We’ve already come a long way.
Time is flying by; we’re trying to keep up and are picking up the pace.
Gosh, where do the days, weeks, and months go? I really have no idea.
It was summer just a moment ago; then the leaves suddenly turned orange, and now the streets and parks are littered with everything that was just hanging from the trees.
And we’re busy with school.
Back when we were still living in the Achterhoek, that topic had already come up once. Here, we have two more years to go before we have to deal with it, because in Germany, children don’t start school until they’re 6.
August 30, 2014 —that’ll be the day Max stands in the schoolyard with a Schultüte (along with thousands of other Berlin kids) and gets to celebrate with his whole family, because they take “Einschulung” pretty seriously here, and that’s when you can really go all out with gifts and celebrations.
We won’t know which schoolyard it will be until May—because finding the right school isn’t that easy here.
The German education system is inherently focused on acquiring knowledge. Letters, numbers, reading, math, a bit of experimentation with science, and good grades on your report card—that’s considered more than desirable.
In 2013, more and more German parents feel that this type of elementary education no longer suits their children. And since most public elementary schools are still quite old-fashioned and little has changed when it comes to the classic “standing in front of the class and delivering a monologue,” more and more parents are turning to schools that do things differently.
Waldorf schools.
Montessori schools.
Evangelical (Protestant) schools.
Catholic schools.
International schools.
Democratic schools (yes, really)….
I could go on with this list, were it not for the fact that even I don’t know all the other types of schools that exist out there.
The number of private elementary schools is growing in Berlin. And that’s mainly because these schools focus more on children as individuals. They focus more on talents and strengths rather than weaknesses. And they value the school community—the idea that you’re a close-knit team, that you stand up for one another, and that you respect each other. In short: schools that focus on emotional and social aspects rather than just teaching math or science.
Something that, in my opinion, Dutch elementary schools have long understood. Elementary education has become more individualized across the board; many Dutch parents feel that the elementary school around the corner is generally just fine.
That’s not the case here.
And so there’s a real RUSH to enroll in schools that do things differently.
To be accepted into the school of your choice, you have to go through a sort of rat race. Filling out the application form isn’t enough. At the very least, you have to write a cover letter explaining why YOU, specifically, and why YOUR child, specifically, should attend this school. And why you think this school’s educational philosophy is so good. Without well-thought-out arguments, you won’t get anywhere here.
Better yet: drop by. Smile. Have friends in the neighborhood introduce you. And then, if you still haven’t been invited for an interview, write another letter.
The city must be too big; everyone is looking for those coveted, scarce spots.
If the “regular” elementary schools no longer meet the needs of the more highly educated segment of the population, you’ll have to compete with each other for the best spots.
It makes absolutely no sense.
And yet we’re playing along, because, well, we want a good education for our child, too. If these are the (unwritten) rules, then we’ll just have to go along with them.
We won’t know until May what we’ll end up with. The “regular” elementary school around the corner that many friends advise against. The slightly better school across the street with that beautiful playground. Or the private school that everyone in our neighborhood raves about.
We’ve decided not to stress about it as much as most Germans do.
We won’t really know what all those schools are like until next year anyway.
Above all, we’re taking a very Dutch approach: it’ll all work out just fine.
