Hi am thinking about moving to italy with my daughter who is nine my boyfriend already working there how long does it take for children to settle into a italian school any advice would be welcome thanks... Sue

Hi Sue and welcome! Have you read through the other threads about children and Italian schools?
Without having any personal experience I must say that from what I have learned and read, the kids settle pretty fast, and the younger the faster.
9 is a sensitive age, but of course you are the person who knows your daughter the best, I know that I would have LOVED moving anywhere, especially abroad, at that age but other children might not. It's very individual.
Which part of Italy are you looking at? Previous relations? Knowledge of the Italian language?

Hi Sue,
I'm another Brit - I live here already, but I'm retired.
Annika is right -children fit in very quickly. They can be fluent, even the little ones, in just a few short months. They often lead the way, and correct their parents. Unless they are older 'teenagers (and your daughter is not) they don't seem to have any problems either with the culture change. Once again, it's more likely to be a problem for the older ones and parents.
But as Annika asked too - How about your knowledge of the language? Family here? Friends?

It's a lonely place - even with Expat members to help/listen - if you are really, really new to it all.
Keep in touch - and hopefully a warm welcome will be here for you both before long.
Carole B.

Hi thanks for the reply were hoping to move to Venice a place called San Dona .Ibelieve its not far from Marco Polo Airport but not right on top of it .Thanks Sue

San Dona di Pieve? That's not too far from here. Hemmingway country. There's a fellow named jhelm on here with a place in Portograuro-even closer.

It's on the plain between the mountains and Adriatico. Not too far from Carole and the beach. In summer hot and humid, in winter cold (the Bora blows from Trieste). Pretty close to Venice and not long from Trieste. If you like to ski, Piancavallo is not far and Cortina is just a bit farther.

It's a big agricultural area with some light industry.

I would try using the Find tool at the top of the page and search on EU or England- you can read others' posts explaining how they made the move.

Good luck.

quote:

....Not too far from Carole and the beach.

Sorry Bill.... did I move and not notice????
I hate the beach!!!!

Carole B.

quote:

Originally posted by Carole B.:

quote:

....Not too far from Carole and the beach.

Sorry Bill.... did I move and not notice????
I hate the beach!!!!

Carole B.

Oops! Fat fingered that one. Should have said www.caorle.it

We are moving to Milan and my daughter is 9. After careful research ~ I am putting her in the International School. I want her to experience cultures from allover . WE lived in Japan and she speaks Japanese pretty well and I am certain she will pick up the native tongue easy. But I didn't want to throw her into the Italian system right away. I am afraid her studies would suffer. But I am going to supplement her this summer with homeschooling books so when we get to Milan she is ready

Our children have both been attending an international school here in Jakarta for two years. They both have friends from Indonesia, Europe, China, Korea, Japan and Thailand. Although these other children speak their native language, the "common" language is always English, both at school and while socializing. My children study the Indonesian language at school but, because they aren't required to speak it at school, at home, or with their friends, even after being here for two years, they are far from fluent. That's not a complaint, just a fact of life here.

If your children are like mine, they will make their closest friendships with children at their school. If the language of instruction is English at the international school your kids will be attending in Italy, it's likely they will not learn Italian as quickly as if they were in a local school system.

You're right, though, it is MUCH easier for them to adjust to their new life/studies if they don't have to struggle with a language barrier at first.

This is a very personal decision - just thought I'd pass along our experience for your consideration.

Good luck!

Marguerite

At the moment I'm kind of freaking out and probably way overreacting. My daughter is in the first grade here in Belluno in the Salisian Catholic school Don Bosco a Belluno. There are 4 or 5 kids in her class, that are constently causing disorder in the class and several of the students have fallen behind because of this. My daughter is holding her own partly I think because she had a year of kindergarten in the US which put her somewhat ahead to start. We also (mostly my wife) work with her at home. Now last night the parents had a big meeting to discuss the problem, because so far the school is not doing much about it. Other than a bunch of venting the only good to come of it was that I think one of the moms of the bad kids finally begain to realize that her son has a problem.

In general my wife, she's Italian, and I agree that there is too much of this Catholic attitude of forgiveness and understanding at the expense of the other kids education. If this were the US they would have either been kicked out or put on drugs by now. Ruthless I know but at least those would be solutions that would help our child.

We are at a loss as to what to do at the moment. I spoke with one mom this morning who basically told me that the public school is even worse if you have a bad situation you can't even find the parents, and the teacher just gives you the fingers under the chin.

There is another meeting next week with the room parents and the director of the school, so that may produce something. I wrote this long letter to him which now I'm afraid to send as we might be the ones getting the boot, since we are so unhappy with the school, why not leave he will be tempted to say.

Another subject of concern is that I looked at the test book for US first graders we brought with us and am nervous that my daughter is not up to speed with that especially in reading English.

I think our first step is going to be to bring home at noon on the 3 days a week we can and work with her more ourselves, but that is time we need to spend working.

A lot of venting here but suggestions will be listened to.

I would put her in the public school, no international, it's a unique experience for a child to live in another country and learn another language and culture.

As per the public schools being worse I really disagree, don't forget that the teachers of private schools are either young ones with no experience that need to make the punteggio (score in their personal file) to be able in the future to work in the public school or those who never won a concorso (competition) in the public school. In other words a teacher goes to private school only if cannot work in the public one.

