On September, 28, 2006 6:12 PM , Roba
from Jordan said:

Not only is it quite hard arduous, it is also a very retarded system, especially with the concentration on studious fields and the absolute lack of extracurricular activities, all the way up to university.
At school, the students do not develop anything aside from their math skills. Our educational system encourages 7efeth rather than real knowledge.

Damn, that is kind of hard. To tell you the truth I can't remember how my 1st grade went. I don't even remember the name of my teacher back then.

I can understand teaching children English, and if we're talking about the Rosary College and similar schools I can understand the French teaching too. But I think giving kids Math in both English and Arabic is a little too much. I think math and sciences in English can wait until later grades. Especially when kids have to choose between Tawjeehi, IGCSE or IB. Then they can build a foundation for the kids who want to do IGCSE or IB starting from grade 6 or even 8, and they could give even the Tawjeehi kids English classes in science and math just to make them better prepared for going to college where those subjects will be taught in English.

Being an alumn of the school, I have to ask, did you consider el kuliyyeh el 3elmiyyeh el islamiyyeh in Jabal Amman or Jbeiha? Any reason you decided to stay away from it? I just wanna know coz I'm interested in how it is doing today. Feel free to unleash on it if you have something good to say :D I won't mind.

I do agree with what Roba said about lacking extracurricular activities, but I believe that is a product of a shortage in money and resources in most schools. I don't think parents can afford to pay tuitions for schools that offer such opportunities to kids. Look at the tuitions in schools like the Amman Baccalaureate School, New English School, or Modern American School just to name a few. I do think these schools kind of over charge some times, but even if they don't, they will still have high tuitions.

You look at this problem, and you can't but realize that we are a poor country, and it sucks to be poor because this is what happens; we don't get a high quality education.

On September, 28, 2006 7:17 PM , hatem abunimeh
from United States said:

الله يخليلك اياها وان شاء الله تتربى بعزكIn my opinion you should be appreciative of this intrinsic level of education , spending ninety minutes a day to develop, strengthen, and advance the diffusion of your daughter's educational skills isn't a lot of time. I do agree with Roba that you should try to hasten her extra curricular activities by enrolling her either in ballet dancing classes, learning how to play piano, or other self assertive physical activities such as marshal arts . It all depends though on her propensity towards any of these extra curricular activities. I don't have any issue with any child learning several languages, math and science, as well as social skills and hobbies development all at once.I think that it is very healthy and mind cathartic.

On September, 28, 2006 9:15 PM , Muhammad Arrabi
from United States said:

mashallah - the picture is very cute. allah ykhallelak yaha ya Batir.
regarding school... ahh... long subject. next time inshallah, but I agree with a lot of what you say.

On September, 28, 2006 9:43 PM , The Observer
from Jordan said:

Very cute girl. God bless her.

I honestly think this is too much for 6 years old. They shouldn't have extra homeworks to do after school. It is just too early for that. They need more time to relax and have fun. 9 hours at school should be more than enough.

Observe her, if this eats of her happiness as a child, maybe you have to do something about. Maybe consider moving her to another school if it helps.

On September, 28, 2006 9:44 PM , hamede
from United States said:

My 6 years she go to alraed alnamothajya its christian school she learn both english and french it is v good school she love it, and she go from 6:30 to 2:30.
good luck to suzan.

On September, 29, 2006 11:47 AM , kinzi
from United States said:

Batir, we went through this with our son last year in first grade. He is also very bright and creative, and rose to the challenge. But we make sure he has LOTS of other outlets for creativity at home with projects and such.

Last year they changed the 1st grade Arabic curriculum, and it was extremely hard for me to help him. I can usually help through 3rd grade, but we had to hire a tutor.

We spend about 45 minutes with him on Arabic subjects, but then do extra work on English (a phonics program, since his school teachers whole language).

It gets harder, my older son used to hate Ijtima9iat with the endless recitations of battles and leaders.

My Yelsmin started 1st grade this year two and she is only 5. It is a British school and I found the first few days to be really tough on Yelsmin as she doesn't really speak English that well.

I wrote a big email detailing my problem and proposing solutions, and after a meeting with the head teacher all was well, and things are much better now.

I disagree with you on one point, and that is that Muslim schools are worse at discipline than Christian schools. First off, it is too wide a generalization. Secondly, I've always considered discipline learned in school to be a learned superficial skill, as opposed to an aspect of ones character that is meant to be developed at home.

