German Schools

[finknottle]

Get it off your chest

There are, as anywhere, good and bad aspects to the school system.

So if you want advice, help or an embittered rant - feel free.

On a postive note - anyone see the thread on Primary about security? I've just taken dd to kg and on the way back wanted to drop off a school library book ds2 has had since before Christmas and forgot again.
All I did is walk in, went to his classroom and left it on his PE kit so he'll see it at break.

No one worries unduly about security here. The caretaker has an office (all glass) outside the main building but he's rarely in it.

Is it only village schools? Looks so odd to me to have a school "locked down".

[finknottle]

Talk satchels to me.

Ds1 & ds2 had Lego ones. Less vile than Scout.
Dd has set her heart on a Fantasy Scout one. With unicorns, swans and some mutant trees.

I kid you not

Tell me to put up with it
And tell me which bank I can rob to pay for it.

I got the boys for far less, PE kit included. Why are they so ugly and so expensive?

[berolina]

Oh, I hate Ranzen. Breaks my heart to see these little 6-year-olds positively overshadowed by the things. ds1 is small for his age and likely to stay so, so I dread to think. And they are hideous. I'm a dreadful aestetic snob and am going to ind it very hard to equip dses with these.

[berolina]

aesthetic

[frogs]

In my day Ranzen for Schulanfänger were made of leather and had straps at the back, but No Handle On Top. This was so you couldn't carry it in your hand, which was considered schlecht für den Rücken.

[berolina]

oh, for tasteful leather Ranzen

I wonder if, when the time comes, I can get away with claiming my children have bags the English (and presumably/hopefully cool by virtue thereof) way?

[finknottle]

Me too, that's why I scoured Germany for the Lego ones - they weren't that common then. They're much easier on the eye.
Unfortunately the Lego girls' ones are hideous. I knew dd would want pink (goes so well with the Scout orange...) but the Fantasy Motiv is beyond even my horrified imagination.

They are also only supposed to carry 10% of their body weight. Dd is 19 kg and some of those satchels are 1300g The Mega range is just over 1000g but add a drink and the snack box and they're almost at capacity before they put a single book in.

Ds2 is 8 and his satchel on some days would give me back ache.

Dds1's new secondary has lockers - revolutionary

[finknottle]

No, you won't berolina. Trust me

The leather ones are so nice.

Actually, the Ranzen are so heavy now that at least a dozen children here have
these

[debinaustria]

I worry about how my small 6 year old will cope at Volkschule with his bag in September

On a positive note though - my ds came home with his half year report today and scored all 1's, with the exception of German and he doesn't get marks for that for 2 years as it's his 2nd language. So I'm a proud Mummy. Do you have the same in German schools?

[admylin]

Ds had the lego ranzen too. It was one of the lightest I found on the market - however lots of dc had those big box like ones that are so sturdy they could sit on them. Dd went for one like that and it was really heavy and bright pink which is a colour she hated half way through year 1.

The best part is you spend near on 100 euro for the bag and in year 4 or 5 you have to buy a new one as the 1st year one isn't cool enough and doesn't usually fit any more. How many handbags do you own that cost over 100 euro? Crazy isn't it! The next generation of bags are abit cheaper, 49 euro for ds's (jansport) and dd's was a bargain in UK.

Well done debinaustria's ds! All 1's, wow and it is great motivation at that age to try and keep it up. Dd is always crushed and want's to give up if she get's a bad remark in her book or dread of dread a 3.

[admylin]

SSSandy, how did your dd come on with reading infront of class (saw it on primary but didn't join so we didn't turn it into yet another rant thread! On this one we're allowed though)

[SSSandy2]

I find it so ssssstoooopid but what do I know? Well I had a quick word with the teacher, I said she was worrying about it last night, couldn't get to sleep, could you maybe reassure her a bit or advise me how to tackle this - and left it with her. I decided not to practice for it or anything, I really think if she doesn't want to do this at age 7, she shouldn't have to do it.

What do you think though? I didn't like her getting all worried and stressed with it, just don't see the point. The teacher said, she thought it would be something different. She's was supposed to do it on Monday, dunno if it's been dropped now or what. No idea.

[emkana]

Oooh will read this thread with interest!

In my days you had to have a Scout Ranzen to belong, but there were no designs like they have today, there was red or blue. I had red, I think.

as I said on my other thread I want to move back to Germany in a few years. I'm not worried for my dd's, I think they will be able to get a place at a good Gymnasium. The worry is ds, it is as yet uncertain whether he might have some learning difficulties. What will that mean for him in Germany? Will they just say off to Hauptschule and that will be it?

