As a teacher in Estonia, we have a similar schedule to France, and the periodic breaks are a God send. We need time to recharge ourselves, but also we mostly use it to catch up on work and prepare new lessons, or do other projects, etc.

I actually prefer the French education system over ours in the US. Part of the reason we have so many problems in the US system is because culturally we are so focused on indivduality and being unique, that the school system will end up being dictated by the most vocal and wealthy parents, for better or worse. The school system here is more about socializing and less about actual learning, so we end up with students who are great at sports and can talk a good enough game to run for Congress yet can barely read beyond the fifth grade level and have extremely limited critical thinking and evaluation skill.

You can’t compare the school pace in France and in the US. The school day in France lasts from 8 or 8:30 am until 5 pm. A long day. In high school it can lasts until 6pm sometimes. So the rhythm 7 weeks in, 2 weeks off is adapted to long school days.

My daughter, from the US, spent 6 months in France as an exchange student at the 5th grade level. She was in a private school in both countries. It seemed she was not given a whole lot of help at adjusting to a new language and trying to learn subjects in a new language (it was an immersion program). She brought home notebooks of dictée and even her handwriting changed to a very French style. She did great personally but was definitely not given special help and said she would not want to go to school in France every year-it was too hard! I found her to have developed a certain on -point french style while there, which was very cute while it lasted! And her spoken french was very good also.

As a French person with 3 children currently living in the US, I wish school was mandatory and FREE starting at 3 y.o. here. Kids are resilient, especially at that age, they adjust quickly. It might seem tough now but you will most likely see your daughter make new friends very quickly and talk about the activities they do in class. You did not mention the "recreations" that break the day when the kids can spend some free time outside (much more often than in the US). Paris schools (2008-2009) used to have pretty cool field trips too, like going to the circus and visiting art exhibits. My children really liked their French elementary school and were about one grade ahead when we moved back to the US. Be prepared however to relearn how to do subtractions and divisions are they are taught differently in France and in the US. I feel that my children learned more in maternelle and elementary school about art in Paris than in the US, they were introduced to artists like Alexander Calder and Mondrian. I also really liked the cantine in France, kids had a well balanced hot lunch each day of the week. Both systems have their pluses and minuses. I wish I could have given my children the best of each system, the self-esteem boost and fun you get from the US, and the rigor and structure you get from the French system. Another difference, this might not be true anymore, is the absence of constant requests for donations for charities in France and the absence of "competitive fundraising" that can turn a bit weird sometimes in the US.

I have a school in my village. I love seeing the little ones playing. The teachers seem super sweet with them. There is one little guy who always calls out “ Bonjour Madam! “

I think you described the "frame" of the French education system perfectly. If you fit that frame exactly, their system is great and you will learn a lot (way more than in the U.S. for example) and be very successful. But as soon as there's anything about you that doesn't fit that frame, you're "laissé tomber", and there are not a lot of resources (and from what I've seen, not a lot of concern) to catch you if you fall. I'm sure it's not like that in every French school but that's what I've been exposed to through my French partner's experience and observing French classrooms.

I've just read a few comments as I always find interesting to see other people's reactions. First of all, thanks for this interesting video, it's nice to have the perspective of someone coming from another country. I am also a French teacher (just read a comment from a colleague) in France and I teach children from 3 to 11 years old. We have a master's degree in education to do the job, whereas in most countries, this is not the case as children from 3 to 5 go to kindergarten. The program is very well thought through and constructed in terms of cognitive development, language acquisition and other skills. As my colleague said, it is a good opportunity for children whose mother tongue is not French at home to not be left behind. So even though the children look like all they do is playing, they actually learn a lot through these activities, and their cognitive capacities can bloom from early incentives (if you're interested in children psychological development and neurosciences, check the recommendations from neuroscientists Stanislas Dehaene and Olivier Houdé, they have conferences and videos on YT). All that being said, our system is far from perfect. Regarding the mold you're talking about, I think it is true, I sadly had the experience myself being a single mom of a 5 year old who is not in that mold. I am not his teacher and was quite saddened to see the label that was put on him since he was 3 years old. Regarding the hours of schools, they indeed can change locally, as primary schools depend on the budget of the mayor of the town. There are meetings 3 times per year between the school director, teachers, mayor and counselors and parents' representatives who are elected (you can be a candidate if you are willing to invest time in your child's school life) to decide the school rules, including the hours. Most schools in France have a 4-day week from Monday to Tuesday and Thursday to Friday but there are exceptions. The budget of the school also depends on the will and politics of each town's mayor. I have worked in schools where it was not the mayor's priority to invest in the school and the money was very short to buy supplies and books. That's why parents' associations and teachers try to organise events to raise funds. If you find that your child is too young to have a full school day and cannot sleep properly with her peers in the afternoon, you can ask for a derogation to the teacher and school director, they will explain the procedure, it is done quite often, a lot of children (not the majority though) only do half a day and then you can choose a nanny if you are working or some ask the grandparents to look after their grandchild, it depends on each family's situation. Regarding the holidays, they are a lot, but the children need those breaks, school is intense. Most cities in France, even small villages organise "leisure centres / holiday camps" for children whose parents work (the majority of course), they are usually inexpensive. Hope this gave you some insights, feel free to comment if you have a specific question.

