Einschulung

On Saturday, 34,000 children throughout Berlin celebrated their Einschulung, or ceremony to commemorate the first day of Grade 1 at school. And Isaac was one of them.

https://www.archer-relocation.com/einschulung-in-berlin/

{Isaac waiting for his Einschulung ceremony to begin at school}

Einschulung is a big-deal celebration to welcome first graders into school. Before first grade, they are in Kita or Vorschule, reserved for young children. Once they reach first grade, they are welcomed into the greater Grundschule, or grade school

{Each child was given a sunflower}

For the ceremony, each child brought his or her new backpack with them to signify entering school with new lessons including learning how to read and write. Academics are not stressed at an early age in Germany, unlike in the US. Children’s character, social skills and manners are more important here.

{Ben, Dave and I proudly watched from the crowd of parents, grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousin and siblings}

{Isaac’s class – can you spot Izzy’s profile – patiently sitting during the ceremony}

{The ceremony was held in the school’s Turnhalle, or gym}

{Our good friend, Whitney, helped lead the ceremony as the Head of Co-Curricular Enrichment for the school}

{Isaac taking the stage after his name was announced}

{Class 1a being introduced to the school community}

At their school, Ben and Isaac each have twenty-five students and two teachers in their classroom. Each grade at Platanus has two classes. So each grade has an A class and a B class.

{Family members packed the school’s Turnhalle, or gym}

{Isaac heading to his classroom for his first “official” class}

After the formal ceremony, the classes were dismissed into their classrooms. Here, their teachers read to them and they received mini zuckertüten from the second grade classes. This was their first “official” class as first graders.

Meanwhile, the school “PTA” hosted a reception for the families, which included champagne and a beautiful buffet.

{Isaac’s first official class as a first grader}

One aspect of the Einschulung ceremony is to give your child a Zuckertüte (candy cone), also known as a Schultüte (school cone).

{Isaac and Ben with their Zuckertüten}

These cones are filled with candy, toys and school supplies. Since Ben started school in Germany as a second grader and missed his big Einschulung, he received a Zuckertüte as well.

{The boys opened their Zuckertüten in the Schulhof (school yard) after the ceremony}

{Isaac’s Kita teachers, Juliane and Andrew, also attended the ceremony. Isaac was thrilled to see them again.}

{Isaac was on top of the world, and the playground equipment, that day}

After we left the school, we continued the celebration by meeting friends at a burger joint followed by going to a park with a favorite playground. You could see Einschulung kids throughout the city with their loved ones.

{Alexanderplatz}

Since we have no family in town, Isaac’s classmate Carlotta and her parents invited us to their house for a celebration. It was nice to have an adopted family that day.

{“Afterparty” at Carlotta’s house}

Isaac and Carlotta are old Kita classmates, are both in 1a and are quickly becoming good buddies.

{Isaac at Carlotta’s birthday party last spring}

Their mothers are becoming quite good friends as well.

We think it’s going to be a good school year for both of our boys.

(*Many thanks to the school for sending professional photos of the day, many of which I have used throughout this post.)