German International School?

[Anonymous]

I am that PP. You wouldn't have noticed because we were great with smoke and mirrors talk and presentation to parents. Sorry, but it's true. We didn't have chair-throwers, just a lot of low level SEN that went unsupported, as well as American kids whose parents believed their children were fluent in German, and altogether this resulted in a fairly non-rigorous experience for all. I'm back in Germany now, and the difference between kids who went to German school in Germany and those from the German International School where I taught in the US is significant. I feel bad for German expat kids who had to spend formative years at the German International School and then returned to Germany to realise they were behind their peers.

Believe what you want. I have no reason now to lie. But when I was teaching at the German International School, most parents were easily fleeced by our charismatic principal. It wasn't an excellent education for anyone.


Other PP with direct parental experience of the GSIW and indirect knowledge of the NYC-area German schools here. Thank you for your honest reflection! This is exactly why we left the GISW. Luckily it was early on in our kids’ academic careers and we were able to make up the gaps in their education. To others: beware!

Question for this poster or anyone else who might know. How does the GISW compare to your average public DC area school? We don’t have the option of sending our kids to a school in Germany. It doesn’t really matter to us that these schools might be better. Our experience has been that you have some SEN kids at every school and also quite a few ESL learners. How much that really influences a classroom I don’t know.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I don't know this specific school and I live in Germany, not DC, but I taught for a year at the German International School in another major East Coast US city. All German International Schools abroad follow the same curriculum standards (state of Thuringia), so I can't imagine the German International School in DC is much different from the one where I taught.

The truth: many German families in the area were unhappy with the school and chose to put their children in other local private or public schools.

The German school was small and cash-strapped, so had to accept every German child who applied. This meant many behaviour and SEN issues, and the staff did not have the support or resources to fully support them. It drove down the quality of education for all. In addition, the school was desperately attempting to attract non-German kids to raise funds, but the truth was that unless they started in kindergarten, they never really became fluent enough to have a chance at the Abitur.

As for the non Germans who started when they were little, their German wasn't as good as that of the native German kids, and as they got older, the difference between kids from non-German speaking kids got more noticeable. And teachers found it difficult to work with non-German speaking parents who couldn't help with homework. Even the American kids who best adapted to the German language at the school were less likely to do the Abitur than they would have been if their parents spoke German at home.

So I would say no. If the GIS in DC is the same as the one where I worked, I would not advise that you apply.

These same problems are the downward drivers in quality of education in ALL lower tier DC area Privates ever since they all joined the Facilities arms race and over spent and over borrowed making themselves desperately tuition dependent

It’s doubly true when as a “ International School” a school is already tied to WB& IMF as without those families to fill half the slots they would be grossly under enrolled and belly up in less than a year

[Anonymous]

Why not do the Saturday school instead? I mean, it isn't as rigorous, but if your kid is motivated, it's a start.

[Anonymous]

Following. We are in a similar boat. Non-native speaking family (but motivated and learning) with young child (7) who has only had a little time in the Sat program. We understand it would take significant commitment on our part (tutors). But worry that with the relative late start and without a native speaker in the home, DC will never catch up let alone thrive.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I don’t know specifics but I would suggest you get a German au pair and try online language tutoring now so when you apply the language base is stronger and the child can get reinforcement at home.

It’s a German school that happens to be based in the US. This means that they will not teach your child the language especially if they enter this late. The assumption is that they speak and write it when they arrive. I would not recommend it unless your kid is fluent and one parent can support at hone. How in earth do you expect your student to write the equivalent of AP Lit essays in German?

They will not tell you this, but I’ve seen quite a few American families in your situation fall for the marketing and then leave again after a couple of years.
Note that they have been stretched financially for years and would have folded a long time ago if it were not for the steady stream of embassy funds and diplomat kids.

It’s time for them to turn into a fully bilingual school: English in the morning and German in the afternoon. Other German schools teach the subjects in the local language.

[Anonymous]

Another German/English bilingual family here. We had our kids in a German school in another large US city, also based on the curriculum of Thuringia, following the same model. The English-only kids have to start in K, but they never reach the level of the German-native kids. Also many families (our included) end up leaving around middle school because of the limitations of being a tiny school. As families move away, they cannot fill the slots unless the incoming student is fluent in German. This results in situations where there are 10 kids or less in an entire grade. Our kids wanted other school where they could have a variety of experiences and electives even in middle school, sports teams, clubs, etc. It became too insular.

[Anonymous]

Any one attending GISW this year who does not speak German at home? Anyone graduated, non-native, and attended University in Europe?

[Anonymous]

BUMP…would you do a local public school or the GISW school?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Any one attending GISW this year who does not speak German at home? Anyone graduated, non-native, and attended University in Europe?

My husband is German and I have been watching this school get trashed on the forums for years, so not sure what we will do if we are in DC when little one starts school. What I can say about higher education in Germany is this: there is an excellent system designed to bring non native speakers up to a level where they can complete university degrees successfully. If you only want your kid to go to college in Germany, I'd do excellent local public school, Saturday school, summer camps in Germany at the big boarding schools that have immersion, and maybe a high school year abroad through AFS or something. As long as your kid scores 3 or above on AP tests in the subject he wants to study in college, and is willing to spend a year learning German at Studienkolleg, you don't need to spend the money on German school... The extra "foundation year" means kid will get a degree in 4 years instead of 3, but that's what would have happened in the US anyway.

[Anonymous]

I was at the German School wayyyyy back in the day, when it was still the Deutsche Schule Washington. It’s really sad to hear how it’s fallen. I had a really good experience and terrific teachers, for the most part.

[Anonymous]

OP where are you located? Some of the Montgomery County high schools offer German. You could also have your child do an student exchange program in high school.

[Anonymous]

OP We are in Northern Virginia. Not Fairfax where they have a public immersion. We are in private but it not great either. Is GISW really so awful? Do the kids get out not having learned anything, as these posts seem to say?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP We are in Northern Virginia. Not Fairfax where they have a public immersion. We are in private but it not great either. Is GISW really so awful? Do the kids get out not having learned anything, as these posts seem to say?

I doubt it's so awful. Your kid is a non native speaker, so ignore the statements saying that your kid will never reach native level. That's probably true and ok. The real issue is whether you kid will get what he needs in math, science and English. The only way to find out is to try. By being vigilant with what is taught, you'll know what your child is getting vs what would be taught in your local school.

Make sure the math is where it needs to be, read lots of English books at home and write letters in English to grandma. Your kid will thank you later when he speaks a foreign language that is very much in demand and spoken by very few Americans.

[Anonymous]

Hmmm, except not being a native speaker is indeed an issue in a school that is very much like a German school back in Germany. It just happens to be located in MD.

Avoid the school. We left several years ago due to poor academics and many behavioral issues (at least some of which are caused by kids just not being able to understand what’s going on on the classroom and then acting out). And yes, my kid’s are native speakers.

I think the school was strong g and very good value until about 10-15 years ago and has declined ever since.

[Anonymous]

So if GISW is is a school to avoid unless you are an expat or embassy personnel…the general consensus…and you want your child to speak and understand german…where do you go? What solutions have you found?