School in Schleswig Holstein officially starts in the first grade where children attend Grundschule or elementary school. Each child is placed in a class with about 20-26 other students, being assigned a class teacher who will stay with them from first to fourth grade. They learn math, German, religion, sport and begin learning English in the third grade. Fieldtrips are common with some fourth grade classes participating in a five day/four night overnight trip to a northern island where they learn about the science of the island and even have a little disco party at the end.
After the fourth grade, parents and their children choose whether they will move on to a Gemeinschaftsschule or Gymnasium. Gemeinschaftsschule tends to attract the kids who are less enthused with learning and is more like a mix of Standard and Honors class in America while Gymnasium is more similar to AP coursework with a few Honors classes so attracts the kids who like to learn or are fast learners. In Gemeinschaftsschule there are five different paths to choose.
After the fourth grade, parents and their children choose whether they will move on to a Gemeinschaftsschule or Gymnasium. Gemeinschaftsschule tends to attract the kids who are less enthused with learning and is more like a mix of Standard and Honors class in America while Gymnasium is more similar to AP coursework with a few Honors classes so attracts the kids who like to learn or are fast learners. In Gemeinschaftsschule there are five different paths to choose.
- First, after 5th to 9th grade you may receive a “Einfache Schul Abschluss” which is about the equivalent of a High school diploma.
- Second, you can study from 5th to 10th grade then receive a “Mittlere Schul Abschluss” and, if you have good grades, then you are moved on to the 11th grade.
- Third, you can study from 5th to 10th grade then, if you are ready for more of a challenge, talk with a Gymnasium and move schools. There are no official forms for this process. Instead the schools will talk together and see if there are spots available and if your grades are high enough, but because Gymnasium is faster, you will have to retake a grade in order to catch up.
- Fourth, you can study 5th to 12th grade and receive “Fachhochschulreife” which will get you into a Fachhochschule but not a University.
- Fifth, you can study from 5th to 13th grade and receive your Abitur, which allows you to study at college.
Through Gymnasium, you have three paths:
Once you have an abitur, you can study at a Fachhochschule or a University(Hochschule). Fachhochschule focuses more on taking the things you learn and putting them into practice and University focuses on what exactly you are learning and the theory behind it. You can only earn a Ph.D at a University.
I think it might be confusing at first, but the different options in school allow you to stay flexible. This system is quite new as they made some major changes in the last five years. For example, before you had to go though Gymnasium to get your Abitur, otherwise it was close to impossible to obtain it any other way. Now you get to choose which group of people fit you better and the speed of learning, since the material is the same level, just more spread out for the Gemainsschaft Schulen.
- First, students can switch to a Gemeinschaftsschule but should do so before the start of 10th grade.
- Second, you can study from 5th to 11th grade and receive your Fachhochschulreife, which gets you into Fachhochschule but not University.
- Third, you can study from grades 5th to 12th and also receive your abitur.
Once you have an abitur, you can study at a Fachhochschule or a University(Hochschule). Fachhochschule focuses more on taking the things you learn and putting them into practice and University focuses on what exactly you are learning and the theory behind it. You can only earn a Ph.D at a University.
I think it might be confusing at first, but the different options in school allow you to stay flexible. This system is quite new as they made some major changes in the last five years. For example, before you had to go though Gymnasium to get your Abitur, otherwise it was close to impossible to obtain it any other way. Now you get to choose which group of people fit you better and the speed of learning, since the material is the same level, just more spread out for the Gemainsschaft Schulen.
Since I’m attending Heinrich Heine Schule, a Gymnasium, I wanted to visit a Gemeinschaftsschule to see if there were any noticeable differences. I have a friend, through the volleyball club, who attends Toni-Jensen-Gemeinschaftsschule about 10 minutes away. After receiving permission with both schools; I shadowed her for a day. We had to wake up a little earlier to make sure we caught the public bus at 7:20 a.m. to school and then chatted while trying to stay awake on the bus ride in. (As there are no school busses, many kids ride the public bus, bike or walk to school. A couple of kids drive or carpool when it’s cold outside.) Once we got there, we went to the first class of the day, art history. The school grounds were more spread out and there was an old water tower on campus that had a colorful painted mural.
Similarities: The classes are the same lengths and breaks are also. They have a separation for the lower grades and upper grades. Both schools have “Profils” to assist students with the upper classes focus on certain topics (sport, physics, biology, languages, etc.)
Differences: The diversity was MUCH higher. The 107 Gymnasiums tend to draw a primarily white group of kids, I would guess around 90%, while the 160 Gemainschaftsschulen draw a larger Turkish and African presence. Each person does choose where they go to school though, no matter how far away it is. If the school has a spot and you have the good grades, then you are in. Granted, I have only been to two schools in Schleswig Holstein, so each school might be different.
