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".

I'm so happy for you admylin. It must be such a weight of your mind to know the schools seem nice and that's all settled, the flat sounds nice, the kitchen worked out, the removal is organised. You really deserve a medal for getting everything so well sorted. How do your dc feel about going to new schools? Do they seem calm and accepting of it all?

Oh and how is dd managing on the school trip?

Hi SSandy, ds doesn't know he's been accepted yet as the letter just came early morning when he was in school (he skived yesterday but I sent him today!) but Ithink he'll be pleased. Dd isn't sure yet but she'll be fine, it's a much nicer school than the one here and I hope the teacher will be nice.

No news from Ferienlager, I can't wait 'til tomorrow when I get her back. She said she would write but no letter has arrived yet (I've sent her 3!) and they aren't allowed to phone so just counting the hours now.

You know the one thing that bugs me? On the 21st of August there will be a Fest at the Gymnasium -Einschulungsfeier at 11am and once again I'll be there with my 2 dc alone and everyone else will have dh's, grans and aunts etc with them. I hate it.

could your dp come for a short visit or would it be too much on top of moving in?

Not really going to ask him at the moment, he's being a typical man and not being comunicative.

Oh you mea my parents! I'm waiting to hear from them, at least one of them could maybe come.

Fantastic news about the gymnasium, admylin. And good for you for organising it all so smoothly. I think you've done amazingly well.

I didn't see this earlier cos this thread keeps dropping off my 'threads I'm on' list. I obviously haven't got enough to moan about atm. I expect that will change when dd goes into Y4 and ds starts Y1 in September

Taipo my dd also goes into year 4 after the summer holidays. We can maybe keep comparing what they are doing! It has been a worry here in Berlin because I'm sure they aren't as far on in alot of things as other Bundesländer. Can you tell me roughly what your dd has covered in maths this year (year 3)? Am worried my dd might be missing a few 'skills' for Hannover.

We get our reports on Tuesday. I got dd back safe and sound from her Klassenfahrt, hope they don't start on about things like that in Hannover - she had a lovely time though and went riding every day. She didn't think much of the Mittagessen but the rest was OK!

Our school had their Sommerfest today too - ds and his friend did a tombola type thing and got rid of all our 'grown-out-of-toys' as prizes - it was a big success. The girls did make-up for 50 cent 'Sei ein Star' or something like that so loads of little girls walking around with bright red lip gloss and glitter on!

Argh, bloody German schools. Just got my dd back and was so relieved it was over and done with and got a letter from the new school in Hannover today asking me to sign papers einverständniserklärung etc and pay for a week in schullandheim near Hameln in September. What do I do, she won't know the class well, I don't know the teacher at all so how can I sign the paper? I'm verzweifelt. Would you go ahead with it? She's still 8 years old FGS. I hate school trips.

Another thing: where on earth did I get my info that school goes back on the 25th in Hannover? I can't remember, but where ever I look now it says the 21st good job we're moving on the 18th but that still only gives me 2 full days to parctise the school walk for 2 different school. Starting to stress now. I swear it said 25th last time I looked.

I don't know, admylin. I think if she wants to go I would be inclined to let her. After all it could be a good way for her to get to know her new classmates. If she doesn't want to then I can't see that the school could really object to her not going.

The trip is to the city of Hameln (of pied piper fame) or to a nearby schullandheim. It would be nice if she wants to go but she wasn't impressed when I told her at first. If I could wait 'til the first week of school is over and done with to give her time to figure out if she wants to go but right now she can't say - afterall she has no idea what the teacher is like or what the class will be like.
I wish she wasn't so shy. Have also been told ny ds's teacher that he is far too quiet and ha sto learn to speak up and join in if he wants to manage at Gymnasium. Sigh, most people want quiet, good dc but it can be a worry too, I think I'd rather have confident pushy dc - they wouldn't come short in school at least.

Hmm tricky admylin. Now that she has done a school trip and seen what it is like, maybe she would manage fine. However from what you have said about her character, I think this may be a bit too much too fast. Not sure. On the one hand, this way she would get to know her classmates/teacher so much faster but on the other hand it means being away from the family for a whole week with people who are practically complete strangers just after having made a move.

It's not ideal. I suppose I would go ahead and pay for it and if I felt when the time came that she wasn't ready, I would just swallow the expense but not send her on the trip. It probably isn't the most sensible approach I know.

could it unfortuantley just happen to be the week where you will all haveto be away attending a family wedding in Texas?

Yes, I can't see how she can be expected to make a decision before she's even started at the new school. Is there any chance you can postpone signing the papers until the start of the new term.

I think there's a lot more pressure for children to learn to be outspoken and confident here. That's all very well but it's been a real problem for dd when she has to read aloud in class. I think she'll be fine eventually and sometimes I wish they wouldn't make such a big deal of it, after all starting a new class in a new country is bound to be daunting for all but the most confident children. I was very shy as a child and grew out of it eventually. I'm still shy with new people but manage fine socially. We can't all be bolshy gobshites imo!

Good idea SSSandy, it's only 105 Euro so not even that expensive. Still don't feel good about it. My biggest problem is that I don't know the teacher - dd's biggest problem is that she doesn't know teh other dc.

