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The Magazine 3.18
The Magazine Learning
At its own pace
A school in Greifswald
tackles inclusion
Is digital better?
A debate on the future
of learning
A discriminating machine
On dealing with
Learning
artificial intelligence
3.18
THE MAGAZINE
3.18
Editorial 3
Dear Readers,
The processes that are activated in the brain when we’re learning
are fairly well researched in neurological terms. People con-
nect sensory inputs to other sensory inputs and to their remem-
bered experiences. In the process, new neuronal links are cre-
ated, and existing ones grow stronger. When you learn, you ex-
pand the data pathways in your mind; they grow from little trails to
paved roads or even highways. This biological discovery confirms
what educators have seen in practice: just googling information
doesn’t help you learn. In order to actually build new pathways,
you have to work to acquire knowledge and apply it over and over
again.
As a foundation, we want to provide these effective learning
experiences with many of our programs. We’ll introduce you
to some of these programs in this issue, and we’ll take you on a
journey – to the Thomas Mann House in California, which is
becoming a new place of exchange and discussion on the major
societal issues of our time. We’ll also take you to Asia, where
university graduates from German-speaking countries are
teaching – and learning just as much as their students, perhaps
even more.
One particular focus area of our work is improving the qual-
ity of schools; a good school makes a crucial contribution to
helping children realize their potential and fully explore their own
personalities. The German School Award created by our founda-
tion demonstrates that there are many schools doing an excellent
job in this regard. Today, there are also options for applying
these schools’ good concepts to other schools. In this way, we
hope to help facilitate the learning process in the school system –
and, in doing so, to leave a lasting impact.
We hope you enjoy the read!
Joachim Rogall, Uta-Micaela Dürig, Sandra Breka, Hans-Werner Cieslik
Board of Management of the Robert Bosch Stiftung
4 Contents Robert Bosch
Stiftung
10 12 24
06 12 22
Facts: The learning Learning for everyone: Infographic: How
patterns of babies, At the Martinschule in the German School
school children, Greifswald, every child Award can contribute
adults – and machines learns at his or her to the development
own pace. How is this of all schools
08 achieved?
Beginnings: Jonas 24
Budkiewitz tells us about 19 Debate: How can
the challenges he faced Good school: A conver- digitalization succeed
when starting out sation with education at schools?
as a German teacher researcher Anand Pant
in South Korea about our education 28
system, teacher training, For the love of
10 and the schools of literature: We accom-
Snapshot: Learning tomorrow pany a children’s book
from one another in an author and a German
interprofessional teacher who want to get
training program for students excited about
nurses and doctors literary writing
THE MAGAZINE
3.18
5
34 40
32 40 The German School
Learning as a Behind the scenes: Award recognizes
human right: How What Jutta Allmendinger, good schools and
more education could one of the first fellows at helps raise awareness
significantly reduce the Thomas Mann House about their concepts
global poverty in Los Angeles, is up to and ideas. You can
read about the groups
34 42 involved on the
Learning machines: Column: Ten questions following pages:
An interview with AI to our readers by Claudia
Report from an award-winning school, p. 12
expert Kate Crawford Hach Interview with education researcher
about the dark sides of Hans Anand Pant, p. 19
Infographic on the German School Award, p. 22
artificial intelligence
38
In brief: News from
projects and areas
supported by the
Robert Bosch Stiftung
Imprint PUBLISHER Robert Bosch Stiftung GmbH, Heidehofstraße 31, 70184 Stuttgart, Germany, magazin@bosch-stiftung.de, www.bosch-stiftung.de |
BOARD OF MANAGEMENT Prof. Dr. Joachim Rogall, Uta-Micaela Dürig, Sandra Breka, Dr. Hans-Werner Cieslik | RESPONSIBLE Stefan Schott, Senior
Vice President of Strategic Communications | PROJECT MANAGEMENT Regina Mennig | MANAGING EDITORS Martin Petersen, Nicole Zepter | PUBLISH-
ING COMPANY TERRITORY Content to Results GmbH, Bei den Mühren 1, 20457 Hamburg, Germany, www.territory.de | MANAGING DIRECTORS Soheil
Dastyari, Sandra Harzer-Kux | PUBLISHING MANAGEMENT Eva Willaschek | ART DIRECTION Maja Nieveler, Anne Stiefel | PHOTO EDITOR Vanessa Zeeh |
PRINT Merkur Druck GmbH, Oststraße 49, 22844 Norderstedt, Germany, merkur-druck.com | ISSN NO. 1865-0910 | COVER PHOTO Jonpaul Douglass
6 Facts
Sources: Oser et. al, 1999: Lernen aus Fehlern. Zur Psychologie des negativen Wissens; German Federal Ministry of Education and Research, 2001: Das informelle Lernen; Romeo et. Al, 2018: Beyond the 30-Million-Word Gap: Children’s Conversational Exposure Is Associated With Language-Related
Brain Function; Shakirov, 2016: Review of state-of-the-arts in artificial intelligence with application to AI safety problem; UNESCO Global Education Monitoring Report 2017/18; Georg Eckert Institute (gei.de); German Federal Statistical Office: Schulen auf einen Blick 2018; DIPF Leibniz Institute for
How We Learn
Eight facets of learning – in Germany
and worldwide
People learn from mistakes –
even from ones they only hear
about in stories or movies.
