Day Two In The New World

I forgot to blog a second time yesterday to report on Eloïse’s first day at basisschool.

Luckily, there were few or no more tears after we had dropped her off yesterday. Juf Yvette reported that everything was fine after we left.

Eloïse herself said that she had fun and would like to go back. She received a chocolate muffin at Bagels & Beans as a reward for doing so well on her first, nerve-racking day and proceeded to spend most of the afternoon telling us about the other children and what she’d done that morning.

Dropping her off today was much easier than yesterday. We’d said our goodbyes at 08:30 and Sarah had already left the room. I turned to leave, too, when Eloïse’s vice-like grip clenched my arm.

I was unable to reason my way away from her, but Yvette saw what was happening and quickly swooped, picking up Eloïse and asking her if she was ready to play again like yesterday. Eloïse nodded, so, before she could turn to me again, I beat a hasty retreat and closed the door behind me.

Through a slit in the covered glass panes of the door, I could see Eloïse sitting on a chair in the circle of children, a little bit red-eyed, but not crying.

I’m hoping that, by tomorrow, she’ll be confident enough to need no more reassurance. She really likes the new school and talks about wanting to be there; it’s just the reality of being left alone that demands a little bit more confidence of her than she has at this point.

After drop-off today, there was a meeting for new parents, held by a remedial teacher and an intern begeleidster (teaching coach). That was followed by a tour of the toddler classes and those of groups 1 to 6. The Vrije School (Steiner) doesn’t number the toddler classes; in the rest of the Dutch educational system, the class she’s now in would already be called Group 1.

We were given a copy of the school guidebook, told about the structure of the school and given a run-through of important information, such as how to report sickness, etc. Coffee was served, which my brain, at least, as yet unaccustomed to this new timetable, appreciated.

Afterwards, we walked through the school and got to see the children of groups 1 to 6 at work. Each class made a peaceful and orderly, yet pleasantly informal impression. The teachers were enthusiastically at work and the children looked involved. It’s only a fleeting impression, of course.

I like the way the school has received us in the first week. Neither we nor our child have been left to flounder. Information has been forthcoming and there was ample opportunity today to ask questions. I get the impression that the staff we met genuinely care about the work they are doing. They seemed thoughtful and involved in what they were doing.

If Eloïse makes the same leap tomorrow that she made today, going to school and saying goodbye to us will be routine by Monday. The most important thing is that she, herself, wants to be there. Her obstacle is internal, her own shyness, and we’ve seen in other situations that she needs only a short time to overcome this.