Tuesday 18 November 2008

Thursday - Besuchermorgen

Thursday also sees the besuchermorgen – and this time we attend as parents rather than terrified onlookers.

We go to J’s class first, and are relieved to see his name not on the naughty board……. He seems to follow what’s going on in class (maths) although is called out to explain something to the class and clearly struggles with the German. I hope this stage doesn’t last long for him as it must be very frustrating.

We had decided that we would go to J’s lesson first and then C’s, as C has English first on a Thursday – and where’s the point of us watching an English lesson ? I’d far rather see for myself how he’s coping with the maths, given his difficulties earlier in the year.

So we go to C’s class for the second lesson, and his teacher practically falls on me as we walk through the door “Frau Tylor, ZANK YOU! Zank you zo much for not coming to my Inglish lesson, I was zo nervous you would be zere.” I look her in the eye, shake her hand and say, very slowly, “I promise I will never come to your English lesson. Unless you want me to.” Poor lady, I had no idea she would be so nervous. The class splits into 2 groups with a teacher each for maths, so C’s lesson is his group of about 11 children and one teacher. That’ll be why his maths is getting noticeably better, then.

Coffee, gipfeli, a bit of chit chat with other parents and the head teacher, and we’re finished. The boys are obviously happy and settled – even though they are both at a difficult stage with the German. It’s a bit like that stage when they are very young toddlers and before they can string a sentence together – the frustrating business of waiting for the brain / language wiring to gradually connect.

C is beginning to get homework most days – usually extra German and maths, and I’m beginning to find the same problem as I had when J was still working at the kitchen table – he sits there silently staring at it and looking pathetic, gradually cranking up my blood pressure. Perhaps he needs a desk of his own too, as when I leave the room and do something next door rather than stand over him nagging like a fishwife, he gets on with it perfectly happily. Hmmm.

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