Can a native German speaker please read this.

[admylin]

I had a note from school to say ds had failed to do homework and didn't have the materials for English lessons (at German Gymnasium school) so I sent a note in to say we didn't know what was missing and would she ring me back to speak about it as I alsways check ds's homework and bag every night. This was the answer I got scribbled on the slip of paper that I wrote on:

Wenn ich bei jeder fehlenden Hausaufgabe auch noch dokumentieren würde, um welche Hausaufgabe es sich handelt würde ich wahrscheinlich Probleme mit meinen Unterrichtsstoff bekommen - die Striche stehen berechtigerweise hinter ..... Namen - soviel kann ich Ihnen versichern (das gilt übrigens auch für Teilhausaufgaben und Materialien) Mit freundlichen Grüßen Frau...

Is it because I'm translating it that it seems quite rude to me? I know the tone can be different in German so maybe it's just 'normal' to answer kike that.

It sounds quite rude to me too but then I am anglified. I wouldn't be happy anyway.

Oh no - I was kind of hoping you would say it's perfectly nice and friendly!

Would you have any good German phrases to answer for me? I always mak emy letter sound far too nice. Although I should be able to write in English - a Gymnasium Lehrerin shouldn't mind!

Haven't got much time now but will come back to this later, sorry! If you tell me what sentiments you would like to express I'll try to translate into semi-rude German

Thanks emanka.

I would like to say that I always check ds's homework and his bag is packed for the nest day before he goes to bed. How can I help if we don't know what he has doen wrong. Arbeitsmaterialien - absoloutly not possible that he didn't have his English stuff with him (all 4 books). I asked ds and he said he'd never been asked for anything and never been told off for not having homework done etc.

Do you think I should follow it up? Ds swears to me that he hasn't been asked for any missing homework or stuff.

Hmm, it all sounds like one big misunderstanding, not sure whether you shouldn't try to speak to her face to face or on the phone after all? Maybe get the school office to get her to call you?

If you do want to write, maybe something along the lines of...

Liebe Frau ..., ich bin etwas ratlos, wie ich weiterverfahren soll. Ds's Schultasche und seine Hausaufgaben des Tages kontrolliere ich jeden Abend. Ich kann mir deshalb nicht erklaeren, welche Hausaufgabe uns da durch's Netz geschluepft ist. Auch sagt mir ds, dass er sich nicht erinnern kann, nach fehlenden Hausaufgaben gefragt worden zu sein, oder auf fehlende Arbeitsmaterialien aufmerksam gemacht worden zu sein. Ich hoffe, dass es sich nur um ein Missverstaendnis handelt, und dass wir dieses moeglichst schnell aus dem Weg raeumen koennen. Waere es moeglich, die Angelegenheit telefonisch oder auch persoenlich zu besprechen?

Mit freundlichen Gruessen, admylin

Danke Emanka, du bist ein Engel!

Can anyone correct this for me?

Obwohl ich vollkommen verstehen kann dass Sie sonst überfordert wären,für den Fall dass meine Sohn unterstutzung zu Hause benötigt, kann ich ihn aber nur helfen wann ich weis wo er Probleme hat.

I'm trying to get everything I want to say put together in an email and mail it to school for the teacher.

Posted on behalf of DoubleEspresso who should not be mumsnetting at work!!

Hi there,
Even though I am British I was brought up in German and went to the German section of a school....and believe me, she is being rude!

What I would suggest is the following:

Sehr geehrte Frau,

Ich habe volles Verständnis dafür dass Sie nicht jedem Kind und, beziehungsweise seinen Eltern, mitteilen können, welche Hausaufgaben aus welchem Grund nicht gemacht werden konnten und welche Materialien fehlten.

Ich wollte mit meiner Notiz nur zum Ausdruck bringen, dass ich jeden Abend die Schultasche meines Sohnes nach Hausaufgaben durchforste und wir dieselbe für den folgenden Tag vorbereiten. Bezüglich der Hausaufgaben scheint mir dieses Mal etwas entgangen zu sein.

Auch wegen der fehlenden Arbeitsmaterialien für English bin ich etwas ratlos da er alle 4 Bücher an dem Tag mitgenommen hatte.

Wäre es möglich, um solchen Probleme in Zukunft aus dem Weg zu gehen, sie entweder telefonisch, oder noch besser persönlich zu sprechen?

Mit freundlichen Grüssen

Thanks alot , I've got a funny feeling what her answer will be ..I haven't got time to run after every child and speak to parents all the time...along those lines.

It seems to me she is überfordert and I don't like the rude way she wrote to me especially as my origional note specifically asked her to phone me.

Do you think I should speak to the 2 Elternvertreter and maybe show them what I want to write and tell them I found her abit rude? I don't want to start a big thing with a teacher here in Germany as I can see it going in a downward spiral. MAybe the Elternvertreter have heard other things from other parents - I don't know anyone in the class yet.

Hi, this is me now and not DoubleEspresso.

I always prefer speaking rather than communicating via notes as the tone and "feel" can be easily misunderstood or coloured by the mood of the sender or receiver. If this were me, I would try and speak to the Elternvertreter to get a feel for the water but not show the note that you plan to send. Try and judge from them if this is a problem other parents have had and then decide whether or not to send the note.

Hope you get it sorted. It's not always easy dealing with a school system in another language. Good luck.

Also, maybe a bit besides the point, shouldn't a teacher expect to spend a little bit more time supporting a child that is being schooled in a langauge other than their mother tongue?

Agree notes are too open to interpretation.

"shouldn't a teacher expect to spend a little bit more time supporting a child that is being schooled in a language other than their mother tongue?"

They don't, hence the gin drinking mutual support thread about German schools.

And ime, from the teacher's POV, the note is sent home, parent must act, end of matter. They don't want any comeback, feedback or discussion. Certainly won't initiate any along the lines of, "What can we do...?"

Too early for gin, shall breathe deeply instead.

No way, not in Germany! They don't get support and we should feel honoured that our ds is in a Gymnasium... that's the atmosphere over here. Foreign dc are only just recently getting abit of Deutschförder in primary schools but it's all half hearted I think and when I look around the 5 classes in Gymnasium year 5 they are nearly all little Germans dc - all the mixed background/Arab/Turkish ones went to lower schools.

x-post admylin!

Thank goodness I've got you lot to help me through this! Double gin later eh?

Maybe I should thank my lucky stars that DD in a Luxembourgish school? Didn't realise it could be that bad.

And don't forget, if it's too early for gin, it's not too late for chocolate.