Artificial neural networks can already
carry out 70% of the tasks that the
53% 753
human brain does, and perform just as
well as the brain – or better.
of first-year college
students in million
Germany have at adults worldwide are
least one parent with unable to read, write or
a college degree. do maths.
(For example: recognizing objects,
images and actions, identifying language,
and reinforced learning)
Dialog is the most important factor in a
82%
child’s brain development.
In 2018, the
“mBook History”
became the first
Research and Information in Education: Education in Germany 2018.
non-printed
of national constitutions
textbook to win guarantee the right
the German to education. In 55% of
countries, people can
“School Book of enforce that right
the Year” award. through legal action.
THE MAGAZINE
3.18
7
70 %
of human learning occurs outside
of educational institutions.
Text and research: Martin Petersen | Photos: Stocksy
8 Jonas Budkiewitz was born on the German island of Usedom. He later moved to Münster to study education. He has been in Busan, South Korea with the Lectureship Program since September 2017 – and the 28-year-old has extended his stay in the country for another year.
THE MAGAZINE
3.18
Beginnings 9
Please Ask Questions
Jonas Budkiewitz works as a German teacher in the South Korean
city of Busan. When he started out, the job seriously put his German
educational ideals to the test.
I
The first projects I attempted outside German Democratic Republic. When I
of the German classes I was teaching was younger, I went on high school
also came to nothing. At one point exchange programs to Paris, Romania,
I wanted to start a student newspaper, and Israel, and later on, I spent se-
and another time I thought a work- mesters abroad in Iceland and Krakow.
shop for cultural exchange would be a But starting a life in South Korea
good idea. Korea is a highly homo- was harder than in any of those places.
geneous society; the people don’t have I wasn’t automatically part of a
much experience with cultural differ- network of exchange students; I had
ences. Different groups – Korean to build my own network. I started
students, Chinese students – don’t mix going to climbing gyms, which are usu-
on campus, and I wanted to address ally built into the upper floors of office
that. But hardly anyone signed up. buildings here. I found restaurants
Obviously, that was a bit of a disap- where I can eat vegetarian meals with-
am the first Bosch German lecturer at pointment. Since then, I’ve been asking out me having to explain why I don’t
the University of Busan, and at the myself how I can get the students eat meat. I also play soccer with my
beginning, I felt like I’d been thrown in interested in projects where the focus students.
at the deep end. And it wasn’t just is on personal experiences rather I hope I can inspire curiosity
me; my students felt the same way. than professional qualifications. in my students. If I can, then my time
Here’s a good example of what I mean: I still don’t feel like I’ve wrapped my here won’t have been in vain. The
I was teaching a class, and we were head around everything here – and university offers projects that involve
doing group work. Initially, the students that’s what makes it so exciting. At the the students traveling to Germany. I
were working in pairs, and it was moment, I’ve teamed up with a few helped the students prepare and make
going well. But when I wanted to dis- other professors to set up a center for contacts. They then went to Hamburg,
cuss results with the whole group, German-Korean cultural exchange, where they stayed with my parents
no one moved. In my typically direct and recently, there was an artists’ ex- and their neighbors. I think these sorts
German way, I asked them flat-out, change between Hamburg and Busan. of cross-cultural interactions are
What’s the problem? Do you need help? I just love other cultures – may- wonderful – including the fact that my
I asked and asked, but the silence be I get that from my father. He was parents got to know my friends and
stretched on for minutes; all the stu- a sailor during the period of the former acquaintances from Korea.
dents kept their eyes firmly fixed
on the floor. It was obvious that there
were major cultural differences at
play here. The students would never 25 Years of the Lectureship Program
tell me if they didn’t understand
Text: Regina Mennig | Photo: Michael Kohls
With the Lectureship Program, the Robert Bosch Stiftung supports university graduates
something, and they would definitely from Germany, Austria, and Switzerland and college employees in China, Indonesia,
never dream of contradicting me. South Korea, Thailand, and Vietnam who teach German as a foreign language and
Having someone stand at the front of implement educational projects. The Lectureship Program is organized in partnership
the classroom and tell them to ask with MitOst e.V. MitOst was founded in 1996 by former lecturers as a platform for
questions was a huge change for them. more extensive networking. Today, it supports numerous projects as well as the involve-
ment of members and alumni from more than 40 countries. The Lectureship Program
I showed up with my give-and-take
is celebrating its 25th anniversary in 2018/2019.
German approach to education, and I
hit a brick wall right away.
Text: Alexandra Wolters | Photos: Lena Giovanazzi
THE MAGAZINE
3.18
Snapshot 11
Side by Side
During his medical training, Sebastian Friedrich
studied alongside trainee nurses.