[SSSandy2]

I don't know emkana. I see there is a Gesamtschule in Bonn, I think I would prefer that because you would be getting more of a mix of backgrounds there and I am not entirely sure which dc go to Sonderschulen here and how they are catered for generally. It will depend on the learning difficulties ds might have and how protective you want his learning environment to be. Have you considered a private school of some type for ds? I don't know much about the whole Schullandschaft there so not sure what choices you'd have

[finknottle]

emkana - I'll get back to you another time about this as ds1 was diagnosed in Y4 with mild learning difficulties and it was an eye-opener. Forewarned etc., you'll at least be able to scout around first.

[SSSandy2]

admylin, come over for a rant.

Went down south on Sunday to check out this new Phorms school. According to the website the name was selected to reflect a combination of form (forming the individual) and metamorPHose. Well so now we know, but I still find it daft.

There is NOTHING there.... Don't see them opening this August frankly. It's the old Monroe Am army barracks area and nothing at all has been built there yet. Wasteland of buildings with broken windows and big parking lots.

[admylin]

I know, all these independant schools opening up always seem to have a fully functioning website with anmeldung forms before they even have a building!

The private school near us is in it's 4th year now but still in an old falling down school building - and they charge about 7000 a term now. I don't think I'd like to be part of the experiment to be honest, I know schools have to start somewhere but they really are chaotic the first couple of years.

[SSSandy2]

What bothers me too is that they don't have proper grounds, do they? I know it may not be THE main thing but I do think a bit of a grass, some kind of a play area is something I would like to see in a primary school.

[admylin]

Yes, definately not enough grass around school, infact in the whole of Mitte! Worse for me though is teh fact that you can just walk in to the school building at any time of the day. Security = zero. Our school does have a system where the door is locked and teh secretary can let you in if you ring but they never use it. On the rare occasion that it is locked it's at pick up time so we can't get in and then we ring and ring but no one opes so we have to wait 'til a child comes out on way to gym or whatever and then we grab the door.

[SSSandy2]

Security. What a joke. Our school has a huge poster plastered over the main entrance saying such-and-such a security firm is responsible for the security at our school. THere is never any evidence of them about the school at all. I wander in and out at odd hours of the day and I think it's terrible that I can. No one has ever asked me what I want or where I am going

[admylin]

And if you mention it to anyone they just look at you as if you're crazy, believe me I've tried it in Tuebingen! They thought I was the mad Britsih mother! One day in year 1 ds had religion in the last lesson, but some of his class mates didn't take part in religion so they went home. Well ds in a day dream, followed his friends out, left the school aswell and wandered off - saw I wasn't there but still went home (wasn't far but I usually met him), one hour later I turn up at school from a trip into town only to find no one knows where my son is even the teacher wasn't worried, she was more mad that he hadn't turned up to class.When I nearly blew up with wory and anger they really just looked at me as if I was mad. He was only 6 years old. Found him sitting on our doorstep outside our flat, tears in his eyes, obviously realised something was wrong, no one home, no mum at school. He cried when he saw me and then told me off for coming late!

[SSSandy2]

geez I would have gone hysterical admylin!

[admylin]

Imagine if tha thad happened in Berlin ?! When we moved here I told them really strictly that whatever happend - even if the stupid Erzieherin puts them out of the building they must wait at school for me and I will always come.

[SSSandy2]

I tell you what I was feeling FANTASTIC (not) on Friday. Had my usual long natter to the school librarian when I pick up books for the weekend and she was telling me abotu how the schools had failed her dc here basically (including our school, thanks...). Talk about lead in your stomach. I wish I knew the answer, I really do.

[admylin]

Great, do you think she thought she was being helpfull?

I need to write to that stupid Gymnasium to get my papers back. She kept them and then I cancelled going back and I want them to send my papers (grundschulgutachten mit Gymnasialempfehlung ding) and part of ds's report - will need help with corrections if you don't mind. I'd rather send a stamped addressed envelope than go back to that horrid place. Would that just be Frankierteumschlag?

[SSSandy2]

yes, I'd just stick a stamped addressed envelope and a note: Sehr geehrte Damen und Herren, bitte um Rücksendung der am ?.2.2008 eingereichten Unterlagen: 1) Gymnasialempfehlung 2)Schulzeugnis. Im voraus vielen Dank . If you want it in a hurry might be quicker to go and get it but understand your reluctance.