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Wednesday, January 12, 2011

Imani Finally Goes To Class, But No Shaving Off The Dreadlocks!

She had been excited for the better part of the month, especially after Christmas, knowing that she will be joining big sister in school. Not that Imani had any idea of what school is like, but to her the whole idea of a bus picking her up in the morning and returning her home in the afternoon like her sister is what was exciting to her. My thoughts about school are well documented HERE (and of course everybody knows that I feel nothing much towards exams as well)but nonetheless for the sake of peace I have had to take them to school at an early age. Anyway, I digress, so, last Tuesday was Imani's first day in school and though these pictures don't reflect her excitement, she was as excited as I will see her in a long time.




Tamia gets ready to take her little sister to school

I don't recall my days in nursery school but I have often been told that when I was first taken to primary school, I ran away from school on that very first day! A few canes from my mother ensured that I stayed in school (and I think I spent the next 12 years in class because of the looming threat of punishment). It is now 30 years since that day and Imani follows in my footstep!





Imani ready for the ride to school

I heard she cried on the first day because she wanted to be in the same class as her class 2 sister. Today morning she cried insisting that she wanted her sister's books. Sometime I try to explain that they are in two different classes, about 4 years apart, at times I give up and hope the mother will sort it out. For now she finally understands that she needs to be in a different class but the fight over books and diaries will continue for some time.



Finally in class

There has been messages brought home by her older sister that we need to get rid of Imani's dreadlocks, they are not allowed in school. I want to see how long we can get away with ignoring that...what has hair got to do with learning?

10 comments:

  1. "what has hair got to do with learning?"

    I wonder too!

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  2. hair has got nothing to do with anything......and i hope Imani enjoys the bumpy road ahead and stays true to it, our views towards education notwithstanding..we only hope that in time, she too will understand and even appreciate our views towards her imminent incarceration and loss of civil liberties institutionalized in the school system

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  3. hair has got nothing to do with anything......and i hope Imani enjoys the bumpy road ahead and stays true to it, our views towards education notwithstanding..we only hope that in time, she too will understand and even appreciate our views towards her imminent incarceration and loss of civil liberties institutionalized in the school system

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  4. Your daughters are really beautiful! How sweet that your youngest one wants to be just like her sister.:) I say let her hair be, I think it's lovely!:)

    On my first day of kindergarten my mom told me (I don't remember it:) that I was so afraid to get off the bus that the older children had to carry me into class!:)

    I wish her all happiness in school!!

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  5. thanks your comments guys, as a father it feels me with excitement knowing that we are just but starting a very long journey. I hope that I will not be those people who think that school is the end all but rather this is just but one aspect of learning, ultimately it is upto the parents to take charge of their childrens learning!

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  6. Nice post and you have a great blog. I just recently had my little ones go off to school. there was some crying at first, but they were excited. Enjoy it now, as they grow up fast!

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  7. You know where I stand as far as Imani's hair is concerned. Then again, you cannot call me objective. You know, vested interest, club member campaign and all :D But really, the journey is fun. Tons of learning in the process for you. Me, I have always been an advocate of tons of self-driven, home learning. School just fills in the social bit and other things that I might not cover. I also know we share similar opinions on positives and negatives of school. Good luck to you and the girls :)

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  8. Thanks Carolk...this year I want to pull up my socks on the home learning bit...

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  9. Those locks look lovely... But I think it would be better not to make a rebel outta her at an early age.
    She can make the choices when she is @ the teens !!!

    As 4 memories, the hottest memory I got of nursery is pissing in the class cos i was timid to ask permission for toilets

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