Residential in Germany, ds 9yrs old.

[admylin]

We live in Germany and ds's primary school class wants to go to Heide Park which is a huge fun fair with BIG rides. I don't see the educational point of it to be honest and think to let a class of 9 year olds loose on a big fun fair park is not very wise. Teacher said something about 3 days atleast. Sounds rubbish or am I wrong in thinking a residential should have some theme or educational side to it?

[puffling]

Would that be 3 days of fair rides, or would they be doing other things too? As long as he's supervised, it should be fine and definitely fun and memorable.

[admylin]

Yes, I know there would be the fun side and they would do trips around the area on the other days but I was just trying to picture leaving 9 year olds the free run of the fun fair, they wouldn't be watching them as it's so big and they would let them go off in their own directions.

[saz360]

are they planning any educational vists, as i know that Heide Park is very close to Bergen Belsen war camp so maybe they are going to go there for a day, it is also near to Hamburg and Hannover as well.

Have to say though that Heide park is fab and so much better than anything in the Uk IMO i used to live very close to it and would be found there most weekends

if they are planning other trips whilst there, then would let her go

saz

[admylin]

I don't think they would go to the war camp anyway as they don't have any school subjects which would go anything in that direction. They don't do history, geography or anything really - German primary school is very boring. They have mild educational sessions on nature but that's it - oh and sexuality is on the agenda this year. Suppose that would be one to go into abit further on a field trip!
Are we talking about the same Heide park? The one with the pirate hotel and camp site?

[saz360]

yes i think so it is near Soltau and the centre parks up there. Didn't realis that the education was so crap and boring in german schools, we were in the british army up there so only used british schools

[admylin]

Yes it is very boring at primary school here. Ds is really jealous of his same age cousin in UK when he hears that they go on history trips to Hadrians wall beacuse they have studied the Romans and then they get to visit a real chemistry lab at the secondry school and do science sessions etc.When they visited us in Berlin they were so excited about visiting the Eygptian museam because they had already studied ancient Eygypt.

[SSSandy2]

if they are going to be left to wander off round the fun park at will and be therefore unsupervised, I wouldn't risk it. Anyone could go off with your ds.

[admylin]

Since I went on the day trip a few weeks ago as assistant I know that she (the teacher) can't keep them together or under control. If she can't keep them together on the way back to school she has no hope of doing it at the fair. Luckily for me, ds has said he doesn't want to go because he dislikes going anywhere with her. He even says it is so embarrassing when they misbehave on the street and she doesn't say anything. I experienced it first hand so I know what he means.

[SSSandy2]

That's a relief then!

WHY don't they teach history and geography and things here at primary school? I don't understand it.

Had a long natter to this Russian mum this morning (strike) and she was telling me how crap the schools all are here and that's why hers are at Heinz Galinski (she thinks best of a bad bunch). She still isn't happy with the academic side of things. They all want good soviet style schools I suppose, whatever they were like.

French guy I know who used to work in Russia as a teacher told me he thought Russian schools weren't fit places to stable horses even. Think he meant in terms of facilities. I do think Russian teachers are well-trained and take their work very seriously. I'm always reading about them working despite not being paid for 2 years in a row and things like that. They seem to be held in high esteem generally in Russia.

[admylin]

Did you get to school on time SSSandy with the train drivers strikes? Totally agree with them by the way, have you seen how much they earn? It's a disgrace.

[SSSandy2]

about 5 minutes late. Wasn't too bad.