I had a lot of fun having a day to observe, getting to see the pros and cons of each school. I am happy to be challenged at the Gymnasium and overall impressed by the German school system. For example, at my Gymnasium, they expect excellence in all subjects and you rarely have a class that is considered a joke. A couple of examples of this:
B=boys G=girls
1(+A) 11:40-12:20 B & 13:30-14:30 G
2(-A) 12:40-13:20 B & 14:35-15:30 G
3(B) 13:40-14:25 B & 16:00-17:00 G
4(C) 14:50-15:40 B & 17:30-18:40 G
5(D) 16:10-20:00 B & 19:20-22:30 G
This is the lowered grading grid used for the kids who aren’t in the Sport profile classes. So you get these smart kids who are also fit and good at running and really good at sport, too. Most of my class scored in the 1-3 range with a few in the 4. Compared to when we do the mile run in high school, some kids are at the 14 minute mark at 4 laps.
Another thing in sport class that has impressed me is that they have a sport they focus on for about two months before switching to another. So far we have done soccer, running, parkour/fitness and jumpstyle, all great workouts and a lot of fun at the same time.
Similarities: The classes are the same lengths and breaks are also. They have a separation for the lower grades and upper grades. Both schools have “Profils” to assist students with the upper classes focus on certain topics (sport, physics, biology, languages, etc.)
Differences: The diversity was MUCH higher. The 107 Gymnasiums tend to draw a primarily white group of kids, I would guess around 90%, while the 160 Gemainschaftsschulen draw a larger Turkish and African presence. Each person does choose where they go to school though, no matter how far away it is. If the school has a spot and you have the good grades, then you are in. Granted, I have only been to two schools in Schleswig Holstein, so each school might be different.
I had a lot of fun having a day to observe, getting to see the pros and cons of each school. I am happy to be challenged at the Gymnasium and overall impressed by the German school system. For example, at my Gymnasium, they expect excellence in all subjects and you rarely have a class that is considered a joke. A couple of examples of this:
- The kids in the Language profile are learning to read/write/speak German, English, Spanish and French or Latin and can hold great conversations in most of these languages even though they tend to start off apologizing, saying how bad they are in the language.
- Everyone has sport once a week (or more for the sport profile) and twice a year they have to do the 3000 meter run, which is just shy of two miles (7 ½ laps). The grading grid for the run:
B=boys G=girls
1(+A) 11:40-12:20 B & 13:30-14:30 G
2(-A) 12:40-13:20 B & 14:35-15:30 G
3(B) 13:40-14:25 B & 16:00-17:00 G
4(C) 14:50-15:40 B & 17:30-18:40 G
5(D) 16:10-20:00 B & 19:20-22:30 G
This is the lowered grading grid used for the kids who aren’t in the Sport profile classes. So you get these smart kids who are also fit and good at running and really good at sport, too. Most of my class scored in the 1-3 range with a few in the 4. Compared to when we do the mile run in high school, some kids are at the 14 minute mark at 4 laps.
Another thing in sport class that has impressed me is that they have a sport they focus on for about two months before switching to another. So far we have done soccer, running, parkour/fitness and jumpstyle, all great workouts and a lot of fun at the same time.
Germany has many religious holidays, with Catholic south Germany more so than the Protestant north. For example, next Wednesday May 4th is the start of Chrisit Himmelfahrt (Ascension of Christ), where we get three days off and then Monday the 16th for Pfingstmontag (Pentecost Monday). Their school breaks tend to be longer, also, as Fall break is two weeks and Easter is also two weeks, but their summer is much shorter. This year in Schleswig Holstein, summer break starts July 22nd and ends September 5th, just over a month long.
While we have school sports in America, they only have school clubs (AG’s) or community clubs for sports. I joined the Women’s Volleyball Club Heikendorf and play with about 16 other girls ages 16-22. They also have a club for people just starting or learning how to play volleyball and a club for men and some of the older women. The clubs outside of school meet twice a week for the whole year, except for holidays, and play games Saturdays. We played about 20 games this season and came in third in our bracket. With the Volleyball AG, through school, we practice every Thursday, except for holidays, and played in a tournament we hosted this March, the last day before the Easter Break. The girl’s team won first and the boys second and we had a blast refereeing the games ourselves and missing a day of school.
While we have school sports in America, they only have school clubs (AG’s) or community clubs for sports. I joined the Women’s Volleyball Club Heikendorf and play with about 16 other girls ages 16-22. They also have a club for people just starting or learning how to play volleyball and a club for men and some of the older women. The clubs outside of school meet twice a week for the whole year, except for holidays, and play games Saturdays. We played about 20 games this season and came in third in our bracket. With the Volleyball AG, through school, we practice every Thursday, except for holidays, and played in a tournament we hosted this March, the last day before the Easter Break. The girl’s team won first and the boys second and we had a blast refereeing the games ourselves and missing a day of school.
As I’ve enjoyed my school year in Heikendorf, I’ve also kept up with my peers with online college and scholarship applications. During my parents recent visit we compared my opportunities for Fall 2016 admission, deciding on North Carolina State University and the Poole College of Management’s International Business Dual Degree (IBDD) Program. The IBDD Program incorporates two years of study at NC State, two years of study at a partner institution abroad, two internships, two languages and two degrees. As a participant of the program, I will spend my first two years studying international business at NC State, and during my third and fourth years, I will be studying at the ESB Business School in Reutlingen, Germany. I am very excited for this upcoming fall semester and the adventures that await! Go Wolfpack!