Interesting for me to listen to your vidéo. As a French person who has been living 20 years abroad between the UK and Germany and having experienced childcare and schooling in these 2 countries. I wouldn't say that the reason for such a low ratio of adults to children is due to the fact that it is free. As a comparison, school starts at the age of 4 in the UK but before then there is simply no state owned or subsidised childcare. So in the UK, you have to use privately run childcare for a serious amount of money, 4 years ago when I used to live there, we paid about 1500 euro per month for 12 months (did not matter if you were away), frankly for nothing special but one adult looks after 3 kids. Having moved to Germany when my child turned 3 we got to experience the German Kindergarten otherwise la maternelle. It is state run but not free. A lot cheaper than the UK obviously for about 350 euro per month. Similar approach to the French maternelle in the sense that children are encouraged to just get on with it. I know your feeling that a 2 year old needs help. I felt exactly like you but give your little one some time and you will be impressed by how much she will be able to do herself. Kids are much tougher than us mothers are able to see, which is normal as your natural instinct is to always be there for them. Now the big difference between a German Kindergarten and a French maternelle is in the philosophy of what's meant to be achieved during those 3 years. In Germany, it's zero academic and structured learning and rather learning through play and being outdoors as much as possible. Germans see childhood as a sacred time for play and no child is taught how to read and write before the official start of school at 6. All in all, the German system gets the thumpd up from me. The French system is however the best for your finances. Good luck with this new phase in your life.

My daughter is in the same situation as yours since she was born in december 19. She's two and a half in a class of 28 kids, mixed petite section and moyenne section, so some kids are 2 solid years older than her in the class... At that age yes the beginnings are quite difficult (I had the reverse experience with my oldest who was born in january, and was 3 and a half when he started school, and it's really different, much easier), but you'll see they adjust quite fast and learn autonomy and so much more! I like it that in France we treat very young children as pupils who are actually able to learn, first how to behave in society, how to take care of themselves (at least for very simple things at first like putting their shoes on etc), then more scholar subjects.

Just a little nuance to take into account: education is mandatory in France until the age of 16, but school is not. So French parents can choose to send their kids to public schools with the system described in this video. But they can also choose to home-school their kids or send them to private schools (the fully private expensive kind with zero state funding). Parents usually choose the latter when they disapprove of the teaching methods in regular state schools. However private schools and home-schooling are a lot more state regulated in France than in the US and must undergo quality controls. Every year this raises controversies because of kids who do not reach the required level of education. I think it can be summed up in this concept that education is as much a right as it is a duty.

As an American kid who spent part of childhood in England (and now an American elementary school teacher who student taught in England), I vastly, vastly prefer the British school calendar (which is similar to France, but goes through mid-July) over the more typical American school calendar.

Wow, super interesting. It explains a lot how independent and confident I find the people, and kids, to be here in France.

Hi :) I'm a french school teacher teaching 3 years-old kids so this video made me laugh a bit. I'm actually half english and I know the french school seems really weird from a foreign point of view! 22 children is actually a very small group of kids! You should be happy about it (lol). Also, l'école maternelle is usually quite positive and encouraging (compared to what comes afterwards) and very different from what you have starting from 6 and onwards. I'm sure your daughter will get used to it eventually. The reduced number of adults is made on purpose. That's why it is called school and not "kindergarden" or another name. And it wasn't compulsery until 2019. However all kids went to l'école maternelle regardless so you probably would have put your daughter in school anyway even though it wouldn't have been mandatory. Also, the teacher has the same level of education as any other teachers (elementary/high school) and it is usually considered a good way for kids from the immigration to be exposed to an adult with a good level of speach from an early age. The kids are taught to do basic stuff on their own and to socialise with other kids and they're usually happy about it although the first month can be stressfull for both kids and parents. Most teachers will help the younger one (november / december kids) and we give them special attention. I'm sure it will all work fine for your little Eleanor :) Bon courage ! The first weeks are the hardest! Also for the weird timetable... blame the president... It used to be school on monday/tuesday/thursday/friday with fixed hours. ^^'

Oh no, no positivity, ever. I remember when i went from the US to french elementary, i asked why they used a punishment based system instead of a rewards based system and they looked at me like i had antlers.