My parents were both teachers (they retired lately) and they would have never thought to send me to a private school, to them private schools are for kids who have problems with learning or for very spoiled ones that want to study nothing and get high scores (as long as you pay....)

Dora.

The biggest problems, from my point of view, in Italian early schools, IS dealing with problem kids and of course being stuck with the same teacher and class your entire elementary or media school time.

The Directors(principals) don't do anything in the discussion or evaluation or disciplining of problem kids, so it's always on the teachers head and she is incredibly overworked,underpaid and usually grumpy. A big mistake in my opinion, they have no place to go for backup.

My son in the 3 media often comes home fed up about how wild and noisy the kids are and that teachers revenge is to give 'everybody' extra homework because of a few troublemakers. I guess it's the only weapon in the arsenal - when you can't send anyone to the principal!

This last year they have a shrink that comes in once a week, but I think they're using it more as a punishmentthen as a teaching/problem solving aid.

I have tried to understand the rational behind the SAME teacher for ALL grammar and media school years, but what I see is no relief in sight for anybody if they have personality conflicts.I know I've had teacher friends in the states say "Thank g*d this year's over, had the worst combination of kids in 4 years!" or how lucky they were for having had a great class! And likewise just as bad for the poor kid that just rubs a teacher squirrelly!

Dora maybe on target about qualified teachers in public/private schools, I don't know, but my son in public has had quite a few part timers in the 'lesser classes' like art or PE or computers, that come and go and don't seem to know anything about what they're 'teaching'.

But there are things I do love about It. schools: the AGENDA, what a great tool!
Interesting history and geography
really cool field trips
And Nick just loved Greek/Roman
mythology

and so it goes...

My daugther was 6 when we came out here 2 years ago, we thought that by placing her first in an international English speaking school it would help her settle, learn the language slowly and act as a kind of cushion before starting her at an Italian school. We were very wrong. She spend 16 months at this school and hated it. It was not about the language barrier it was about the kind of children at this school, most were very rich and spoilt with butlers and maids and my daughter did not fit in with them and there behaviour. She started having nightmares etc.

We started her at an Italian school in January and it took her all but 1 day to settle in, she loves it and we have never looked back.

Well our situation, is like this. Our daughter speaks fluent Italian and her school though private is all Italian, the kids are not rich as many if not most of the parents work and this is one of the few schools with a full day program 7:30 to 4:30. Mornings are regular classes, lunch, then some days of doing homework and playtime and two afternoons of regular classes and no Saturday classes. There is a mix or parents from probably upper middle class to factory workers. We like the teacher. She is a bit inexperienced but seems very good. Probably a more experienced teacher would deal better with the problem kids. It just seems that we are the unlucky ones to have an unusual number of them. We think that a couple of them will leave by next year so things may be better. Our daughter does not really complain and has made good friends and seems to enjoy the school overall.

So perhaps drastic changes are not in order, I don't know, we are trying to decide. Hearing about the experiences of others helps. So far it seems that if the situation is not terrible, the teacher is reasonably good, and the school is making some effort it may be best to try and work within the current situation. We don't want to go from bad to worse. Maybe we will have to make more effort to fill in some of the gaps in learning until things settle down - if they do that is.

I work (teaching English) in both state run and private schools.
In my experience the children in the private schools are out of control. There is very little discipline or respect. Other children walk into the classroom without knocking, my students never bring their books or do their homework. It's a nightmare.
I've discussed this with teachers and students in the state school system and there's a general concensus that private schools are lax out of fear that parents will withdraw any child who is made to do something they don't want to do i.e. work!
I know this is hard to believe because it's exactly the opposite in the UK and I can't for the life in me understand these parents, dont they want their children to succeed?
In comparison the state system is very good, standards are much higher than in the UK. Of course I wouldn't even consider sending Lila to a private school here.

sorry just re-read that and my spelling is terrible whoops!

Also, many famailies send problematic children to private schools for the very purpose that they think that a private institution will be more able to al with their needs. This is not always true, though.

As I always say, in italy you can hit some really excellent private schools, but also hit really lousy ones (and they are a lot), while public shcools are in average at least decent. probably, late March is not the right moment to move your dauther to another school, but I would consider the move to a public school for next year. Check the local public schools, the teachers will be happy to talk to you (if they are not, maybe the school is one of the "at least decent" ones and not much better than that), than make your decision.

quote:

Originally posted by JoanneP:
....We started her at an Italian school in January and it took her all but 1 day to settle in, she loves it and we have never looked back.

Oh Joanne....
But this is what happens with nearly all the children - they don't put barriers 'up' - they take them 'down'. And having read your other posts about your unhappiness and difficulty in fitting in, or coming to terms with local customs and culture, perhaps your daughter has got it right. Let those barriers down, and the problems will take care of themselves!
Carole B.

One thing nobody has mentioned that I feel is missing in the Italian public school system is the support that "problem" children may need. There may be learning differences or emotional and behavioral problems that are not being addressed. My children have been in Italian schools all their lives (now 14 and 16 years old) and there have often been "problem" kids that just aren't getting the help they need. They suffer and the whole class suffers. But the schools don't have the resources to be able to help. Very sad.