Thursday was the day all parents and grandparents were invited to visit the school and sit in on any class they wanted. I really like this tradition, and am so glad they do it twice every school year. The kids love it too, and always tell me which hour I should visit with them.
Since I am on the newly instituted Parent Council this year, I had to sacrifice one precious hour of visiting time to slice bread. Another part of school visiting day tradition, is that the children and parents all receive a slice of fresh baked bread compliments of the school. The Elternrat is in charge of slicing it, and preparing the banquet tables where it is handed out, along with water, tea and coffee. Sarah was very sad I wasn’t going to be able to visit her this time, but then it worked out in the end. But I am jumping ahead of myself a bit.
First child Alexandra and I went to visit was Noah. We walked into the kindergarten room and saw tons of kids, and parents, but no Noah. We looked everywhere and didn’t see him. Finally I asked his teacher where he was hiding, and she told me he was in the other kindergarten room having German class. I had no idea this was how it worked, and she told me it was just on Thursday and Friday mornings. aha!
We walked down the hall and found him, and our neighbor Amelie learning all the German words for clothes.
Then they played what is apparently Noah’s favorite game in German class, which turned out to be a form of Battleship! I thought that was a really cute way to get the kids to practice the articles of the different fruits, and also get them comfortable speaking the words. I might have to try this at home with him and Alexandra!
German class was only for the first 30 minutes, and then they went over to the other kindergarten to join the rest of the kids. They had circle time, where they sang the good morning song and talked about what day of the week it was and what plans they had. 
Then the children took turns choosing which stations they would play in for the morning. There was the theater station, the baking station, the building station, and a few others that I can’t remember. Noah chose the building station, which meant we headed over to the wall of death!
I asked him to make me something to put on my key chain,
so he very carefully drew a very cute spotted cow on a piece of wood and 
proceeded to cut it out with a saw. All the wire saws were being used by other kids, so he had to use a regular one. He wisely used a vise to hold the wood still, while he hacked away at it. Less chance of slicing off a finger that way. 🙂 He wasn’t finished by the time we had to leave to go cut bread, but he promised to continue working on it while I was gone.
Turns out the tables where I was cutting bread were in the same room with Sarah and Sophie’s combined singing class. So I sat Alexandra in a chair right behind Sarah, and went to work. 
I got to hear all their beautiful songs, and even danced to a couple. (They had a really good beat!)
I did have to leave right at the end, to set up the coffee stuff, but at least I got to be with them for most of the time. 
Alexandra even helped me carry some of the sliced bread over to the tables we had set up outside. It was such beautiful weather, how could we not?
We only had to wait a minute or two and then all the kids came to find us and we spent recess outside together. 
Everybody munched on their bread while we walked around talking. Nick was very excited to show me the “Prügelplatz”, where all the kids who want to go to fight. 
Apparently they spend the entire recess throwing, or knocking, each other down to the ground! While we were watching, one kid totally flipped another kid over his shoulders, so that he landed flat on his back. That cannot be healthy! But they only beat up the kids who are on the field. Don’t want to get beat, don’t go on the field. Still, kind of crazy.
The girls went over to the Kinsky to show off Alexandra and play a bit. 
She’s always a big hit at school. She is going to be crushed when she is an actual kindergartener and everyone ignores her. 🙁
When recess was over, Alexandra and I joined Sophie for art class. What I noticed first was the beautiful drawing her teacher had left for them on the blackboard.
Frau Göldi is away for three months getting some special training, and this was her going away gift for the children. Seriously amazing what that woman can do with regular old chalk and a blackboard.
While she is gone they have a very nice substitute, Frau von Menttlen. She is completing her teaching degree and will be a fully qualified teacher next year.
Sophie really likes her, and is already planning a small going away present for her. This class was about the artist Paul Klee and trying to draw using the same techniques he was famous for; namely drawing the entire subject without lifting the pencil from the paper once.
She called this “The man with the apple head”. Here all the kids masterpieces. I think some of them are very creative!
For the last hour, we headed over to Nicholas’ class. It’s the last time we can visit him in elementary school. 🙁 They were having an interesting discussion on drugs and alcohol and other addictive substances. I was a very good girl and only rolled my eyes very slightly when the teacher said that drinking 2-3 cups of coffee a day was actually healthier than not drinking any. And that cigarettes weren’t as addictive as alcohol. Just made me glad we have already talked to our kids about these things, and continue to do so on a regular basis. That way they can get the truth, and not rely on the current wisdom of the day.
When the bell rang, the teacher continued to talk for a few minutes, so we missed the other kids coming out of school. We three walked down to the school bus together.
And then we all sat near each other for the ride home. It was a great morning and I can’t wait for next year. 🙂