Preschools in Paris

[sohyun78]

Hi, I am a mom of two, who is planning to move to Paris in the summer. My older one is 3.5, and currently going to a preschool in America. She will be 4 by the time we move there, and she will be Pre-K in American terms. I am looking for a preschool in Paris, and to be honest, I am bit overwhelmed and confused... Help!!

These are the schools I found..

1. Bilingual Montessori School
2. EaB

3.EabJM 4.Eurecole

We are planning on staying for a year or two, and we want her to be in a warm and welcoming atmosphere where both languages are spoken. I want her to learn French naturally without being stressed. She is rather a shy kid and we've been working on building her self-esteem.

• Another question: Any idea why EaB is so much more expensive than EabJM?

Quick question about schedule for different years.

Would petite sections run half days at most schools? 5 days a week?

What about moyenne section--is that then full days 5 days a week?

Trying to get a sense of scheduling!

'elllo, can't believe this thread has been going for so long and no-one, bonsoir, told me about it - chaaaarmin' indeed !!!

My dd is IN EaB Petit Monceau - we luff it for the ambience, the status English is given and the understanding of how to teach children the French curriculum who are learning in French that is their additional language. The English, for her, is fun but the expectations the school have are much lower than her potential and so my dd has an English tutor too.

I have a super friend who is a teacher and has children at both Le Petit Cours du Rocher and EaB. She will be a VERY useful contact for you. Personal message me your e-mail and I will put the two of you in contact.

PS is all day Mon/Tues and Thurs/Fri in all schools - EaB Monceau is exceptional in doing half days only.

Maternelle and primary are 24 hours per week over four days in France - three hours per morning and three hours per afternoon.

teafortwo - can your friend who is a teacher at EaB tell me when Mrs S is going to retire? Critical piece of information we are looking for...

Thanks teafortwo! I first need to figure out how to personal message....

It is great to hear your firsthand account of eab! Sounds really great!

Is your dd English first language?what aspects of monceau have you found not challenging if any?

Any thoughts on le petit cours du rocher that come to mind?

How do families feel about best school if we only envision living in Paris for a year or two?

Bonsoir - My friend is a HOT teacher but doesn't teach there anymore because Mrs S was meant to phone her to organise timetables, type of contract, I don't know etc etc for next year. Mrs S didn't call so friend called her. Mrs S said "Ha ha ha - oh yes I was supposed to phone you but forgot. I am busy right now but will call you back." Of course she never did, friend got nervous of anything being organised and understandably said "yes" to another less messy offer (Funnily enough I think she is currently teaching a child of a friend of yours). For EaB, really.

nyctoparis -

Is your dd English first language?what aspects of monceau have you found not challenging if any?

My dd's strongest language is English because she speaks English with me but she was born in France, went to a French family once a week from the age of one, then also attended a French creche aged two for two afternoons a week and communicates with dh in French.

DD is ripe to learn to read in English and wants to have fairly sophisticated (for a four year old) discussions about character, setting, plot etc which would happen in the UK but doesn't happen at EaB because they are learning initial phonemes in French they feel it would confuse them. My dd said "Can I have a drawing of what letters and sounds are the same and different in French?" This is not a question of a confused child! I also worry about here vocabulary development in English.

Any thoughts on le petit cours du rocher that come to mind?

The two Mothers I know who have sent their children to Le Petit Cours du Rocher are English and find it more 'touchy feely' and intimate than EaB for nursery. It is a tiny school with a good reputation places are hard to come by and they basically all feed into EaB for primary. I think it is probably a good place for very sensitive, quiet children while they are there but then I wonder if they feel terribly lost and afraid starting the in comparitively big EaB in CP which is a very important year for French children and infact, perhaps they would have been better off experiencing nursery at EaB to slowly prepare them.

How do families feel about best school if we only envision living in Paris for a year or two?

It depends - what do you want your children to get out of living in Paris...? If you want them to keep up their English at all costs send them to the American school, British school (swoon - love!) or Marymount. If you want them to learn French while still developing in English EaB + English tutor if they are above or below 'average Jo' would be my advice...

WOW - big post!!!

Teafortwo, I would like to get in touch with your friend too. I am interested to find out more about le petit cours du rocher. I will send you a message with my email address. Thanks a lot!!

Question re. Le Petit Cours du Rocher, if anybody knows-

Do they have a French-speaking teacher and an English-speaking teacher present at all times, like at Montessories (for 4 yr. olds), or are the classes structured similar to Eab or EabJM, where French is the main language and offer English lessons?

THANKS!!

Eight children joined CP at EaB from Le Petit Cours du Rocher in September 2010, two of whom are in my DD's class. They are all lovely children who are all very happy and outgoing. They are probably a little less accustomed to sitting down and getting on with their work in peace and quiet than children who have done maternelle at EaB but that is the only (vaguely) discernible difference.

This has all been so helpful! Narrowing it down to eab monceau and le petit cours du rocher. Would any of the montesorris be worthwhile or no? Is there any recommended school for ps on left bank?

The only left bank PS option really is the Montessori which is nice, but not going to teach French. A pure French maternelle would and there are some very nice ones, notably the Catholic ones (where are you looking? I used to live in the 7th) but that's full immersion rather than nice and gentle.

If you were staying long term I'd say go for the Montessori as a gentle introduction and then let EABJM do what they do from MS but if acquiring French ASAP is a priority IMO that won't work.

It just totally depends what you want from a school.

The OP also has to get a place at EABJM, which is highly competitive. From observed experience, if you want a place at EAB in PS it is more or less a given, if you are an Anglophone family, that you will get it. Places are really hard to get in MS and GS, then a bit easier for 11ème (when there are 35 new spaces).

