Life: Idiotropic

I'm really not sure where to begin with this one. The issue of German school has really been more of a continuing saga, then a one day affair. It began really, before we even moved here as we thought about the education of the girls and the place where we were moving to.

Though Kirk and I both liked the idea of putting our kids in the German school system both to learn the language and participate in the culture, we didn't think that we should do that right away given the overseas move and reuniting our family after a 15 month separation (Korea)... so, we waited. Arianna did 1 year in a English speaking system, then, frustrated with her American kindergarten class and finding a spot at the German kindergarten, we made the move just this last March into the realm of German educators.

And, it was ok. The kindergartens provide mixed classrooms with ages 3-5 playing, crafting, and doing various activities that focus on experience and not fundamental learning. Arianna picked up a lot of the language in just those 3.5 months.

And then the agonizing began. What do we do with our girls this fall and where is the big green neon sign telling me which decision I'll regret the least? I think every combination of possibilities existed. Aria in the Gruenschule 1/2 days and the American school 1/2 days. Luci doing the same with the German kindergarten in the a.m., then the American one in the p.m. Elise, we were certain would go to the German kindergarten. And, we knew Tiara would be at AfNorth -phew - at least one kid came with a neon sign.

And we talked, and deliberated and discussed and analyzed, making pro con lists until the pencils were all broken. We talked about it so much, it seemed like we'd become the neighborhood soap - "and what will the Stahlbaums decide today?!??!" I'm still getting that question.

And the answer? Uh.... do I have to decide NOW?

There were a lot of reasons to send Arianna back to the American school. Both little ones and big ones. One reason, though it seems strange, is that the vacation times for the German system and Tiara's International School are different, thus making it impossible to travel during the school year (not acceptable while living here), without taking one of our kids out of school. Logic mandates taking Arianna out for a week (not horrible to make up in her 1st year of school in a program that only goes for 3 hours every morning) instead of Tiara who's in the 7 grade and is taking an advanced math and a high school level French class. But, here, school is mandatory to the point that the police will come to your door and can take children away from families who don't comply. Oh, I am so not ready to deal with that. Still... we talked. I really didn't want to rob Arianna of an amazing experience or an language education. I didn't want her sacrifice of switching schools in March to be in vain. And for the longest time there was no peace or feeling that any decision was right.

As strange as it may seem, and may be it was just the time, but one evening when Kirk and I were talking about it again (he, by the way, was never a huge pusher of the German school), he told me, "You have to remember that when you send Arianna to the Gruenschule, she isn't just learning a language, she's learning a culture." Done. That (coupled with A LOT of other things) made the decision.

It sounds bad, I know. I love living here. I love my neighbors. I have German friends that are very dear to me. However, I do recognize that there is a difference in how they think and how they do things (as a whole). It isn't bad, but, I really don't think it's a mindset that Arianna needs. I think it would change her too much and I like her the way she is. Her spirit is special and I don't want a system to crush that. So....

Today was Arianna's first day of the first grade with a teacher that is absolutely wonderful with great classmates that she already knows and loves, at a school that while not stellar, will provide Arianna with many opportunities to excel. She was smiling so brightly today. And that's when I got my second neon sign.

My third neon sign came a couple days ago. Luci, we'd decided a while ago, would be best in the American school. She's smart and needs a challenge that the German kindergartens can't supply. But, when Elise started on a Wednesday and Luci wanted to go to, we thought, well, no harm to try. Luci wouldn't start the American school until next week anyway.

So, Luci went, running in smiling on her first day and ever day for a week. And then, late last week, her feet stopped at the door and she wouldn't go in. I left her on the bench outside the classroom with the teacher talking to her. And, though Luci has gone continuing through this week, she doesn't want to. Nothing's happened. She talks about her friends there. She is getting along with the children well and has even picked up a few words, but "it's boring" and now all she can talk about is the American school. I knew that the American school wouldn't work if Luci had to be with the same teacher that Arianna had had... and then my neon sign... the class IS being split, and Luci IS going into the other classroom! So, next Tuesday she'll start her first day of an American kindergarten and, hopefully, that sign will still be flickering.

...tbc tomorrow when I'm not so tired... Elise's sign is still missing...