Hauptschule
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A Hauptschule (German:
History
Hauptschulen (plural for Hauptschule) were first introduced in
Basics
The main aim of Hauptschulen is to offer young students with average grades or below, most of whom will not attend a university, an adequate general academic education. (However some of the graduates will attend a university later in life, see below.) They largely teach the same subjects as a Subjects that are taught at Gymnasien, but not at Hauptschulen, include Latin and Ancient Greek, while "work studies" (Arbeitslehre) is taught at Hauptschulen, but not at Gymnasien.
Subjects taught at a Hauptschule also include mathematics, physics/chemistry, biology, geography, history, religion (or another elective class), music, art, politics, sport and language. From the first year of Hauptschule, all children learn English. Once students have obtained their graduate certificate at the age of 15–16, they can go into practical vocational training, start work in the public service at basic or secretarial level, or attend a Berufsfachschule (full-time vocational school). The jobs for which they apply consequently require practical skills rather than academic knowledge. They may also qualify for further education in a Realschule or Gymnasium if their marks are good enough.
Most Hauptschulen are state-run and thus do not cost any money to attend; however some private Hauptschulen do exist. Such Hauptschulen have comparatively low tuition fees and/or offer stipends. The "youth welfare office" may also cover the costs of the student attending a private Hauptschule.
The German state spends more money on students attending public Hauptschulen than it spends on students attending public Realschulen or Gymnasien, and Hauptschulen have a more favourable student–teacher ratio than those other types of school.[2] Hauptschulen often have a very diverse student body in terms of ethnic groups, languages spoken at home, religions, social classes, and students' abilities. The schools face many challenges, because they sometimes have to educate students of average abilities alongside students that have learning difficulties or need special attention.[3] In some German states, such as Bavaria, Hauptschulen offer different classes to their students. They offer the so-called M-classes for it advanced students, regular classes and the so-called P-classes for students who are struggling.
Percentage of jobholders holding
1970 | 1982 | 1991 | 2000 | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Hauptschulabschluss | 87.7% | 79.3% | 66.5% | 54.9% |
Realschulabschluss | 10.9% | 17.7% | 27% | 34.1% |
Abitur | 1.4% | 3% | 6.5% | 11% |
Historically, a vast majority in Germany went to Hauptschule; in 2000 54.5% of jobholders had an Hauptschulabschluss, indicating they graduated from one. However, in the 1970s an educational expansion started and parents started sending their children to better schools. Thus younger jobholders are less likely to hold a Hauptschulabschluss than older ones.
Problems
The percentage of children attending a Hauptschule differs very much by region (it may be as high as 60% or as low as 4%). Most Hauptschulen reside in conservative areas (like Bavaria), because conservative parties want to strengthen the Hauptschule, while the SPD closed Hauptschulen, replacing them with comprehensive schools. In these areas, in many cases, the Hauptschule is not a school of first choice for a student and is attended by students of whom is believed that they for a number of reasons may not profit from the more competitive environment of other schools.
In some areas where few students attend the Hauptschule and those who do often suffer from learning disabilities, Hauptschule students have come to be increasingly
- We must realize that the mood in some classes currently is marked by aggressiveness, disrespect, and ignorance towards adults … The tendency toward violence against property is growing … In most of the families of our students, they are the only ones getting up in the morning. For them, school is a stage and battleground for attention. The worst culprits become role models[5]
Baumert, Stanat and Watermann did a report on so-called "problem schools" in 2000. "Problem schools" according to the scientists were:
- Hauptschulen that exist in an underprivileged environment. There is a cumulation of risk factors. Half of all students have repeated a grade. [...] 40 percent of parents have not learned a trade. One-third of parents have no job. The percentage of students who destroyed school property is high. The level of aptitude and performance on tests is very low. 16 percent of Hauptschulen must be called a problem school.[6]
The number of "problem schools" that could be identified varied greatly by State of Germany. In
The graduation certificate is the
Hauptschulen in different Bundesländer (federal states) of Germany
Some states of Germany do not have a Hauptschule. In most eastern German states, Hauptschulen never existed and still do not exist. In the
In the German state of Saarland, the Hauptschule has been abolished, and Hauptschulen have been merged with
The state of
Abolition of the Hauptschule in Berlin and Hamburg
Starting in 2010/2011 Hauptschulen were formally abolished in the German States Berlin and Hamburg. They were merged with
Similarities to American schools
In the United States, most schools are
Although Marc Tucker of the
References
- ^ "How To Germany - German School System". www.howtogermany.com.
- ^ Klaus Klemm: "Bildungsausgaben im föderalen System – Zur Umsetzung der Beschlüsse des ‚Bildungsgipfels’". Friedrich Ebert Stiftung http://library.fes.de/pdf-files/stabsabteilung/06218.pdf p.41
- ^ Werner Helsper & Christine Wiezorek: Zwischen Leistungsforderung und Fürsorge. Perspektiven der Hauptschule im Dilemma von Fachunterricht und Unterstützung. In: Die Deutsche Schule. 98 (4), 2006, p. 445 f.
- ISSN 1613-4338. Archived from the original(PDF) on 2007-10-07. Retrieved 2009-11-21.
- ^ Young, Marc (5 April 2006). "Letter From Berlin: Germany's School of Hard Knocks". Der Spiegel – via Spiegel Online.
- ^ a b Ulrich Sprenger: "Ergebnisse aus dem vierten Berichtsband zu PISA 2000-E (PISA-2000/06)" [1]