the system as a teacher. She is amazing. Picks up the how, what and why of teaching like a sponge and runs with it in a highly creative fashion. And he has a new Italian tutor, a scuola media teacher, just about to retire. If you cloned her Italy would shoot up from the bottom of the PISA tables like a rocket. <br /><br />She also makes me feel sane because she and I share the same stories, impressions, deductions and feelings about our colleagues in the system. She doesn't approve of home ed per se, but she has zero issues with understanding my motivations for choosing it.<br /><br />I'm not a stress free zone, but at least I don't start to mutter darkly everytime we drive by the school now.<br /><br />What has been a shocker this year is that last time pulled him at least half of the parents of his peers and freinds were highly critical. This time Mario keeps getting accosted by the same parents randomly coming up and saying"hai fatto bene, la scuola fa SCIFO!"<br /><br />I find this turn around a bit odd. Maybe media is the straw that breaks the camel's back, or maybe peoples' tolerance for deficiencies in statale entities in general is at a lower ebb, given the backdrop of the economic crisis. Hard to tell really.TEFL Ninjahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13660756490115614438noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8185246012304596821.post-3439929545170821822012-03-07T10:14:50.189+01:002012-03-07T10:14:50.189+01:00Hi Diane,
Wow, this is really interesting and perp...Hi Diane,<br />Wow, this is really interesting and perplexing. I see my ex-pat daughter struggling with the same issues with our grandkids (they opted for private schools, but it's SO expensive).<br />The good news is he's learning multiple languages. That will put him ahead of the game. But as for the rest---yikes, the things he is missing. I would want to supplement it with some sort of American or British curriculum--on-line resources perhaps? Bon courage, you have a challenge on your hands!Lynn at Southern Fried Frenchhttp://www.southernfriedfrench.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8185246012304596821.post-11741284177290504932012-03-01T05:16:16.352+01:002012-03-01T05:16:16.352+01:00Sarah, I'm sorry your experiment with the midd...Sarah, I'm sorry your experiment with the middle school didn't work out. Now what?`Can you hide him and jump back into homeschooling or are you transferring him to a different school? Are you doing that online British school next year? How will that work with the Italian authorities?<br /><br />Today we have the real mid-year report card meetings (the above was just the preliminary) and it might be difficult for either of us to go and wait around for hours...so we will pick it up at a different time I think. Just as well as I'd probably not be able to hold my tongue. So many of his teachers have been missing classes for some kind of meeting. Yesterday he had three hours with no teacher in the room! Three games of spin the bottle were going on as well as a "truth or dare" game. The only positive thing to occur recently is that he and his friends may start a school newspaper. Let's see what the advisor lets them write about...Dianehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05713828380482820298noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8185246012304596821.post-14381332576290407352012-02-29T23:42:41.008+01:002012-02-29T23:42:41.008+01:00Ah love I feel your pain. I home edded my son for ...Ah love I feel your pain. I home edded my son for 4/5 elementare. He went back into the school system for prima media, but I pulled him out about again ten days ago in utter frustration. <br /><br /><br />It was that or leave the country.<br /><br />My tolerance for the paucity of teaching in my area has reached an all time low.TEFL Ninjahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13660756490115614438noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8185246012304596821.post-85906704316317259502012-02-08T16:44:07.295+01:002012-02-08T16:44:07.295+01:00Hello Diane!
I am Malte Zeeck with InterNations.o...Hello Diane! <br />I am Malte Zeeck with InterNations.org. While looking for great expat blogs on Italy I stumbled upon yours and was instantly convinced by your great writing and contents! I am sure that the members of our expat network will feel the same way. I would love to share your great blog with our community on InterNations.org as part of our Recommended Blog section. We will not only feature and link to your blog, but also give you the opportunity to tell us a little bit about yourself in our questionnaire. We have also designed a badge of quality for placement on your blog.<br />If you are interested, I would love to hear back from you. Please contact me via mail: maltezeeck@internations.org.<br />Best, <br />Malte ZeeckMalte Zeeckhttp://www.internations.org/italy-expatsnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8185246012304596821.post-39708696630425742642012-01-08T09:00:36.458+01:002012-01-08T09:00:36.458+01:00Great Blog I like this.....Great Blog I like this.....ramizhttp://vuhelp.net/diya-aur-baati-hum/20040-diya-aur-baati-hum-6-january-2012-watch-online-video.htmlnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8185246012304596821.post-24074003348267923452012-01-05T04:09:27.240+01:002012-01-05T04:09:27.240+01:00Jane, you're right. I've been having thes...Jane, you're right. I've been having these problems since the beginning. He gets a choice at the end of Middle School, so we have another year and a half. He's not that unhappy, so that's a consolation. I'm going to start teaching English a few hours a week in an after-school program and we'll see if that changes things, or at least my perspective. Italian parents seem to take it all in stride, so I think it's part of my enduring "culture shock"...Dianehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05713828380482820298noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8185246012304596821.post-17026734114569122842012-01-05T01:22:20.465+01:002012-01-05T01:22:20.465+01:00Oh Diane, I am so sorry and sad to read this. It s...Oh Diane, I am so sorry and sad to read this. It seems you have been fighting the school system ever since Dante started. I remember a post from years ago about his just sitting on the steps after after school--can't quite pull the memory completely out. You had been relating your experiences on Expats. Do you have any kind of choice as to what school he goes to?Janehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13622825482727155797noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8185246012304596821.post-47446579251719847092011-12-27T14:26:44.462+01:002011-12-27T14:26:44.462+01:00I'm new to your blog, and I wanted to let you ...I'm new to your blog, and I wanted to let you kow that this post was very moving--and disturbing, for what it says about Italian middle school--and struck a chord with me. My children have, thus far, had a very good experience with Italian elementary school. They've been lucky to get good teachers, of course, but in general I think Italy shines more when it comes to early education. There aren't a lot of bells and whistles, of course, but overall it seems fine.