A question for German mums on MN

[admylin]

I'm British living in Germany and sometimes Mumsnet is like my life line back home when I'm homesick, even if I just read a few hreads a day. I need some info about Grundschule and other things specific to Germany but up to now have only found quite aggressive, not very friendly sounding german forums (eltern.de for example) that I haven't dared to join. Can any of you suggest a nice, helpfull forum abit like MN for me in Germany? Could be my german isn't perfect enough and I mistake the style for unfriendly when infact it isn't.

Forgot to say did quick poll yesterday and this morning of mums during play date/kindergarten drop-off/phone call about parents' evening.
Children are between 4 and 11 and mix of uptight and laid back and ALL said no way would they allow a week's trip in Y2, even at end of Y2.
Were all shocked school thought of it at all. One suggested the teacher probably wanted the trip for himself

That assistant sounds like a stupid cow. We're talking about 7 year old kids here and not juvenile delinquants at a boot camp FGS!

If you like, mail me the letter to Admylin.

Think I would just keep her at home "sick" that week and go off and do really nice things with her. It will be July so you'll be able to get out and about.

Think you're absolutely right to be angry at them announcing this to the dc first and THEN asking the dp whether their dc will be attending.

meant to write , mail me the letter TOO if you like.

Great to hear that finknottle. I don't think the teacher wants it for himself. Infact the whole school trip thing started in another class. We go to a europa schule for portugese and in each year we have 1 normal non-bilingual class and 2 potugese-german classes (we're in just german) and one of the portugese classes is the organizing class - well, the teacher is but she is doing it because the parents apparantly wanted it. So 2 classes should be going together, they don't mix at any other times, they do their curriculum, activities and our class is supposed to be a normal grundschule class.
They have full time school from 8 to 4pm and we have 8 to 2pm. I've also observed the teacher of the other class telling a crying boy to "halt dein Mund" and also seen her shaking a boy. I get to see this only because I pick my kids up when they still have school so I bet she's all sweet and nice at 4pm.

actually that's similar to what I heard about the Joan Miro Spanish-German Europa-School too. Met quite a few families who have taken their dc out in fact.

Wonder why that is though.

as in - wonder why the atmosphere gets so bad at those schools

Sent you my letter by the way.
I was alos surprised that the portugese class was the one wanting to send their kids on a school trip. I know now, it's the done thing here in Berlin but I wouldn't have thought portugese parents were the type - seem more family-stay-together types. We probably have more brazilians than portugese though so I don't know what they are like, never got to know any Brazilians really.

I can't open the attachment unfortunately. My !!!'!* computer.

I'll send it in the email then, check in a minute .

Have mailed you, admylin. Off now, happy to help so do ask/mail me.

Thanks finknottle, sounds loads better than my version, why can't I write german like that!

I like the way you write in German, it sounds natural. I mailed you my version. I think mine is somehow a lot snottier!

Hope dd's stomach ache goes away soon and things work out well. Take care now. Talk to you later

I'm sure you'll be fine with the text that Fink sent you. It's always good to get in some practice writing snotty letters in German though. One must hone one's skills.

What I tend to do with letters is write them up and then take out everything I can. The shorter the better.

Fink, has everything worked out with ds' secondary school or is it still on the cards?

Thanks SSShaketheChi. I'm feeling better now because I can send him the email and leave it at that 'till the info evening is announced. I'll send you the final version if you like!
Did you study at university or have you just picked all the language up while living here? I have to practise more.

Got your other mail SShaketheChi, thanks. Have just seen the time too, have to go and throw some food in a pan and do my ironing! Got Aikido this afternoon too so will have to write my letter this evening after kids are in bed. Have to prepare evening meal now as we don't get back untill late and I never get them in bed on time if I don't have it all ready.

Yeah go ahead and send me the final version.

Think you can be CHUFFED with your German. I had a friend from the UK who lived in Germany over 20 years and could only say "Drei Bier bitte". he couldn't even vary it when he was on his own, he'd always just end up with 3 beers. Don't know what the waiters thought.
"Drei Bier bitte"
"Drei?!"
"Drei Bier bitte". Can you imagine it?