A great video! I hope that over the years as Eléonore goes through her education (primaire, collège, lycée etc) we'll get to hear your thoughts about each stage!

As a Brazilian, the amount of holidays in both countries shocks me so much hahaha. In Brazil, as students, we have a bit over 1 month of summer holiday, that starts just before Christmas and ends at the end of January (opposite seasons) and we have around 2 weeks during winter (July). That's it. Plus the usual bank holidays. Also every day is the same, Monday to Friday. :)

Franco-American couple here with a kid from November who started school this year, and I am the same age as you 😉 I love your videos, we are very much on the same page on everything you share. 😊

The sooner kids learn social rules, the better. Less pampers kids, less helicopter mums, less king kids.

this was extremely educational, thanks for sharing! The variable weekly schedule and the 6 weeks on, 2 weeks off sounds stressful for taking care of the child. But if I were coming from a kid's perspective, especially an older kid, they would probably really like the regular breaks!

Hi, I just came across your video. When my children went to school in France the Maternal wasn’t obligatoire! This is very recent, sending your child to the maternal at 3 years old. For my daughter I just took her in the mornings and she had lunch at home and a nap. My son went just two full days for the first year. School actually starts in the CP, this is normally when the children start to learn to read and write. I was fortunate enough not to have to work, just as well with the children off on holiday every 6 weeks. It’s a choice. I couldn’t face other people looking after my children, crèches, études before and after school, garderies, centre de loisirs etc. Wednesdays when there was no school my children played sports. Being British not working for me was my option ( private catholic school) and all the other expenses were more than a smic per month! The French education system is amazing, culturally and educationally superior to the education I received in England. Education for me is everything. Knowledge is all ! I wish you the best of luck. Everything revolves around your children in France. Mxx

Really interesting to hear. I was born (in the US) in October, and my Mom pushed for me to have the calendar year schedule so I could start early. I was always one of the youngest in my classes because the rule was usually that Fall babies had to wait another year--it meant I started college before I turned 18 and couldn't do driver's ed with my classmates on the same schedule. Funny to hear that this would have been normal in the french context because I was one of the exceptions in the US system.

Even of you didn't take a vacation in the summer you still know it's la rentrée... for collegues. So they keep asking how the summer was (you were at work!) and you have to say very nice, thank you 😊

I went to a lycee francais in Africa ! When I moved to the states I literally felt freedom after 15 years ( jardin d’enfant to 3emes). US school system was a breeze and your teacher is like your friend ☺️

Interesting video! About the potty training I red there was a law novelty in france: it is no more mandatory for kids to be “propre” at the age of 3. But there is of course the social pressure I can imagine… Here in Germany kids go with age 3 to the kindergarten. The groups are bigger than at crèche. But it is way more playful approach than school. I can remember from my kindergarten-time, that there were special preschool courses for the oldest. But again this was just learning to write your own name or something. I would’ve been interested in learning reading at an earlier age. But each system has it’s downsides or advantages!

Canada seems to be a combination of France and USA. Two month break in summer, two weeks at Christmas, and one week at March Break. And kids start based on calendar year. School hours tend to be 9 am to 3:30pm.

As usual interesting. The rentrée is really a fresh start. You've had a long break, your June problems seem so far away. In January you're exhausted because Hollydays season is exhausting. And December is too close you don't have to to forget what happened. Your school schedule is difficult because Paris has classes on Wednesday morning. I am not sure you can do that in Paris, but in other cities with different schedule, you can send your child to school only the morning in Petite Section (your Éléonore's class). Yes kids must be potty trained but if accidents happend (and they DO happen) the teacher and her assistant will take care of it. Yes it is kind of strict, not very friendly to parents, yes there is much room for improvement. But one year difference in a class is not big deal. Not only can it be interesting for older kids to be with younger ones (especially when there are two classes into one), but it doesn't mean that the younger one will have difficulties to follow up with the older kids. School start this young to try to narrow the the gap between kids whose parents have little education and/or less time to be with them with kids whose parents are educated and/or have time to open them up to culture. It is not always enough and the way the parents are with their children (voluntarily or not), alas often continues to make a difference.

About the strictness, I do understand your concern. I was a bit older (12) when I came to France from the Netherlands. People always find this weird, but I found the strictness reassuring. My Dutch teachers all had their own rules, some were OK with being called by their first name, others weren't. In France, the rules were homogeous and very clear. It gave more structure and routine, which I liked. So don't be too put off by that, it is not that bad.

Missing school at la maternelle it is not a big deal . It is mandatory at 3 but there are in some places jardins d’enfants that can replace school and where the atmosphère resemblance more day care but they are not free . Regarding potty training. They are really flexible on that especially at the beginning.