Very true about the competition, although anglophone families arriving in Paris for MS when EABJM starts stand a pretty good chance. If you're already there it's trickier but you stand higher changes being anglophone or already bilingual than francophone families do.

There is much more choice if you live in the 17th!

Can anyone provide specific information about the way in which language instruction happens for preschool---petite section at these schools?

From my understanding, Montessori (d'orsay) would be 1 English speaking and 1 French speaking teacher at the same time. So if you want the child to feel comfortable (my son only speaks English) it would be nice to have him always be able to communicate in English. Drawback though is that he may not try to learn French and that is why there would be less effective results in terms of bilingualism?

How does it work for PS at EAB Monceau or Le Petit Cours du Rocher? Would it be primarily French and then some English instruction along the way? Meaning in my son's case he could have frustration initially because he speaks English but then would be more likely to become truly bilingual?

We may only stay in Paris a few years and then return to the states. Would one of these teaching ways be better for him given he is so young?

Thanks so much! Also, teafortwo, I personal mailed you my email but didn't hear back about your friend who has kids at EAB Monceau and Le Petit cours du rocher. Would LOVE to get in touch with her. You can personal email me if you want and give me her email too.

THANKS!

As far as I know, EAB Monceau's main language of instruction is French, with English lessons. I am not sure about Le Petit Cours du Rocher, so I wrote an email days ago, but haven't heard from them. I am very interested in Le Petit Cours du Rocher, but their website doesn't provide much info. I will let you know if I hear from them.

Montessori pretty much as you describe - setup, advantages and drawbacks. The other drawback is there is no awful teaching, in line with the tenets of Montessori philosophy, so whilst your child may acquire the foundation skills being taught in maternelle there's no guarantee.

EAB(& EABJM from MS) are primarily in French with a French teacher (who is well used to having non-francophones in the class) and approx 1,5 hours in English with an English teacher. At EABJM this is streamed, not sure about EAB but I suspect it is differentiated in some way.

Le Petit Cours de Rocher I'm not sure what they do. Their website looks like the same set up linguistically as the Montessori, but maybe with short periods of exclusive English.

As for which would be better only you can decide but something to consider: if you're staying past the age of 6 and you choose to stay at the Montessori until then you face the related issue of whether you want your DS going into a bilingual environment where one language or the other is spoken (and a higher standard expected than PS) but reading/writing isn't expected, a totally francophone environment where reading/writing isn't expected or an anglophone environment where it is. If you may stay long term I would focus on language acquisition to give you more flexibility on schooling at CP level.

Personally for a child up to the age of 7 I would go for the immersion approach with the aim of encouraging bilingualism every time and IME it's easier for the child, after the first week or so, if the languages are clearly separated out. Remember at the age of 3 their native language is still being acquired too and hearing both languages may be more confusing than reassuring.

I think your son will always be able to communicate to the teacher in English. The difference is with a dual setup the English teacher will respond in English, so he may develop a preference for that teacher and stop attempting to communicate with the other. Where the language in use is French the teacher will understand what's said but at first paraphrase into French and respond in French, then ask him if he can say it in French, prompt attempts, model the correct form and answer, so there shouldn't be any frustration (which there could well be at an exclusively francophone school where the teacher may just not understand) and your son will quickly acquire an understanding of the language, followed by an active command.

That seems very ramble to me but does it make sense?

Yes, goldfrakk....your thoughts do seem to make sense about the method of instruction. It is reassuring to know that either option will probably not be too aggressive given my DS is only 3 years old!

I'm going back and forth about best choice if we are set to stay only 1-2 years in Paris and then return to the US where he obviously would be learning in English in prek or kindergarten?

However, I should probably keep in mind that we're talking half-day exposures for PS and as long as I am continually working with him on his English he should be fine.

Bonsoir - I love the fact that EaB Monceau uses the park for their recreation area. Do you know how often and for how long they play there?

I am narrowing down to Eab Monceau and Le Petit Cours du Rocher. I haven't heard from Le Petit Cours du Rocher yet, so I will have my husband call them on Monday. Gotta start the application process ASAP!

Anyone know anything about the Lennen Bilingual School in the 7th? Recently came across on the web and would love to know more specifically, good or bad. Again, looking for petite section for American English speaking boy, who we would like to learn french.

THANKS!

Lennen supposed to be very good. I had a friend who used to teach there. It is on our approved list of schools too (although this is not compiled by anyone who knows anything about education).

cutiepatootie is right don't go to Eurecole.

Lennen - I know of but that is it... I have a friend who worked there for a term but wasn't that impressed but other people I have met whose children go there rave about it.

Any news on Le Petit Cours du Rocher and EaB applications? I still think given what you are searching for they are your best options.

Le Petit Cours du Rocher is completely full, they said. I just sent in applications to Eab Monceau, Montessori and Eab JM.

Question about the interview - do they require interviews for people who apply from abroad? If so, I suppose it has to be done sometime in the spring, before the final decision is made?? I have a 4 month old and wish to avoid unnecessary travel, if I can.

Anyway, many thanks to you all & wish us good luck!!

Isn't Lennen the hors contrat one which separates francophones from anglophones for immersion? They have 2 teachers present half the day with the lamguages mixed then split them so they spend the other half working on their weaker language? Not something I would consider but if keeping up with the French NC isn't a necessity then worth talking to them. I've also heard it has a very low percentage of native francophones.

As far as getting into the other schools goes I've not heard of applicants from abroad being asked to attend an interview before unless they're going to be in Paris anyway and even then it might be restricted to the parent who will be there.