My daughter is about to enter "group 2". The starkest difference with the system back home is the level of autonomy they have. Most of what they seem to do revolve around working together autonomously.

They're expected to group themselves, to collaborate, to solve their conflicts, while the teacher acts as a facilitator that will give them the keys to succeed on their own.

After-school care is similar. The assistants are there to supervise, not to animate or entertain. They'll make sure your kid survives until 5, the rest is up to them.

This attitude carries over outside of school. Kids are trusted to go out in the neighborhood. As soon as the sun shines, the park under my flat turns into a gigantic playground from 14h to 20h, with no adults in sight.

Go for a walk during King's day, and you'll see a ton of kids managing a stall of their own design by themselves.

It's really weird to read this presented as something that is a 'stark difference' to some.

I read that and go like "well, yeah, duh", which probably means it hasn't changed all that much in the 30 or so years since I left groep twee.

Of course, a lot of the not being worried about kids being out by themselves has to do with the fact they can generally ride their bikes anywhere without having to be worried about cars coming anywhere close to them.

> Go for a walk during King's day, and you'll see a ton of kids managing a stall of their own design by themselves.

For the uninitiated, it's traditionally a nationwide flea market that day[1].

Quite fun if you like that sort of stuff.

[1]: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Koningsdag#Activities

While in N.A. kids are suspended for throwing snowballs.