Just for information. I'm french and live in La Réunion (french overseas territory) and our "rentrée" doesn't have the same dates as mainland France and same goes for other french overseas territories. Here we starts school back in mid august (our july vacations are shorter because season are reversed in south hemisphere) and in january we get a month and a half (it's our summer)

There are so many different educational philosophies and I'm pretty convinced that they all work. The key to success for students isn't the philosophy (play only/student led/teacher led/direct instruction/project based...). The key is parents and how school is discussed at home. It's the larger culture of the parents in the area or at the school that will set the tone for the children and how they respond to what is being offered.

When I was the same age of your daughter, I only went half a day to school for the first few months and then the all day after Christmas break. Being diaper free was also a rule when I was little. I am not surprised. For those who were not, they could not go to school. And some were starting the "petite section" in January then. I don't know if it's still possible or not...

I interned in an American elementary school in 2015-2016 and then I was a language assistant in a French elementary school 2018-2019. I was surprised by how much less fun school looked for kids in France versus the U.S. It didn't seem like the American elementary students were learning less the teachers just made what they were learning more fun.

Give your little one extra hugs and snuggles (I'm sure you will). I totally agree with you about a not-even-3-year-old being subjected to such rigidity being more of a bug than a feature of the system. (And, if you have any mind tricks you use for remembering féminin/masculin, try to find one for "la rentrée" (féminin) -- maybe just remembering the spelling with the extra "e" at the end?)

So interesting… we are in New England (U.S.) and we start around 1st week of September.. 1 week feb vacation another spring vacation in April and then mid June off for the summer, and of course many single days off for various holidays. I like the idea of 2 weeks off 6 weeks on but if I worked full time it would be frustrating.

School has been mandatory at three for only 2 or 3 years. Before that 95% of three year olds went to school, but they usually only went on mornings for the first trimester. The cost of "périscolaire" dépends each town, and on how much you earn.

I am from December, so lived all of my education as being the youngest (or at the very least among them). I actually liked the setting, the difference is not lived that much as a kid, but it is there and probably does push you a bit. The one exception being sport classes, not only I am from end of the year, but did not exactly grow early, so I found the level to reach to be equal to the others totally unfair for a long time: try to beat someone who's leg are twice yours in a sprint!! Ok, a bit of an exageration, but pretty much felt like that. But for the classes that needed only what's in your head, I think being young in the class is a plus, at least I have lived it as one. Also, teachers do know you are younger and pay attention to it (at least it was the case in my experience... a few dozen years ago). As for the schdule, get used to it, it gets worse as you progress through the school years... Good luck to your daughter for her first year, she's a kid, she'll adapt probably better than yourself!

mommy is so anxious!

French school schedules have always driven me bonkers. I remember seeing students’ schedules when I was a language assistant and I used to ask myself, "how do they remember all this? It’s a completely different schedule every day.” Not only that, but the schedules were pretty vague too. They just had the hours (8 AM, 9 AM, etc.), but the classes didn’t start on the hour. They had to refer to the school bell schedule to know the precise time. It was the same for me on my emploi du temps.

NYC public schools have the same rules according to the calendar, you can start kindergarten at 4 if you turn 5 by 12/31.

Hi ! I don’t know where you live in France but I grew up in Basque Country and our director in elementary school did not care if we missed school to go on vacation for example. He valued it as still learning. Usually the teacher or a friend in class would get us the homework we would do before going back to catch up. I guess it depends on the region since we have quite different way of thinking about life here ? We were independent very young and living close to the beach, I could go there alone with friends during the summer at age 10 I think (CM2). And for the vacation, we used to go one week to our grandparents on my father’s side and one week on my mother’s side ! Grandparents and family in general is, I feel, a big part of growing up in France. We had a nanny usually in the summer since my parents worked in a summer touristic area. Also, check out « centre aéré » or « centre de loisir » when your daughter will be older ! Lots of kids, including us, went at least once in our life. Kind of like a « colonie de vacances » but just during the day time.

The rules about attendance are a big topic of discussion in my house. I, American, grew up in a family where my parents would 1. Give me a mental health day once a semester that I could take with no justification and 2. take us on vacation during school time at least once a year in elementary school since it was cheaper 😂 most of my memorable learning experiences at that age came from things I did outside of school. Don’t get me wrong, I am a huge supporter of public schools! :) but my French husband is horrified that I could just miss school.

