1st week complete and many more to go

Adeline and Emmie have completed their first week of German school with smiles and excitement. Each day has brought about a new learning experience and more comfort of being in the classroom. In addition, the girls are also reciting a new German word everyday they have picked up from the classroom environment.  Adeline's word is "fertig"(complete) and Emmie's word is "oopsala"(oops).

The girls were very happy when it was a sunny Wednesday morning, as Emmie could ride her bike and Adeline her scooter to school.

In kindergarten, Emmie has gone from playing puzzles independently to making friends with the older girls and playing dolls with them, and sharing shovels in the large sandbox.  She has brought home shoes full of sand everyday. Wednesday mornings they have a group breakfast where all the children sit together and eat the same thing. This week was pancakes with jelly. Emmie enjoyed it so much that on Thursday, she walked around the tables looking to see if there was anymore of it for snacktime. On Friday, the class took a fieldtrip to the garden center. Emmie explained to me it was to far to walk, so they all got on the city bus and went to buy flowers for the classroom.

Everyday there has been something new for Adeline in her classroom. She is still learning the children's names, but a few of the children who speak English come and say hello to her in the morning when I drop her off at school. She received her reading and math books on Wednesday and has had a coloring or drawing sheet of homework everyday. Adeline draws a house on the top of the worksheet if she needs to complete it a home, this way I know too what needs to be done. The school teachers have also paired her up with an 8 year old girl who speaks very good English to help ease the transition too. She now plays with her and her friends at recess.

Friday we received the upcoming week's schedule from the teacher. I now understand why Adeline was given so many hourly charts for her school week to be filled out when we were gathering school supplies. Adeline's class schedule varies from day to day. It just depends on the day and what classes are being taught. Some days she has a short day of only 4 classes, so she can sleep in and gets out earlier, whereas other days she will go in earlier and stay later if is a day with 5 or 6 classes.

Our family calendar is already filling up with class social gatherings, meetings, and school events. This school year will be a time of learning for me too as I get acquainted with the school times, learning objectives, and activities. I have been meeting a few of Adeline's classmates mother's every morning as they have been very kind in offering playtime for the children outside of school and assistance to me as we are starting the school year. We are looking forward to the new experiences and learning opportunities the school year will bring for all of us.