Sorry, haven't been online today so was no help . I really think that sounds phony (the teacher, not your story). When I was in 3rd grade we did day trips WITH parents and at the beginning of 4th grade a 4night trip about 1 1/2 hours away (no trouble here, one girl homesick, but just for a short time). I am sure that if your dc don't go on the trip, they can join one of the other classes (that's the way it is in NRW). Since it will probably not make much sense (education-wise) anyway, maybe you could pull a sickie for them?? Hope to hear how this goes on, good luck again!

Will keep you all informed. I sent the email to the teacher today and told dd about it, she was transformed. I could see the relief in her face that I had told him how we felt, poor thing. She is so sensitive and this is hard for her.

Well done Admylin

Relax a bit today and enjoy the lovely morning. Feels like spring, doesn't it? I am off in a minute to buy myself some new clothes

I asked around a bit at school yesterday. Class trips are in year 4 at our school. The German mums I asked would find it quite nice though if their dc had a week away on a class trip in year 2. The idea being that it is all about bonding/friendships. Our school sends the dc to a sort of villa at a lake or at the seaside which is run by the church so I imagine they are quite protected there. Fingers crossed!

What would worry me personally is (my dd sounds a lot like yours in fact) that she crumples up completely if someone is "gemein" to her. After school I really have to work hard sometimes to build her up again. If she was away on a trip and another dc said or did something which made her sad, there wouldn't be anyone healing the wounds and putting her back together again. I don't find her tough enough to deal with that kind of thing yet.

Admylin, I'm so pleased your dd is relieved - shows too you were right to go with what you think is right/best for your daughter.

Re the walking to school, none of the children are supposed to walk alone, though I do see a couple of 7/8 yr olds who do . Parents usually phone each other in the morning if someone is sick so the others can make sure their child won't be alone.

SSShake, re secondary school, unfortunately the school we first wanted was over-subscribed and we're too far away to even be considered. We've been trying to show ds1 the advantages of Plan B though, much nearer so he can cycle and smaller but he's still disappointed I'm relieved that he won't be on the train at dawn though. Walking 10 minutes down to the village (as now) is one thing, a train and bus is quite another, especially on dark winter mornings and afternoons

Hi, yes isn't is a gorgeous day! Got all my windows wide open and sun is filling the front rooms!
Teacher answered my email already. I'll mail you it if you like then you can see his response. He wants to meet me next tuesday to talk about it - I think he is definately going to try and talk me into it. I still think class 4 is soon enough for a long trip like that though.
Your dd does sound abit like mine. My dd has been coming out of school every day this week with a face as long as a pole. Takes me a couple of hours to get my girl back to normal. Yesterday I only get that twinkle in her eye and a real smile when we talk about her time in the Uk.

Oh the 'gemein" thing gets my boys as well esp ds2 who comes home or starts the day in tears I'm pleased that they're sensitive but this is the down-side of that. It must be a genetic-wiring thing. Mine are missing half the German genes which informs them that the sour face and barking is perfectly normal

Really hope everything goes well with the school Fink, it's SO important, isn't it? Does he have a good friend who'll be attending the same school then?

Admylin, I'd be interested to see what the teacher wrote. Don't worry about the meeting. You can always say, I'm here with an open mind and then finish by saying you'll have to discuss it with dd and your dh and give the whole matter some serious thought. I'm sure you don't have to decide immediately.

Sorry, I know this is late in the discussion but admylin, have you looked at rund-ums-baby.de (I have recommended MN there several times before, so I hope it's ok to recommend RUB here).
They have a forum called Grundschule and some of the mums posting there are very nice and helpful. Admittedly, there are a few at RUB that make me (German who has lived in English-speaking countries for more than 12 years now) cringe in embarrassment.

I sent you both teachers letter so you can see the results of your hard writing work!