Lol at bolshy gobshites! Must remember that when we move!

I think I'll ignore it as the school is closed anyway now and for all they know we're already in the US. I did tell them we would be abroad and that was why I was registering her before we left. I'll sort it out when she starts.

well you know taipo in a way I do find it good that in particular German woman are quite strong and independent and outspoken without getting nasty - compared to say British women. I mean I've met German women overseas, even quite young and they just seem so capable and get on with whatever needs to be done. So in a way I think this system does benefit women. We are not really brought up to cope with difficult people/situations in the same authoritative manner IYAM. I think they deal with things more like men do.

Still it feels wrong to us because it just isn't quite the way we were taught to act. In some ways when I see parents urging their dc to be independent, refusing to push the swing, not helping them when they're struggling with their putting on their shoes or not comforting dc when they fall and cry. All the kinds of situations where I would have automatically reacted very differently, I find I don't know what is right in the end but I couldn't feel comfortable with it myself. It might pay off but I would feel a bit cold doing those particular things I mentioned. I think my dd is less confident than the German dc her age she goes to school with.

Mind you she got such a nice report for one subject last week, mentioning how außerordentlich kameradschaftlich und hilfsbereit she is towards the other dc. (Ha! so I don't do it ALL wrong) and that it is so erfreulich to see. Well IYAM they should be TEACHING all the dc to act nicely towards each other all the time instead of being gobsmacked when it ever happens. Still it was nice to see they noticed it and commented on it because it seems to me they don't care much about this kind of thing, the way they let so much bad behaviour pass.

good idea admylin, it arrived when you were in America so unfortunately you couldn't respond in time. Which sort of reminds me, don't forget to do the Nachsendeantrag at the post office.

oops that sounds weird. Didn't mean we get all nasty! I meant it's hard for us to be so outspoken, direct, authoritative because we are concerned we might be rude.

I've noticed that with the swings too! It's either that or they jump up to push a dc who is shouting 'push me now mum' - I would never react to that sort of demanding behaviour, I'd want them to ask nicely and say please! I remember being constanly gobsmacked at how rude the little Germans were and how no one seemed to think they needed to learn how to ask in a civilized manner.

Thanks, I have a long list of things to do on Monday - one is going to the post office! I'm invited to a birthday breakfast too even though I should be doing other things, I'll begoing and trying to force myself to relax and enjoy it! I'll really miss the friend too so must make an effort - will take me ages to replace her in Hannover.

maybe the birthday breakfast will put you in a happy frame of mind, give you a bit of positive energy to tackle the rest?

I'm annoyed at our school atm on behalf of another family which is why my last long post sounds so snotty. Their boy is just lovely, one of the nicest dc in the class and they've been told to find another school for him because he hasn't attained the Klassenziel. Fume. It's only because they don't tutor him franctically at home like every other family does. Almost none of them would reach this Klassenziel if their dp weren't so hinterher.

You know you were right admylin when you said if they permitted home schooling, the schools would be half-empty in no time and have to close. Thing is they know they have the upper hand, don't they, so they needn't bend in any way to help dc or families if they don't want to. It's not like you can say, ok I'll take him out and home-school till we can find something suitable because a) there will be nothing suitable and b) you're not allowed to home school. The dm is a trained, experienced primary school teacher so actually she would be ideally placed to homeschool her dc. She's very upset poor thing. Been wracking my brain trying to think of some alternative for her but difficult.

I'm shocked at what happened to that boy SSandy. Can't believe he can't just re-do the year? Or is that not possible because the year will be full? It sounds wrong as in most schools (primary) you can do the year again.

I'm thinking about that trip to Hamlyn the whole time - dd doesn't want to go now as she doesn't know the clas sbut I think I'll send teh slip back signed and I can alwaays pull out if she still doesn't fancy the idea.

I think just leave it, you didn't get the slip and maybe they'll say it's now too late and the whole thing is out of your hands. I think your dd will be relieved not to have to go but then just after having begun term, she'd have to spend a week with the parallel class. Arghh it's dumb whichever way you look at it. I'm still chewing it over. I think the best thing would be if she was at home with you that week, just recovering from the move, the start, everything and settling in to Hannover a bit.

I think it's our class teacher who can get really nasty I#ve told you before. She can't copewith him not keeping up and she is the one causing all the problems. Well inititally the were called in and told he had to repeat the year, so they gently told him and now, just before school closes and they have ZERO chance of finding an alternative, they have been told to fidn another schooling. I'm quite angry. It's so unfair. THey have 3 dc at this school atm, one leaving next year, 2 small dc at home. So how do they manage this change of school in practical terms.

He is also most definitely English speaking, German is by far his weakest language and they will have to put him in their zoned Gemran school which is largely Turkish. Fantastic, so you can imagine the problems. I told the mum about the school you mentioned further down but they are not religious at all so I don't know if they'd get in. Poor mum is ready to go back to England tomorrow.

so angry I can't type! Sorry about all the mistakes.

Not surprised you're angry. Sounds wrong somehow, and certainly puts a bad light on the Europaschulen. Wonder how they work it here at our school, although they don't seem to have that many problems as it's Portugese and the majority of native speakers are actually Brazilian so they just count their lucky stars really that their dc get free bilingual Portugese schooling.