German School

The boys have been going to the German Language School since the beginning of the school year. They are in different classes with different teachers. Teddy used to go 2 years ago (he went for an entire year) but he didn't learn much so we decided not to continue last year. This year however we are giving it another chance and we'll try to work with them at home more.

The problem is that most of the kids who go there are from German families or have at least one German parent and speak the language at home so almost all of them know some German already. Not my boys... Ideally we would have to work an extra couple of hours every week with them and it is hard to find the time and to actually make them do it.

The classes are being held every Saturday between 9:00-11:30 am. Dominic and I are actually "fighting" every Saturday morning over who is going to take the boys that day because whoever does take them has 2 hours to spend at University Village, a beautifull outdoor mall next to the German school. When I go I take Alex with me and we go to Barnes and Nobles, shop the baby boutiques and have something to eat.
Another highlight of the morning is when we listen to EWTN (the Catholic radio station) on the way there (it is a 30 minute trip). On Saturday mornings they have a program for children called (I think) "Glory Stories" or at least that's what my boys call them. They're little dramatized stories about the lives of the saints (mostly modern saints) and the kids love listening to them.

For those who don't know us very well and are wondering why we want our children to know German, here is why. When I lived in Romania I went to the German preschool and to the German school where everything (almost) was being taught in German. I grew up for part of my childhood in Transylvania with my grandparents and lived alongside the German community meaning that I grew up with the German language and culture as much as with the Romanian. My dad also knows German and he spent numerous summer vacations when he was little with a German family. My paternal grandmother also had ties with the German culture and knew the language well. She had many German friends and an impressive collection of German books. So for my part it is like a logical continuation of the tradition. As a side note, Latin is another "tradition" on my father's side. My grandma, my father and myself were good at Latin and liked it and I always wanted my kids to learn it and luckyly for me at Veritas Academy they formally study Latin.

Now on Dominic's side of the family, Dominic and his siblings, while they were in Romania they also went to German preschool and school and then they spent half a year in Germany before coming to America where (if I am not mistaken) they continued to take German lessons at home with a teacher.
We both have many relatives who live in Germany (including Dominic's brother Chris who married a German).
So, in conclusion, German is a family "thing" for us. Our children have to learn it sooner or later (and sooner is always better when it comes to languages).

Gosh this was a long post. They say that "a picture tells a thousand words" so now thatI can't post pictures, instead of just posting a picture of the boys at German school...a thousand words...well you get the idea.