My French classes follow the vacances scolaires schedule, though we don't start till the end of September (they do this because the instructors usually have kids and don't wanna stress them out in the beginning of September). As for age of starting school, in California when I started school, the cut off date for kindergarten back in 1985 when I started was December 1st (interpreted as those born Dec 2nd and after), I was born in the middle of November, and at least when I started you were 5 years old in kindergarten, so yeah, for my first 3 months I was 4 years old. I never skipped nor was held back (though it nearly happened twice more because of my age not my academic scores and stuff), so I graduated high school at 17 years old, that also meant I had to have my parents sign off on everything for me for legal stuff like junior college and the like for like 5 months after finishing high school 😂😂😂😂 I don't understand the class sizes here, if it was the US I'd understand, but not here, they have the funds. When I was living and teaching in Korea in the schools I was in and the from observing the Montessori school a block from my place, class size for that age was never bigger than 10, but ideally 6 per teacher. But also school at that age wasn't mandatory, actually I think school isn't mandatory till 1st grade in Korea. And in Korea the structure and things they learn in elementary are more student centered and not a whole lot of rote learning, it's quite the opposite for middle and high school there, but I've always said elementary school like in Korea is what I would like to grow up in, not a lot of vacation time, but school time is short (typically 9 to 2:30 from 3rd to 6th, and 9 to 1 for 1st and 2nd), the schedule easy to follow, the classwork engaging, rarely any homework usually, best school lunches of any country (even France, I've seen the school lunch menus for the schools in my area, Korean ones have them beat by a 100, lol,) teachers aren't super strict though can when needed to be, and back when Moon Jae-in became president they got rid of corporal punishment, (that's a long story but let's just say I have experience witnessing it in Korean schools). We don't have any kids, but we had talked and we said we didn't want to raise them in the States because education there can be all over the place and probably not well-rounded and it depended solely on teachers and stuff, but now I don't know if I wanna raise a kid in the French system just for the environment, sounds horrible. I don't even know if I was potty trained by 2, all I remember was my mom telling me I had to stop sucking my thumb before I started school

on the small holidays my kid would go to daycare which occcured in school so basically i would send him to school and he would just play all day with his buddies so no change of rythm for toussaint, winter or easter..

Interesting video. We have the same school holiday system in Irish school. Plus there was often a bank holiday too. We were almost entirely agricultural country until a few decades ago. Is it would make sense. The only thing is we start between 4-6 yo

I know it must be overwhelming to you but you'll see once it all gets going and you are used to the days and times. You will see Ellenor flourish and enjoy being busy. i was a NYC teacher for over 25+ years in early childhood. prek- 2nd. Kids adapt yes, there will be those who have a little difficulty in the beginning but with good teachers and parents to encourage them they will be fine. I wish when my kids were young they had a school that was free starting at 3. Childcare and nursery school are so expensive. Did you have a NOUNOU for your daughter when she was young? or a Crèche? my niece said they were reasonably priced. In NYC its way out of range for most parents and though there is Headstart its usually only 2-3 hours a day. good luck

This is so interesting. I’m a teacher in England and we have a similar system to the French by the sounds of it. School here is free, but parents can pay to put their children in private schools. The main difference between public and private schools in England are the class sizes. Public schools have up to 30-36 children per class, sometimes with no teaching assistant whereas private schools have half as many children and twice as many staff. All schools in England have terms that last between 6 and 7 weeks long with regular breaks (some breaks are 1 week, some are 2 weeks, summer is between 6 and 7 weeks) and these breaks are so so important for teachers self-care and for us to keep on top of work load! We teach a very specific curriculum for every year group, all things on the curriculum must be taught by the end of the academic year. I imagine it’s the same in France. We also are trained to support and guide children in their social and emotional developments and encourage individuality, alongside having high expectations for achievement academically.

As an Australian, American and French systems sound like a nightmare lol We had four terms of max 10 weeks each, with two week breaks in between and then a longer break over Christmas (summer for us). But we didn’t get more breaks because we had longer days - school was still 9am-3pm… I feel like we learned enough 💁‍♀️ not sure what France is doing with those extra hours every day and extra years as a child but it sounds awful lol

Also a big problem in france is there aren't enough teachers so I know that teachers in my kids school for the maternal just had a months training...

Oh , hi! I completly agree with You , the rules in maternelle are crazy ...and the food was wrylly not for little people ... like sos vinegree with salad...most of the children didn’t eat this food ... we talked to the director and asked for more simple dishes but it didn’t work unfortunately ... well , good luck!

First year of pre school is pretty much like daycare, it is playing and nap that s it, also you are allowed to put your kid in school only in the morning. Also because I left my child only the mornings my child did wear diapers during her entire first year. Teacher gonna ask you to try but if its not working they will adjust.