I wish Suzan, your wife and youself all the best, and prepare to do quite a bit of tutoring at home. :)

from KG i've been to a school that teaches english and frensh very well and also other subjects. but its not as good now but anyway, at that time, my day was like suzan's and it was hard to have that fun except for the summer vacations and weekends. they had a strict system and that made a very good basics for my study and knowledge.. i guess this is good and try to make it up for her in weekends :) i guess its good for her to learn as much as she can now and get used to scheduled time. but i guess that heavy bag isnt good at all :\

I went to Saudi when I was in first grade for one semester. I didn't know a word of english, and I came back 4 months later being the top english speaker in my class. I am not a specialist or anything in the subject of education or children, but i think it's great that you have the opportunity to teacher your child both english and french at such a young age! i think that is the best time to start, and having the ability to speak three languages is a great thing.

Plus i think the best way to learn discipline is to have a tough education system!

I guess give it a shot and see how her grades are and how happy she looks ? You may be underestimating her just because she is only 6 years old :)

Thank you all for the great comments and sorry for delay in response, a combination of bad health and bad time management in ramadan.
Roba; I have been taking a good anlysis of the curriculum and although it is long but I think it is interactive and is based on comparison and use of colors and figures more than memory so maybe this can be a good build up for the student to use analytical thinking. I do agree though with your note of extracurricular activities since they start only on Thursdays after 12:00 which is the only "short" day so I decided to bring the girl home this year and maybe enroll her with some activities next year when she adapts to the tough education schedule.
Hamzeh I am also a graduate from Islamic College Jabal Amman but I have heared their level in English is no so good. Of course they are still great in national and religious education but you have to get a balanced package.

Hatem thanks for the insight on the suitability for multiple learning. I really enjoy spending time with her in studying and we discuss the themes of study in social and everyday conditions as well. The problem we do not have much time to play around together which I honestly prefer!
Observer; your point of observation is important. She seems to enjoy the school and the atmosphere now, let us see what happens in the winter when the sun rises while she is in the bus and sets when she is about to start studying!

Hamede seems we have the same issue, good luck for your daughter too.
Kinzi I can undersatnd the problem of Arabic with your son and it is hard to learn Arabic for foreigners, it needs extra efforts at all level, so I wish you all luck with him. AS for Ijtima3iat, well as you know we arabs are not winning any battles now so we have always to rely on the history and the names of leaders! Just kidding!
Sari matbe I generalized about the christian schools but in my observation of friends and relative's sons in muslim private school the discipline is weak. They always torment the teachers, form gangs, wear their best clothes to impress each other, smoke,etc..while in Christian schools they are very strict regarding such issues and that will help in reducing bad influence. In Rosary they keep changing the students in classes on yearly basis to break-down gangs and make students open new friendships and I think it is wise.

Jano weekends are important for fun and I always try to have achedule there, but our main problem is naot having two consecutive days for holiday. We have Friday and Sunday and Saturday is a class day, so Suzan cannot stay later than 10:00 even on holidays and that make sthe fun shorter!
ASDF thanks for the great insight and your statement on the suitability of learning 3 languages at an eraly stage. I think this is logical and I hope you will be a frequent visitor to this blog.

On October, 05, 2006 2:22 PM , Rula Ajeilat
from Jordan said:

hello there,
i felt like writing to you, since i faced the same situation with my child last year, my son is now starting his second grade at the same school, which seems much comfrotable than that of the last year. Things went too hard for me as for my child but believe me despite that you cannot imagine how kids have the strength to absorb that amount of knowledge and education so let her keep up the good work.

On October, 05, 2006 4:44 PM , Batir Wardam
from Jordan said:

Mrs Rula;

Thank you so much for your compforting notes. This is very useful and I hope the transition period will go smoothely. Best regards to your sosn and yourself.

I graduated from Rosary College and I believe it's the best thing I could have ever had, being fluent in English and French, I managed to live and work in any country in the world, it simply opened doors and opportunities that I would have never had, today my children attend the european school, they learn subjects in English, French, Spanish, etc, they might complain but I know in the long run, they will be able to stand up on their feet and do what ever they want to do and that's what really matter at the end of the day.

Giving your children a good decent education is the best gift you can give, today's world is tough and one day they'll look back and thank you.