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Turn Kindergarten into Fort Knox? Go Ahead! (Die Welt, Germany)

 

"I would often tell my astonished American husband how, at the age of four, the neighborhood children and I routinely walked to kindergarten all by ourselves, and would describe Finn's school, with its strict regulations, as a kind of military academy on "Sesame Street." ... Today I see things differently. ... As far as I'm concerned, they can turn his kindergarten into Fort Knox - and I take my hat off to the fact that to my son, the school manages to look as homey as Sesame Street."

 

By Iris Anyali

 

Translated By Stephanie Martin

 

December 17, 2012

 

Germany - Die Welt - Original Article (German)

What gave 29-year-old Kaitlin Roig, a first-grade teacher at Sandy Hook elementary school, the presence of mind to protect her children? An uncommon discipline that in today's America, all teachers must acquire.

 

ABC NEWS VIDEO, U.S.: How Newtown teacher Kaitlin Roig kept her first graders safe during the massacre, Dec. 14, 00:04:05RealVideo

The son of Welt editor Iris Alanyali goes to an American kindergarten. She's often been irritated by the tight security. But after the shooting, everything is different.

 

My five-year-old son Finn goes to an American kindergarten - one exactly like Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Connecticut.

 

Bethlehem, Pennsylvania is about as far from Philadelphia as Newtown is from New York - in their own way, both cities are fairly average American east coast cities. Finn's school even looks a lot like Sandy Hook: A faceless, flat-roofed building in shades of yellow, with a huge parking lot right next to it and a pathetic bicycle rack behind the building that no one anymore.

 

As I write these lines, the massacre of Newtown is a day old, and until two days ago, I made fun of Finn's kindergarten on almost a daily basis. I should say that I live in Berlin, we maintain a long-distance relationship and I am currently on a visit to the United States. My husband takes care of the children and works there.

 

I would often tell my astonished American husband how, at the age of four, the neighborhood children and I routinely walked to kindergarten all by ourselves, and would describe Finn's school, with its strict regulations, as a kind of military academy on "Sesame Street."

 

Today I see things differently. I'd like to tell you a little bit about day-to-day life with a child who attends an American kindergarten.

 

When American children reach the age of five, they go to kindergarten, which as everyone knows is called precisely that, and is written just like the German word. However, kindergarten in America has little to do with its German counterpart. At some schools the level of achievement is more accurately termed level "0," or grade zero, because that's exactly what it is: a year of preparation for "real school." It seems to me that students as well as parents see it that way.

 

Time-out chair for bad behavior

 

But kindergartens are still part of the elementary school that the child will attend the following year: The teachers are charming, there are subjects like art, gymnastics and music, there are plenty of stars for good behavior and a time-out chair for particularly bad behavior, and at the end of the year a child should be able to read and write a little and be able to count.

 

Although I have long since come to appreciate the merit principle - for Finn learning the alphabet is an exciting game rather than a drill - I had my doubts about the rest of the curriculum, which is tightly structured.

 

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We live five minutes from the school. Monday through Friday, shortly before nine o'clock, I walk with my son to the school's "pedestrian entrance," two inconspicuous doors to the left of the main entrance.

 

The doors open at 8:55.

 

In a small area in front of the school, the children in the two morning kindergarten classes form two lines (there are two classes in the afternoon as well). The older "pedestrian students" gather somewhere to the right of the school building. We parents stand around, chat, or admonish the kids for the 58th time not to leave their scarves in the school cubby.

 

At 8:55, both doors open and two teachers step outside, position themselves at the front of the lines, wave in a friendly manner to the parents, and march their charges into the building. The doors close and cannot be opened from the outside until 11:40am.

 

At 11:40, the right door opens, a teacher steps partially out and, and one at a time calls out the names of students from both classes who are already standing in line. The corresponding adults call attention to themselves by waving, the teacher nods, and the child runs off.

 

If no one answers when a child's name is called, because mother, father, grandma, or grandpa are a little late, the child goes back to the end of the line.

 

"This is the school bus line!"

 

Twice, Finn and I were late for school. That was at least as unpleasant for me as it was for my son. Both doors were already closed, so I marched to the front entrance with him. That entrance is actually reserved for school buses, which arrive there.