Hi. France is a state not a federal union like the USA so back-to-school (la rentrée des classes) is decided at the state level for écoles primaires and highschool. Except for this date, key holiday dates are slightly different for each of the zones (3 zones). This is to avoid having a big traffic rush (everybody having the same holiday dates). So to re-use your analogy, France and Germany have different back-to-school dates like Geogia and Kansas. Universities in France have different starting dates (start a bit later). US vs FR rythm of holiday. Like the US had a strong agriculture and so there were 3 month vacation because of this but not any more. Why? Because women use to stay home to manage children, now, often both parents work and they cannot afford to entertain their children for 3 months in one go. US all year round vs FR 2 weeks holidays: in highschools the program is very intense with loads of home work (that will spoil a part of your week end) and exams call for preparation. Because of this intense rythm in France, there is a need for periodic breaks. Also these exams (by tremester and by subject (math, French, English, Physics, etc) will help decide if you can pass to the next class, "redouble" (re do the same class again) or be expelled (if you are really bad). So why enforce this system to "smaller classes" (pre-highschool or Kindergarten)? This is because, often parent have more than one child and having them with the same holiday dates make things easier.

Our school is different, our kids come home for lunch and nap time can be at home and Wednesdays no school.

The rhythm of the school year, and the end of school day variance is probably why au pairs are a thing, because FR isn't the only European country that does that (or some variation of it).

It's normal to ask the child how your return to school went! the child dreads a new class, new friends, he may be in a different class from his friends, new teacher....

Lots of US schools use calendar year age - growing up in CA that was common

According to my parents, France used to have about 3 months of holidays in the summer for the exact same reason than the US, but they progressively reduced it to 2 months (9 weeks I believe) and put some of these weeks of vacation in the "petites vacances", those that are spread during the school year. But in Europe, France is one of the countries that have the longest summer break, and this is known as one of the main reasns why French students are not as successful as those of the neighbouring countries, because they forget what they learn during this long break (I experienced that with a 2 month long break, and I can't imagine what it is with 3.5 months). I don't know if you heard about "cahiers de vacances" ? School being mandatory from 3 is in fact quite recent (3 to 5 years old, I don't know exactly when) and I find it great, but the teachers being strict because they are only 2 for 20 to 25 children is not necessarily a cultural thing. You are now facing the traditional French "manque de moyens" : there are rules put in place by governments but it's too expensive/too difficult to make them "work" properly so the same governments don't provide enough teachers/equipment... for the law to be applied in good conditions.

J'apprécie la vidéo mais c'est "la rentrée"

I was born in the United States, but my parents taught me to write my name and read before preschool, because that's how it originally worked where they were from. Parents should be involved in this from day one. When I was a teenager I was sent to their hometown to learn their mother tongue perfectly without an accent and let me tell you the school system is hard 😭 I was humbled and went to a private school. In order to be considered for the private school, I have to learn all the history and culture 😭 and also be up to date with my studies as when I get back to the States it will be approved as well. It was a headache. I felt very behind and it opened my eyes to how other countries prepare students without any sensitivity, they told me. In “America” we are very spoiled… being able to attend 2 school systems allows me to prepare for the real world. I understand your frustration, but your child will benefit greatly ❤

To be precise, overseas regions of France don't have the same school year as the Metropole, because seasons are different.

Oof…you and I should talk (American kid thrust into French public school for one year in 5th grade). All I can say is that a the French are stern with their children…all those rules…that’s exactly the environment your child is in. I’m told that ‘La Crèche’ is gentle, but when they start school, they’ll already be reading and writing in cursive. My sister was in 2nd the grade and only knew how to write in print. The French teacher couldn’t handle my sister’s lack of penmanship, and she was sent to a different remedial classroom. My French teacher was more welcoming of the non-French speaking American, and I spent fifth grade with the general neighborhood French kids. By Christmas, the Parisians couldn’t tell I wasn’t French when I spoke. But French school is HARD core. It was the most stressful year of school I ever experienced (when I came back for my year abroad, French University was EASY and a completely different way experience). In CM2, when the teacher handed back our assignments, he announced the grades to the whole class, starting with the top grade. The lower the grade, the more public shaming the student received. You did NOT want to be the student with the lowest grade. School was such a stressful environment that I was physically ill the entire year, and those two weeks off were desperately needed. As to the child care situation: if you ask around, you might find out that a lot of families where both parents are working have a ‘jeunne fille.’ France issues student and nanny visas. If you offer room and board the the student, (probably small pay as well…not sure). Basically, you pretty much want live-in help.

Can you homeschool if you want to in France? I've been homeschooling now for 3 years in California. Our schools are overcrowded and not so good here. It's made a huge difference in my grandson's life. Do they have any flexible programs to fit children's different learning styles?

First comment and then watch the video, but seriously so excited to see a new one.

Hey! Please let us know the lunch menu for your daughter. Thanks!

It sounds like the school day in France at least overlaps a little more closely with the work day. In the US work is "nine to five" but I remember having to go to school at stupid-oclock AM in high school, like six-thirty or seven. So if you had kids that you had to get to school, that meant that your day basically started as early as theirs did. As a former outside-the-box kid and a current outside-the-box adult, I don't think I would have fit in in the French school system. I had a hard enough time in the American school system. Maybe the Netherlands would have been more my speed.

