大咖福利影院

Saacnmama wrote:

JennSheer, he really wanted to do the 鈥渘ormal鈥� German thing and has done amazingly well on his German. An international school is one of the ideas we鈥檝e talked about.

Tom, the problem isn鈥檛 his iq or German abilities鈥攊t鈥檚 that the school gave us incorrect info numerous times, so now he is too late to register for the exam to get into Gymnasium. There is some kind of Hochschule he could do, either all the way through to abi or transferring to Gymnasium after a year, but that means basically doing nothing for a year, just waiting for his chance to take the exam.

I didn't say it was his IQ, on the contrary. But your statements didn鈥檛 exactly add up because I don't think there is a "too late" to switch to Gymnasium. Many kids switch after the 10th class and it has to do with performance not age. But if one has to take an exam them obviously they have to register on time. Losing a year can be hard but if it happens then one should make the best out of it. Even if your son is getting along with German he can use the year to bring the level up if he really wants to go on to University. The subject of International Schools is often discussed on this site. The main disadvantage is that they tend to cost about 10,000 Euros a year or more and few can afford them unless it is a fringe benefit of their job.

Saacnmama wrote:

JenSheer, can you tell me more about your son鈥檚 school, how you found it, and how he鈥檇 fit into the German system if he wanted to go to Uni here?

Sure Saacnmama!!

I'm going to use both of my son's as examples even though the middle one that's here with me is older than your son. S (the one closer to your age) goes to an international high school as I said. That being said, there are lot of German nationals there so they not only offer the IB, they also offer the Arbitur. S is strictly IB.

The German school is set up, as I'm sure you know, totally different from the american school system. If you graduate with an Arbitur over here, you have the equivalent of an american HS degree and the first year of college. When these kids graduate with an Arbitur, they already know what they want to do in university. Whether or not you do this is decided in what is the equivalent to our 10th grade. Even though S is in an international high school, he still had to do work experience which is a requirement for all students since after this grade, you can receive a certificate and enter the work force or attend a technical institution or apprenticeship.

Tom is not wrong about the $$ for an international high school. When I sold my house in the states, most of the profit went to S's tuition for the year. It's a boarding school, however, he does not board. I found several on a google search. If you're moving to a bigger city, Berlin, I think, there should be at least a couple of international high schools there.

A quick search just led me to the John F. Kennedy Berlin school. It looks to be structured somewhat like Salem, where S goes. This is what it reads... And it looks to be tuition free... I'd contact them ASAP. I've included a snipit from their website and link below...

As far as your son's german language skills. I'm so happy to hear that he's doing so well. Here's where I use my middle son as an example. V graduated with distinguished honors from his american HS. Academic teams, blah, blah. Top 20%. Graduated with 15 hours of AP classes. Somehow, we missed Latin 2. So he was unable to immediately enter a german university over here. They made a compromise and he went to language school then to Studiekollege in Konstanz which he started this week. So, now, he's in a "college setting" and has taken the German language requirement asked of him by the government. He is at a B1 level and started taking B2a until Studiekollege started.

Thank the lord this program still offers a German class structured into their curriculum. He speaks beautifully and had done amazing in the time frame in which he had to learn. But there's something to be said for learning the language then entering an education system taught in that language. It goes fast. It goes hard. Every day he's picking up new words, There's things being said he's committing to memory to look up later. Unless you can get up to at least a C1 language level, it will be hard for him. And when he gets here, it will be different. Being in an environment in which the newly learnt language is the only thing spoken, it is miles from learning otherwise. I'm not trying to dishearten you at all; I'm just trying to prepare you. S (younger one) has had a much easier time learning german at a slower pace and being taught his subjects in English at his school. But make no mistake, IB's are hard. It's like the last two years and all you take is AP classes essentially. It's not as easy as an american HS diploma. I'm researching now and have read that in American, if he chooses to go back for college, looks at an IB as a diploma and first year of pre-reqs. Education is serious over here and I really appreciate it. They have this on lock over here.

I absolutely get you not wanting him to be "useless" for a year. That's how I was with my middle one who went to language school and not directly into a university. After he's done with Studiekollege, we've got an English taught bachelor's program we're looking hard at... If it were me, I'd look at this JFK School and talk to them. I'd say that's your best chance at keeping him where you want him - moving forward. If y'all were given wrong dates and have missed the test to enter gymnasium, an international HS could be your only option to keep that forward momentum. If that school isn't an option or is full or something, I'm betting they will be a good resource for other options.聽

This is the snipit from the school and link... Good luck and keep me posted about what you end up doing!

"The John F. Kennedy School is a bilingual, bicultural German-American tuition-free public school. It offers an integrated elementary and high school program that combines the strengths of both the German and American educational traditions. Acknowledging and appreciating cultural diversity, the John F. Kennedy School serves German- and English-speaking students of all nations for the purpose of developing international understanding. The languages of instruction, German and English, are equally respected. Within this framework the educational program incorporates the essentials of the German and American school curricula.

Upholding high academic standards of both educational systems, the JFKS gives students an opportunity to learn through different modes and strategies. Promoting learning as a continuous lifetime process, the balanced curriculum supports student growth in all areas, including the fine arts, humanities, languages, sciences, mathematics, and sport. The school trips are an important part of formal education and they supplement instruction by providing direct observation and experience, thereby creating new ways for students to deepen their understanding of what they have already learned and acquire new knowledge.

In guiding students to understand themselves and the world around them, the JFKS fosters independent inquiry, critical thinking, open-mindedness and service to others. The curriculum and learning strategies encourage the development of responsible, democratic citizens. At all times the dignity of the individual student and teacher is paramount."

@beppi

Good afternoon, I saw your answer very detailed related schools ,and I need helps.

I have 2 doughtier 9 and 14 Y/o(british cv Y4&Y10) I will move to BERLIN for permanent relocation in December and I am afraid for my daughters because EN is they first language and DE is 0.

The private British Scholl are out of budget,聽 than I dont what to do.

Can you suggest me how to approach this issue. at the moment that I set up my daughters, all will be fine.

Thank you for any support you can give me.

Fabio

@lowprofile04 If you cannot send your kids to a school with English as medium of instruction, then they will have to learn German first, before they can attend regular lessons.

("Bilingual" schools are probably not helpful here, because they are geared towards German kids learning more English, not vice versa, and generally start with mostly German instruction plus intensive English language learning and slowly move towards teaching more and more subjects - up to 50% of them - in English.)

Many foreign kids lacking language skills arrive in Germany (although most of them also don't speak English), so the authorities have set up a system of preparatory classes to bring them up to speed in language and other subjects. These classes are free of charge, like all public schooling, but kids at that age will probably lose an academic year before they can re-join normal classes.

Ask about this option at a public school near your German place of residence, or at the local school authority ("Schulamt")!

Dear Beppi,

you are the first person in many forum that give me a clarity about this matter,

I really highly appreciate your answer.

you are open a new optimistic door about my transfer to berlin

Thank you for your clear and exhaustive answer

fabio

聽 聽 Dear Beppi,you are the first person in many forum that give me a clarity about this matter,I really highly appreciate your answer.you are open a new optimistic door about my transfer to berlinThank you for your clear and exhaustive answerfabio聽 聽 聽 聽 聽-@lowprofile04

Like Beppi mentioned, they will have to learn German to go to school but the schools have to help them to do this with special programs. It might however means that they basically lose a year academically while focusing on language skills the first year. The most important thing one can do to prepare is to get them learning German before coming; either through extra after school classes at a language school perhaps - or possibly with a private tutor. The more they know when they arrive the better.