Here we go, fourth grade…
I walked him to school at the ungodly-post-summer-vacation hour of 7:45 am, and filed into the gymnasium with the other third and fourth graders. I watched him scan the room for familiar faces – friends he’d seen only sporadically over the break, and I saw them all, at first, shyly acknowledge each other anew, with a nod of the head, and a cool, “Oh, hi!” and I saw uncertainty in his eyes.
Me: Go see your friends. *nudges him with elbow*
He: Yeah… *longing*
Me: We could … walk over together…?
He: No. Um… well… do you think that’s better?
Me: I don’t, actually.
He: Okay. Yeah.
And he walked. And they were all shy-ish for forty seconds. And then they all talked and smiled at each other, and got down to the quick business of admiring each other’s new bags, and shoes, and haircuts… and they compared scars on their shins, and they pointed at missing teeth, and tan lines, and heights…
I had tears in my eyes. I couldn’t help it. First day, you know. I’m so glad he already has friends. It’s a lucky thing, that.
At our school, we don’t know where our kids are assigned until they call out names, and a bunch of kids file in line behind their new teacher for the year. You can feel the buzz of anxiety in the room when they begin. It’s like the Hogwarts sorting system. You hear things about teachers – the good, and the bad – and you hope, and you pray that your kid lands somewhere acceptable.
Oliver wanted to be with his friends most of all. And if rumour was correct, he hoped his first grade teacher would be teaching fourth grade this year, and that he would get to be in her class again this year. He hoped all summer long.
And we watched as his core buddies got put into class-one and class-two this year… and I saw how crestfallen he was. Sure he was familiar with the other kids, but… it’s not the same, I know. (It won’t be the last time in his life that he feels a bit adrift.)
But! He gets to be in the class of his favourite teacher so far. She’s like a rockstar in this school – and she is an excellent teacher. I’m thrilled for him. (And one out of two wishes realised ain’t bad at all.)
And I’m thrilled because if I had the choice about it, I prefer that he not be in a class with his favourite people of all… distractions. School is hard. French school is even harder – especially when you’re Anglophone.
So.
His lunchbox was empty at the end of the day. Everything’s going to be just fine.
Let’s rock grade four, little man. Onwards…
Love him. What a stress that calling of names must be though? Are there tears ever?
I’m not sure why they do it this way, but I’ll bet there have been tears… fortunately, I didn’t see any on Wednesday!!
I am glad the lunch made it down. We have the reverse situation. Our kids go to a school that is so French Immersion popular that there is only one English speaking class of every grade. I am wondering after entering mid year last year, if this year my girls will break the unspoken rule of each group stays with their own. Fingers crossed. At least they all eat in the same lunch room
Wait – you mean your French Immersion school is mostly full of Anglo kids? That would be the thing… right? I’m confused…
At my kids’ school, they’re not allowed to speak English during the day on the school grounds. But that’s not much of a deal-breaker when it comes to making friends and stuff – they’re doing everything in French, and he’s bilingual now, anyway.
Nope, we go to an Anglo school that is 90% full of French Immersion students. So my girls are in classes where they will go from Kindy to 6 with the same kids year after year. It seems the Franco kids feel the Anglo kids keep to themselves and the Anglo kids feel that the Franco kids do. I found this out last night meeting neighbours at
Ooooh, I see! That seems strange to me that they have the exact same classmates year after year – they re-sort the kids each year, at our school. And anyway, they’re all French during school hours… but I totally encourage cross-pollination outside of school. (And I love hearing my kid speak French with his friends – I’m always amazed!)
I am glad the lunch made it down. We have the reverse situation. Our kids go to a school that is so French Immersion popular that there is only one English speeking class of every grade. I am wondering after entering mid year last year, if this year my girls will break the unspoken rule of each group stays with their own. Fingers crossed. At least they all eat in the same lunch room.
We learn things when things don’t go as planned or hoped. This too is a big part of school, right?
Isn’t it funny the way we have butterflies for them too? Enjoy xoxo
You’re right about that, Village – he’ll learn to manage, and to cope. *crossed fingers*