It's so interesting learning about theses cultural differences. Not to be too picky but it sounds like you are saying "Le" rentrée when it definitely should be "La" rentrée.

Hi! I am from California and my son is 4 years old and is diagnosed as being on the spectrum. He receives amazing services here in the US. I am curious to know how France supports children with special needs in your experience? xo from LA

My daughters both started at 2 cause they turned 3 before January. What I find annoying is that she's expected to be more grown up and act more sensible than her friend in the class before born January 1st...

Really Liked your video. That’s your first « rentrée » and discovered What every French parents as to deal with. But don’t worry… you’ll soon be used to it and find way to deal with all this issues. French school system isn’t perfect but i guess it’s One of the best😜

A little fun fact i didn't see mentioned in the video is that France is divided into 3 zones when it comes to school (I've never known who is in what zone exactly ) but that means that depending on the zone, vacations starts and end at different times for winter break and spring break

yes a French child no longer has diapers at 3 years old...it's another education...a well-behaved child knows how to sit on a chair around a table and he doesn't need 5 adults around him. if in France after 3 years it is rare for a child not to be potty trained! on the other hand when I go to the USA and I see a 3 and a half year old child with a diaper it shocks me! at two and a half years old your child should no longer have a diaper (this is the average) there is no pressure on the child just education, the child knows how to self-control

You make me be scared to have a baby here in France… I wouldn’t like to have my 3yo in “school“ already….by the way, I am a professional with over 12 years experience in my job and I still get schooled by some of my college in Paris. I am horrified sometimes…

L'instruction est obligatoire pour tous les enfants, français et étrangers, à partir de 3 ans et jusqu'à l'âge de 16 ans révolus. Vous pouvez choisir de scolariser votre enfant dans un établissement scolaire (public ou privé). Vous pouvez aussi demander l'autorisation d'assurer vous-même cette instruction.

Wow, 2 and 3 years old? That’s. Kind of crazy, they’re babies.

Wow this is one of the only reasons I prefer the us now. What if you want to be a stay at home mom? Two years old is way way way way too young for so so so much. I'm going on 4.5 years of being a stay at home mom with a part time preschool (like 3 hours 3 days a week).

This is so interesting. As a retired educator in the US, I am curious about what happens when that 2 year old is not potty trained, or cognitively or behaviorally ready? There are so many more options for parents in the US. Not a better system than France, just different. Home schooling, online schooling, school of choice (if space is available, you can go to another school in your area), charter schools (smallish public schools operated like a private school), magnet schools (public schools for advanced learners), private schools, and of course public schools. My head is spinning as I am listing these-this is part of the problem. Our US system is very inconsistent. Of course with all the options we have, we can sometimes offer a creative, dynamic approach to education, which is a positive. Giving options to families has become part of our culture (where individual needs are emphasized). And there are excellent educational opportunities to be had in the US, but the standards vary and are based on location.

Of all the things you mentioned the only one that I believe is objectively a bad thing is that our children have to start school at 3 years old. My family with four kids (ages 5mo-8 years) moved to France last year and have already gone through a school year, and our world has been turned upside down by the strictness of the school system. The expectations for little French babies to fit into a rigid French mold has been the most stressful part of our new lives, and while it's not the end of the world and our kids will eventually adjust, it's been pretty hard. Regardless of if your children go to daycare or have a parent home with them, at 3 years old they need personal and affectionate care, not "éducation" (the cultural training). Anyway, I really appreciate your videos! You helped make our understanding of French culture a little easier before we moved and after too. Keep it up!

School is not mandatory, education is. Kids are not obliged to go to school if parents can provide proof of other types of education. The biggest home school reference is the CNED. L'école maternelle is not mandatory, my mom didn't attend maternelle (she really regret it because when she arrived at elementary she was completely lost...)

The French school system is definitely not big on positive reinforcement. Getting a compliment from a French teacher is a quasi-impossible mission. I live in Canada and many of my colleagues are French immigrants. One of them was visibly shocked on the day after his first parent-teacher meeting. For the first time ever, he heard his son's teachers say positive things about him. I had to explain to him that teachers are trained to detect weaknesses but are also encouraged to point out strengths.