<br /><br />However, I have not heard anything good about the middle schools, little that's good about the high schools, and the fact that university here is "free" being the only thing to recommend it. Your experience would seem to confirm this. One of your readers/commentators put it so well when she voiced the concern of all us expat-mums have: "the deep desire that your child be seen and taught in a way that allows him to reach his potential." It is this lack of the long view--toward the realization of potential--that scares me about having my children continue their schooling here. That and things such as you point out--the apathy, inconsistency, and even egotism of the teachers, etc.<br /><br />I will come back to your blog for more insights--thank you!Elizabeth Petrosianhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07516383098314400264noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8185246012304596821.post-38669856027342757102011-12-18T17:13:27.290+01:002011-12-18T17:13:27.290+01:00Diane, what a revealing post. My sons are grown bu...Diane, what a revealing post. My sons are grown but I remember the emotions of parent-teacher conferences and the deep desire that your child be seen and taught in a way that allows him to reach his potential. Sounds like you are in a real "culture shock!" I do agree with the comment "This too shall pass." I am sure there are also "intangible...non-gradable?"...benefits he is experiencing from his experience. It will be interesting for you to get your new bird's eye view when you begin working within the system! Can't wait to read about it.Patriciahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03688846429279351574noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8185246012304596821.post-24220195816340812302011-12-17T05:14:49.868+01:002011-12-17T05:14:49.868+01:00LindyLou--are you suggesting that "this too s...LindyLou--are you suggesting that "this too shall pass"? If so, you're right and I keep reminding myself of that.<br /><br />Stefano--I think my son would ideally like to re-settle in America, all the while missing some aspects of Italian life, no doubt. University is the big thing...if he continues in the Italian school system University here won't cost much in comparison to USA tuition bills. OTOH if he established residency and then went to a State school it wouldn't be tooo bad in America either. I'll be ranting and raving right through his University education if he goes here, BUT he's OK with it all...and maybe that should be the bottom line?<br /><br />Anne: My son actually ENJOYS school because he gets to see his friends and at least his misery has company I suppose. Funny things happen, they laugh together, it's like colleagues at work. He's OK with it all, though he does say he learned more when we did our year of American homeschooling. Tutoring for Italian homeschooling would probably cost us about 600 Euro per month divided among several teachers. GULP!!Dianehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05713828380482820298noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8185246012304596821.post-69816304383017432022011-12-16T20:33:38.731+01:002011-12-16T20:33:38.731+01:00Oh how I wish there were a perfect solution to fix...Oh how I wish there were a perfect solution to fix the public education system here in Italy. Life long home schoolers, my two middle school daughter's are attending middle school here in our tiny town for the first time this year. To say it has not been a very good experience so far would be an understatement to say the least. The girls are learning Italian better though, so for now we suffer through, not sure what we are gonna do for next year though. Homeschooling is still on the table for us. <br /><br />The following website has been really helpful to us for all things homeschooling here in Italy, for example end of year exams are not always required- http://www.controscuola.it/utili-precisazioni/ <br /><br />Also, as I read your post I couldn't help but wonder if instead of hiring a tutor to help your son muddle through the crazy school system, you could perhaps hire a tutor to help him thrive at homeschooling, even if it is in Italian. If the teachers/schools are anything like they are here he probably wouldn't be missing out on anything at all!Annehttp://www.theitaliandyes.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8185246012304596821.post-61785811053323885382011-12-16T15:04:11.846+01:002011-12-16T15:04:11.846+01:00Where do you see your son in 10 and 15 years? Af...Where do you see your son in 10 and 15 years? After you have answered this question you may have a better idea in the next year or two.stefanohttp://villacasale.netnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8185246012304596821.post-60352880032112371222011-12-16T13:20:32.404+01:002011-12-16T13:20:32.404+01:00A good vent, the joys of eduction and parent teach...A good vent, the joys of eduction and parent teacher evenings! At least we do not have to worry about such things any more.<br /><br />In answer to your question about Kiwis. I have absolutely no idea of what varieties ours are, just that they are very old! I would take advice from locals before choosing and remember you need at least a ratio of one male to three female plants.<br />http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/KiwifruitLindyLouMachttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12282788551449445133noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8185246012304596821.post-58143165668183349122011-12-16T12:20:28.245+01:002011-12-16T12:20:28.245+01:00Katerina, if you can accept that they do things by...Katerina, if you can accept that they do things by rote and provide creative outlets elsewhere AND your son has no learning /organization issues, perhaps your experience will be better. Homeschooling here must be ITALIAN homeschooling (naturally) and that's not an option for me, plus the testing they'd give him at the end of the summer would be very difficult--to prove to everyone that he should have gone to school all year. Ahhh...Dianehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05713828380482820298noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8185246012304596821.post-39996477551702029732011-12-16T11:41:00.237+01:002011-12-16T11:41:00.237+01:00my son is too young still but I have been thinking...my son is too young still but I have been thinking about how to get him through Italian schooling when its time. not enjoying the fact that theres a real lack of focus on creativity and individual growth, and very poor level of actual education - say like speaking english is really tsk tsk.. but of course we can't afford private schools (and the thought of sending him with spoiled rich kids is daunting). so home-schooling? aaahhh... oh by the way there is a homeschooling group in Lucca I found through expats in italy. they may know of other options where you are. other than that, perhaps try a montesori school?Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01118780067414126495noreply@blogger.com