Just been to a German parents evening and seriously thinking of throwing myself under a tram, only Id have to travel into Munich to do it....

[Nightynight]

unrelenting doom and gloom all round.

ds messed up some bit of work about a knight and jousting. I had to point out to his teacher that he doenst know what knights and jousting are in english, let alone deutsch. She had blithely assumed that all children would know about the useless sporting activities of the upper classes 600 years ago.

why cant they do SCIENCE in the primary schools here????? which ds is actually interested in

Apparently dd has gar keine Chance of getting into the gymnasium.

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look I have an au pair (on good days)
she is totally protected from lifes little realities (finanzamt, jugendamt, schulamt, landlord, neighbours etc)

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o yes I forgot "mann"

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mmmm yes lederhosen.

the school thing is getting me down.

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I find it very difficult to appreciate the good sides of life when schooling (which is a major concern and chunk out of your dc's life) is not satisfactory.

Yes, Nighty, unless Bavaria is totally different (wouldn't put it past them), YOU the parent have to apply to various Gymnasia and it's all up to you I'm afraid. All your school does is give you the recommendation or not, as the case may be. Of course without the recommendation your task is even harder.

I dunno really what the answer is for you and your family -other than winning the lotto or taking on a contract in Dubai or some place like that. Don't know in my own case either but I saw a hint of dh considering leaving last night (!!!!) because of the whole crap schooling situation here. Worrying about dd's situation kept me awake all night and I haven't had much of an appetite for many months now.

It really is tough and I find your situation with more than one dc to worry about etc, so much harder but somehow you sound so much more grown up and capable than me than I suspect you'll have it sorted long before I do.

NightyNight are you in Munich and have you considered this www.esmunich.de/

cheechy

good luck with kindergartens
i have given up on them here for a while
take care

Worth a try NN. However the admissiions page isn't encouraging:

"Admission criteria of the European School Munich (ESM)

Eligible pupils
Category I
Children of employees of the European Patent Office, of the EU, of teachers, and of administrative and service personnel of the school.
Category II
Children who are eligible for admission due to a contract between their parents? employer and the ESM.

Non-eligible pupils
Category III
Children who do not fall into category I or II. School fees are obligatory for non-eligible pupils.

As the capacity of the school has been reached, the ESM is unable to accept pupils of category III in the English and German language sections at present and until further notice.

Admission may be possible in limited numbers in some classes of the French, Italian, Greek, Spanish and Dutch language sections of the primary school. In the secondary school this applies to the French, Italian and Dutch language sections. "

Yours would fall under non-eligible pupils Nighty, and since the English and German seem to be full, you could only try the French class and I see that on the thread you've written French is her weakest language.

Throw yourself at their mercy maybe. I think exceptions are always possible if people are willing to make them.

Both my sisters went to the European school in Munich and we would be category III. I think my mum did some pleading to get them in the English stream.

I went to the European School in Luxembourg (but as a category 1 child). Good schools (especially for multilingual children), worth fighting to get into.

OMG!! That is scary nightynight! I dread to think what a state my DS#1 would be in in that sort of setting. The only thing he excels in is Science. But he's still got a place at a reasonable secondary school without all that misery.

Afternoon ladies.
Visit to the mayor last night was not a no-no, more of a no-yes. I tried to keep up with the conversation (difficult after only 5 German lessons so far) and basically there's NO places at the KG we wanted because they're converting a classroom back to a gymnasium. Every place for 2008/2009 is accounted for. So...our dear friend who did all the negotiating in german last night is trying to get a place for DS for 8 months there, until the class shuts down. Better than nothing, and in gives me breathing space to find another place.
Failing that, we're going to try for a place at the next nearest and best KG.
I was SO nervous and my sweet DS was so well behaved for a 2.10 year old. That is until he started whispering about his monkey to me and I realised he was making his toy monkey mimic what the mayor was doing!
I've tried to go to groups, after eventually hearing where they are, but I gave up. It was thick thick snow and it took me forever to get there with DS and me very pregnant. Got there and it was shut. I very nearly burst into tears right there.

Imagine having cod as your aupair! Better than as your secretary, I guess.

winter is a bad time cheechy. I know that feeling of not wanting to set a foot outside the door in the cold. Things will be very different in spring. Are you going home for Christmas?