Being potty trained is a big one for the 1st year. Missing a day is not a big deal, just say that she is sick. Honestly when I look back at my time in maternelle (pre-school) I think sometimes it was too much. We over-estimate some little things that are not such a big deal, just like the fact that children can be tired. I agree with the concept of positivity at that age. Although the thing in France is that we start we the ugly: the mandatory stuff, the not so much fun stuff. So in September it might look quite rough for you. Very in your face, not so welcoming, especially because we are not people pleasing (the least we can say). Then, you'll see it will be easier, fingers crossed ;)

It’s been a year now : do you still feel so anguished about what happens to your kid « out there » ? Has she adapted smoothly, despite of course the crying when you leave her there in the morning ? We lived in Greece for 3years, our daughter was only two when we dropped her at kindergarten, she didn’t even speak the language. She adapted smoothly and spoke better Greek,than us. The only advice we could give : don’t fret, Eleanor will feel your anguish and,it’ll then be a self fulfilling prophecy of problems.

Excellente remarque sur les classes de 22 élèves en moyenne. Un vrai probleme, c'est bien de l'évoquer :)

I was born in in 1981 in America. When and where I went to school, the rules were closer to that of France from what you just said. Hall pass to leave the classroom. No missing school unless you are sick Fail if you miss more than x amount of days regardless. No time for that neurodivergent stuff. If you have too many problems, it's special bed or line you up with a tutor. I've heard heard certain schools now can't even fail you. Or will duck out due to fear of being sued. So if it seems like people are getting stupider, that's why. There are pros and cons to both sides of course But the point is I think it matters how old you are and where you live.

Just for your info school is only mandatory in France from 6 to 16 years old. Maternelle is actually optional. Of course if your kid doesn't attend maternelle where they actually start to learn their alphabet and put the foundations for further reading and calculus and isn't home schooled it might be tough to only start at 6 in the CP class. To be honest I think it's a great opportunity for kids and as you said it's free, unlike day care .. Your daughter will love it. Don't you worry. And 22 kids is a very good number of kids for a clasd

I know it's crazy proper school meaning sitting at desk and start writing at barely 3! It's crazy. Fortunately she is a girl and girls tend to adapt faster to school environment, maybe because the whole educational system worldwide is a feminised sector. My boys at 7 found it hard to sit at desk and do writing exercises. Courage!

The French government is making efforts to reduce the number of kids per teacher in kindergarten. Hopefully the situation will improve.

Unterricht liegen im Bereich Schule, Hochschule, Gymnasium. Eltern sind besorgt und verantwortlich für die Erziehung ihrer Kinder. Im Französischen hatte ich große Probleme, den Unterschied zwischen Unterricht und Bildung zu erkennen

Farmers plow their fields in spring and harvest in summer...just saying there is a difference :)

What you need to know about potty training: staff (teachers, assistants etc...) aren't allowed to wipe kids after a poop. It's literally illegal. They can't touch their private parts. The best they can do is to give them vocal direction to help them.

It is "la rentrée "

School is mandatory at 6 not 3 but they can start at 3 , It’s also better for the parents who work as well.

Couple things : it's proonounced LA rentree, not LUH, it's annoying to hear. There is no "federal level" in France because France is not a federation there is just one state. There are not 30 million school kids in school in France, not even remotely close !

I went to high school my senior year in France and I had a very different experience. The students were on their phones, talking over the teacher, talking and not paying attention.

As the mother of a special needs kid, not being able to homeschool or having a large class size. Would have been problems.

Don’t worry about age of your child, schools are used to take care of. Problems are rare exceptions.

It's *la rentrée :)

Oh yes! I am in shock right now. Really such little kids must go to school with all those restrictions and rules at age of 3??! Children enter a kindergarden at that age, where they play and start developing social relations, slowly. You are completly right, Kate, having all these doubts. Take care!

It's great that the kids can go home for lunch and nap if there is a parent/grandparent/babysitter etc. around, that is a nice option. But I absolutely hate the expectations placed upon TODDLERS at 2-3 years old. They absolutely do need help, they still do have pee/poop accidents from time to time, and overall just need more support. I just think it is also a matter of finances, the gov't doesn't want to pay for a 3rd adult in the classroom. It would be ideal to have more teachers in the room for the youngest kids, and less rules about them doing things alone/independently. There is nothing wrong with being more hands on with kids in the early years.

I feel like there is a negative bias towards every analysis you make when comparing French and the us (even though you politely sometimes pinpoint the advantages of the French system). I think it’s because you compare France with not the US experience in general, but the US experience of a privileged (white) person. When I read comments on American parenting boards, I understand that for a lot of moms in big cities, the cost of daycare is close to 2000 dollars a month per child. And you would have to pay that for 6 years ? I don’t understand how the benefits of mandatory free school for all can be seen as so low in your value system. Not trying to hate, Im interested in your analysis which is why I’m subscribed but I feel like it’s a very narrow way of looking at things.

Even though most children will be put into schools aged 3, school is mandatory for children aged 6! From my (French) perspective (I started school in the morning when I turned 2!), these rules are good in the sense that from a very young age children gain social awareness. It’s probably partly why there’s that myth of the “well-behaved French child”… though that one clearly is a myth! 😂