 

As we stepped into the building, several lines were already formed along various walls. A few boys from the closest happily called out Finn's name, but Finn didn't want to join them. "That's the school bus line!"

 

So we had to go a little further into the school foyer before we found, - lined up against another wall, those classmates who had previously positioned themselves at the pedestrian door. Finn joined them and I looked confused until I was noticed by his teacher, who stood like a conductor in the middle of the hallway and hastily commented, "Yes, yes, that's ok, you can leave Finn there."

 

I left quickly and went home. he second time we were late, I shooed Finn into the main entrance into line with his school bus classmates and turned around. I have no idea what happens if you're late picking up your child, because I don't dare come even a minute late. In this way, American elementary schools also train the parents.

 

Guests must have a pass

 

Later, when I indignantly told my husband that surely, a mother should feel welcome at her son's school, all he wanted to know why I was even allowed into the building - as every adult who is not an employee is directed to the office where you are expected to sign in and out.

 

And it does indeed say in the school handbook that guests are required to have a pass, which is available only in the front office: "The main entrance is monitored by surveillance cameras. Please use the bell to the left of the door, state your name and the reason for your visit."

 

I've never been in the school building for any length of time, and have no idea what my son's classroom looks like. My husband attended the only parent-teacher evening thus far, and beyond that, communication takes place via a red cardboard folder that is kept in Finn's backpack: The left side sports a sticker that says "Leave at Home," and on the right, a sticker with "Back to School."

 

Better grades when you're a PTA member

 

In the left pocket, there are more than just examples of Finn's newest drawing and spelling skills, but also printed ideas about how to expand on the skills learned at school ("Dear parents! This week we're learning the letter "H." You can help.  Cut out the letter "H" below and attach it to the picture of a word that starts with "H," house, for example.")

 

The right pocket is intended for signed vaccination forms and acknowledgement of school rules, as well as for calls to participate in the next bake sale, the collection of funds for Hurricane Sandy victims, or various other extracurricular activities that generate funds that benefit the Parent Teacher Association (PTA), parent representatives, and thus, the school.

 

When Finn started school, our neighbor strongly encouraged me to become an active member of the PTA. "Nobody will admit it, of course," she said, "but it's true: When you're in the PTA, your child gets better grades."

 

Now I understand why: The PTA is pretty much the only way to look over the shoulders of American teachers.

 

Home-schooling has risen 74 percent

 

The nation where people loudly protest when the president wants to "interfere" with health insurance, the nation that hates it when anyone interferes with its right to arms, oil and fast-food, hands over its children at the school entrance without resistance, as if it were the border to a foreign country for which it lacks a visa.

Posted by Worldmeets.US

 

 