Is there some weekend expat social get-together type thing you and dh could attend regularly with the dc? You need a bit of adult social interaction otherwise you'd go mad anywhere.

Is an au pair a viable option for you?

Nighty, could you approach the Schulamt directly and find out what the story is with this exam and how you register dd for it and what's involved?

I can't go home for Christmas - this week the airlines will stop me travelling as I'm heavily pregnant. I've got my in laws flying in for Christmas, though.
There's no expat stuff for English speakers in our town (I've no car). We try to hook up with as many of DH's workmates as possible, and to be fair, they're all wonderful people and I get on well with them. Not quite the same as my own mates back in the UK, but I'm hoping as I get more confident/proficient with my German I can get out there and meet some mums.
There have actually been a handful fo instances when I've been walking in my little town and a woman has walked past with a mate, or on her phone, talking in English/American. It's all I can do to throw myself in front of them and say "So you DO exist here!! Be my friend..."

As for an au pair, I'm an exceptionally private person who likes her own space to figure life out. I think I'd struggle with an au pair!

cheechy, all the english mums hang out in the bio supermarkets in munich in the morning, while their dhs are busy earning a fortune in banks/engineering contracts!
Give the playgroups another go. But you might have to travel into munich if you want to find an english speaking one.

I think most of the foreigners here understand the urge to fling yourself at the feet of your fellow countrymen begging to know how they survive. I certainly wouldnt mind being accosted in the street by another english speaker! If anyone brushes you off, they would be pretty unfriendly.

Sandy, I will phone the Schulamt on Friday. I had a pretty bad experience of the munich one, which kind of put me off. "No, your children will not have to spend the whole year in the U-klasse" "No, we dont keep statistics on how many children slip back a year after doing the U-klasse, but we believe that most children don't lose a year"
Anecdotal evidence suggests that both these assertions were untrue.
I have tried teh ES for both english and french, but got the brush off. I fear I am just not good enough at begging. I have got "we'll put you on the waiting list" from every school Ive been to. Maybe it is because I am a single mother so they think my children wont do well in the school or what, I dont know.

Hi everyone,
I've just been crying, with happiness and sadness! My DS has been offered a contract at the KG we really wanted until August 2008 (when they close a class and run out of room for him).
I'm SO thrilled because he's going to meet some buddies (he loves people), but after having him with me 24/7 for the last 6 months I've got to go through all the emotions of leaving him with strangers once more...sniffle.
(slaps face to pull herself together). This is just the news we wanted, and gives me about 2 months to actually get into Munich on my own and explore before No.2 comes along. It's a dream come true.
I'm confused...

oh well done you! Hope he loves the kindergarten cheechy and you can prepare for the arrival number 2.

Nighty, I know. I did feel uneasy writing that because I would much rather not call the Schulamt myself! I'm just thinking that you cannot figure out how to beat/work the system if you don't know the set-up. You have enough on your plate I know without following up endless suggestions but I wonder if it wouldn't make sense to apply to schools in Dusseldorf? If all dc could be placed satisfactorily, a move would make sense.

Hello Sandy, thank you so much for your views. You have so much experience of dealing with this kind of thing! I am still getting my head around the idea that I have to apply individually to the state schools. I thought it was like the grundschule, and you didnt ahve the choice.
I am heavily tied to my job, and must have both job and school in place before I risk a move.
Nachhilfe is going well, and I will have a round of talks with the Volksschule and the gymnasiums next week, hopefully.

good news cheechy! once you start meeting other parents hopefully you'll find out all the possibilities in your area. Would it be worth investing in a cheap car for yourself and trying to get into a KG in another town?

Hi Nighty night.
I've always absolutely HATED driving, and have only really been pushed into using the car for emergencies (taking DH to hospital!). It is something we are seriously considering though, to open up my horizons a bit. Might have to wait a bit though as our house flooded back home (bloody tenants, or so we believe) so money's a bit tight right now. We're still spending too much money settling in here! Once baby No.2 is here and I've recovered from op then it's the way forward!
SSStollenzeit - thanks for the translation and hours advice. I hadn't considered sendign DS every day, so that's taking some getting used to!