I've been homeschooling my kids in the states for the past three years, it's been nice and easy so far, dealing with state requirements. Does anyone know anything about the school system in France? Do they allow homeschooling?

They allow it, but they are pretty strict about it - you will need to follow an approved curriculum, and right now, I don't think they allow any from the US, so you might need to follow a British one. You will also be subjected to home visits from an inspector once a year.

Are you really sure this is something you want to continue doing in France? Your children will have a hard time making friends, learning French, and integrating into French life if they are not in the school system. Putting your children in school is the best way to be accepted as part of the community. It will even be a good way for you to make friends (trust me, it's not an easy thing to do, especially if you're not 100% fluent).

Also, you have to think farther down the road - what kind of chance will your children have to get jobs if they don't have the French BAC? If they don't speak/write/read French fluently? How will they go on to university afterwards, without knowing the strict French education system works?

The French education system is extremely different than the American one - they both have their positives and negatives, but if you plan on living here permanently, for the sake of your children's future, I'd highly recommend putting them in French school.

I'm no fan of homeschooling for the same reasons mentionned above, the social part, but on the other hand, I have to agree that the North American school system is getting worst and worst, focusing on self-estime rather than other skills. Maybe the European is better though..

Are you really sure this is something you want to continue doing in France?

No, actually. I agree they'd be better off in school.

I live in a rural area with one school. When my son was in fourth grade, he was having trouble with math, which lead to him refusing to do his homework, and what he did do was messy and incomplete. So they wanted to test him for a learning disability, I said no, he needs tutoring and discipline. Well, they weren't happy with my response, it was almost like they wanted a quick fix to the problem, label him and drug him. I soon realized they weren't going to work with me, so I pulled him out and began homeschooling. I will never forget the first assignment he turned in to me, a page long essay full of bad grammer and chicken scratch, I could hardly read it. I gave it back to him and firmly said, "This is unacceptable. It needs to be edited and rewritten neatly, and every assignment you turn in like this will be corrected until it meets my standards." His "learning disability" was was suddenly cured. He's actually a grade ahead now!

Anyway, I know all there's no way all public schools out there are like the one here. My only fear is facing something worse in France.

I would have to say that although I know some public schools are not that great, I think it is important that is where children attend. Especially when you are going to a new country and want them to become acclimated to that culture.

I actually teach high school and I find that kids miss being with their friends at school. Much as they like days off, they're eventually eager to get back and interact with lots of other kids away from home.

Personally I think that its better for kids to make friends and learn in social surroundings instead of at home.
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We have been here in france for just over 2 years. When we arrived the 2 youngest then 4 and 6 spoke no french and the 12 year old had basic school girl french but nothing more. They are all billingual now, the middle one is top in his classes in french and the oldest one passed her brevet exam first time and has now started lycee at 14 which is more than a lot of the french kids in her college managed! They had to speak french because they were the only non french kids in the school and it has meant that they have been able to intergrate well, make lots of friends and help us do the same!

We have french friends who home educate and do fine, but their kids are native french AND Breton speakers and they have lots of outide intergration with other kids. They follow the french ediucation system at home are tested on it and will get their brevet and Bacs when the time comes. I dont think you would have much hope doing the same thing because without school I dont think there is anyway to learn french to that level from non french spoeaking parents. Total immersion is hard but it works!

If it is any help the schools provide free french lessons for new non french speakers, our middle one was offered it and did half a day a week for a month before they decided he didnt need it anymore but if he had needed it he could have carreid on for as long as it took. The oldest one did one lesson adn then was told she could go back if she had any trouble and the youngest child was considered too young to need it as school doesnt officially start here until 6 years old although they do go to maternal here from 3 years which is like kindergarten and usually on the same premises.

We were advised by the headteacher at my daugters school to have french radio on all the time as background noise so we all got used to the sound of spoken french and to only watch french tv. Much as Tv is a sore poiint with some I think it was watching cartoons in french that really helped the boys pick it up quickly!

If you want to know more about fench education do a google search on anglo iinfo forums and you willfind several anglo community websites infr ance each of whom will have a section explaining the school system health care and everything else. These tend to be more up to date with info than a lot of the advise books on moving to France.

Those are all great tips, the tv and radio ones really make sense. A new language is like music, you need to listen to it to get to know it.
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