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Originally Posted by Clanky2011
Thanks all for the sage and understanding replies! To be honest, I think the option of going back to Japan and supporting my daughter should any problems arise back at school would be the better one. The UK is rapidly turning out to be a difficult and unfriendly place to live for a family.
I do worry a little that 2 years away from the Japanese education system might go against my daughter, but also think that we could bring her back up to speed through kanji and other lessons at home.  |
Although the idea may be unappealing to you, and probably your daughter, a good idea might be to look into putting her into special education classes for the first semester or two back in Japan. Most schools offer 2 or 3 different types of special education classes, and one of them is focused on bringing children up to grade level in their weak areas through one on one tutoring. Children who are particularly weak in one subject (say kanji in your daughter's case) leave the regular classroom during those classes and work one on one with a teacher. Once up to grade level, it is just a matter of consulting with the teachers to move back to regular classes.
I don't know about the area where you would be living, but schools around here are very willing to work with parents. My son is currently in first grade and I have really found the rumors of Japanese schools being cold, strict and inflexible places about as far from reality as possible. Of course, you have to make the first move - but after you do they are incredibly eager to improve the experience for the children. (Within reason, of course. I have seen foreign parents frustrated when the school doesn't want to teach by a different textbook, or to use a different curriculum, etc...
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Something you may find helpful to look into now, before moving, would be the Benesse home study courses. They have them for every grade level, and I believe they will send them abroad without difficulty. At the very least, it would give you a good idea of the gaps between your daughter's current schooling and what is standard for the same grade in Japan... And give you a course of study to start at home to prepare her.
You said you have two children? How old is your second?