SEE ALSO ON THIS:
El Universal, Mexico: Newtown: A Tragedy Foretold
La Jornada, Mexico: Newtown: Gun 'Barbarism' that Cannot be Removed by Legislation
Folha, Brazil: After Newtown: No Better Time for Americans to Debate Gun Control
Observer, U.K.: When it Comes to Guns and Violence, America is like a 'Failed State'
Guardian, U.K.: Americans and Guns: Shots Heard Round the World
Sun, U.K.: End the Lunacy: Shock, Fury and Shame Over 'America's Dunblane'
Guardian, U.K.: Gun Ownership and Gun Homicides Global Murder Map
RDS, Canada: After Newtown Killings, Sport Must Takes a Back Seat to Healing
The Tribune, India: U.S. Must Better Protect Sikhs, Other Religious 'Soft Targets'
IBN Live Video: Indian Sikhs React to Temple Slaughter in Wisconsin
Guardian, U.K.: Sikhs Say Attacks on Community are 'Collateral Damage' of 9/11
The Hindu, India: India seeks more security for religious places in U.S.
Elsevier, The Netherlands: How in the West and East, Mass Murderers are Bred
Liberation, France:America and Firearms: ‘How Many People Have to Die?’
Die Tageszeitung, Germany: The NRA: America's ‘Deadliest’ Lobby
Izvestia, Russia: Batman Shootings Elicit No Fear from Russia Film Execs
Khaleej Times, UAE: Colorado: ‘Big Brother’ U.S. Had Best Tend to its Own House
Saarbruecker Zeitung, Germany: Bloody Acts Like these ‘Cannot Be Prevented’
La Jornada, Mexico: 'Violence and Barbarism' in Retrograde United States
Berliner Morgenpost, Germany: Anders Breivik: Europe's Own Osama bin Laden
Le Quotidien d’Oran, Algeria: The Troubling Profile of a 'Bushian Terrorist'
DNA, France: Terrorism in Toulouse and the ‘Currency of Hate’
Sydsvenskan, Sweden: After September 11, We 'Lost What We Wanted to Defend'
Polityka, Poland: America in Anger's Clutches
Beijing Youth Daily, China: Making Sense of America's Right to Bear Arms
Frankfurter Rundschau, Germany: Virginia Tech One Year On: The 'Silent Scandal'
New Straits Times, Malaysia: Don't Just Blame Virginia Tech …
Kitabat, Iraq: 'Thank Allah the Virginia Killer Wasn't Muslim'
La Jornada, Mexico: Virginaa Tech: An American Tragedy
NRC Handlesblad, Netherlands: Americans Distrust State Monopoly on Violence
JoongAng Daily, South Korea: The Legacy of Cho Seung-hui: A Lesson to Koreans
The Korea Herald, South Korea: Koreans Feel Collective Guilt Over the Massacre
La Jornada, Mexico: Rejecting U.S. Drug War is Essential for Mexico's Survival
Xinjingbao, China: Information Society Triggered Massacre
China Daily, China: A Nation Cannot Be Tarred by a Single Killer
La Jornada, Mexico: The 'Paths of Death' Lead to Washington
La Jornada, Mexico: A Culture of Violence …
O Povo, Brazil: Virginia Tech: Sign of Our Wounded Civilization
Khaleej Times, UAE: Shooting Shows Something Ails America 'At its Core'

Al Watan Voice, Palestinian Territories: Fort Hood: 'Muslims Can't Be Trusted'

Dar Al Khaleej, UAE: America's 'Black Knights' and the Fort Hood Tragedy

Le Temps, Switzerland: 'Double Lesson' at Fort Hood

Khaleej Times, U.A.E. Fort Hood Shooting: 'Don't Pin It on Faith'

Hurriet, Turkey: Shooting at Fort Hood and the Role of Muslim Clerics

The Telegraph, U.K.: British Muslims Debate the Fort Hood Killer

 

The right to an education and the right to make something of oneself regardless of one's origins - perhaps it is this entitlement that gives American schools their special status. On the other hand, perhaps this special status is also partly responsible for the number of school-aged children being home-schooled, a number that rose by 74 percent from 1999 to 2007, according to a report by the U.S. Department of Education.

 

For many American parents, home schooling seems the only way - aside from religious and security concerns - for them to have any influence over their child's education.

 

By the time I heard about the massacre in Connecticut on Friday, I had already picked Finn up from kindergarten and inspected his red folder. While he was in his room having his Playmobil knights fend off a dangerous dinosaur attack, I was in the living room stunned as I watched TV at the lowest possible volume.

 

No more complaints about the security measures

 

I take my hat off to the teachers of Sandy Hook Elementary School, who after the disaster, led their students out of the school building in such a disciplined manner as if they were on their way to the gym. Now I understand why it was possible.

 

I take my hat off to Kaitlin Roig, who barricaded herself in the school restroom with her first graders and wouldn't open the door for police because she thought it was a trick by the shooter: The 29 year-old teacher wanted to see their ID badges pushed under the door first. Then she said that if they were police, they could get the key themselves and open the door from the outside.

 

I now understand where such self confidence came from, which made her reaction possible.

 

I will never again complain about the security measures at Finn's school. As far as I'm concerned, they can turn his kindergarten into Fort Knox - and I take my hat off to the fact that to my son, the school manages to look as homey as Sesame Street.

 

CLICK HERE FOR GERMAN VERSION

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[Posted by Worldmeets.US Dec. 17, 12:59pm]

 

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