It was one of my first days as a medical children and their parents about their nurses, such as nebulizer treatments or
intern on the “Treasure Island” problems and needs. We also carried checking bandages, so it’s important
pediatric ward at St. Josef Hospital in out examinations and treatments to know more about the background of
Freiburg. The urine collection bag together. I learned a great deal in the that work. Why does a doctor give cer-
just wouldn’t stay put. The adhesive process, especially about the practi- tain instructions? Why do nurses carry
strips kept coming loose as soon as out tasks a certain way? The program
the two-year-old girl started moving
around her hospital room. I experi-
“Why does a included half an hour for reflection
every day. It was a very important
enced first-hand just how complex and doctor give certain experience for me. All the participants
instructions?
time-consuming it can be to collect and supervisors came together dur-
a urine sample. Carmen, a nursing stu- ing that time to look at what had gone
dent, stepped in to lend a hand.
Carmen and I were part of IPAPÄD,
Why do nurses well during the last 24 hours – and
what hadn’t. IPAPÄD was like getting a
the “Interprofessional Training Ward carry out tasks a jump start to my career – but with a
in Pediatrics.” Medical and nursing
students can participate in this project certain way?” safety net! I was able to take on respon-
sibility, but I was working in a secure
at the Center for Children’s and Youth space where I could try things out – and
Medicine at Freiburg University Hos- cal, everyday processes involved on I could make mistakes without harm-
pital for two weeks. Carmen and a hospital ward. Nurses know a lot ing patients, because our super-
I shared responsibility for four young more about that than we medical stu- vising nurses and doctors obviously al-
patients. dents do – despite our years of edu- ways kept a close eye on us, and we
Every morning, we grabbed the cation. IPAPÄD gave me the opportuni- could always ask them for advice and
patients’ charts and studied their ty to see and try out many aspects assistance. I’ve now been a resident
lab results together. Then we did our of the nurses’ work for myself, and now on another children’s ward at St. Josef
rounds together, not as a nursing I’m fully aware of the consequences Hospital since August. Thanks to
student and a medical student, but as of my instructions to the nurses. IPAPÄD, I saw myself as a member of a
a team. Together, we asked the Doctors delegate a lot of the work to team – and not a lone fighter – right
from the very beginning. I still try to
give feedback to the nurses and get
feedback from them. I’ll ask them,
“What are you doing right now? What
Operation Team can I do to give you the time and
The “Interprofessional Training Ward in Pediatrics” (IPAPÄD) at Freiburg University
support you need? Can one of you
Hospital is one of 24 ongoing projects that are part of the support program Operation maybe explain this or that to me?” And
Team – Interprofessional Learning in Healthcare Professions. With this program, the Robert I feel like my colleagues aren’t the
Bosch Stiftung is supporting the development and implementation of interprofessional only ones responding positively to this
learning units for the healthcare professions. The program trains future healthcare pro- approach. When doctors and nurses
fessionals to work together as part of a team, across professional boundaries. They learn
work well together, it’s good for
with, from, and about each other – to improve collaboration and the quality of care.
our young patients and their parents
as well.12 Robert Bosch
Stiftung
Everyone
TEXT
Eva Wolfangel at Their
Own Pace
PHOTOS
Ériver Hijano
At the “Martinschule” school in Greifswald, everyone
learns together: highly gifted children and children
with mental disabilities and the many levels in between.
How does this “learning for everyone” system work?THE MAGAZINE
3.18
Report 1314 Report Robert Bosch
Stiftung
P
Piet would love to keep his ring on his
finger. He’s slid it onto his pinky and
gazes at it dreamily. But he knows that
the group discussed it and decided
he should keep it in his pocket. He
found the ring two weeks ago during a
school field trip and so badly wanted
to keep it. The other sixth graders
explained to him that he first needed
to find out if someone was looking
for it. They worked together to make
posters and hung them up at the school
and in the area where he had found the
ring, and Piet had to wait two weeks
before he could finally claim the ring
back from the school office. “Piet, what
did we discuss?” asks his teacher, Ines
Morszeck, during circle time at the notes all this down. At the table next to
beginning of the school day – them, a girl is preparing a report on
ten sixth graders learning together. her favorite book.
“Do you need help?” She knows how This school has forged a unique
difficult it is for the boy with learn- path in the 25 years since it was
ing disabilities to let go of the shiny founded as a school for children with
ring. But finally, Piet puts it away. special needs; it has since opened its
The children of the Martin- doors to everyone. 570 students in
schule in Greifswald then start plan- grades 1 through 12 benefit from this
ning their day. “What are you doing unique environment, including 246
today?” they ask each other. There children with special educational
are three study periods for this day – needs. In 2018, the inclusive elemen-
three periods when each student tary school and integrated high school
works on his or her own goals, sup- with a college preparatory level
ported by teachers and trained mem- received the German School Award,
bers of the educational support staff: which is given by the Robert Bosch
child care workers, special needs Attentive Stiftung in partnership with the Heide-
Creative (Image, right) Mo-
caregivers, integration aides. “I’m hof Stiftung, ARD, and the ZEIT pub-
The students learn ments of retreat
doing German,” Piet says. “I’m doing lishing group. In addition to recogniz-
maths in small as shown here are
geometry and division,” Lilly says. groups; strings of an integral compo- ing the school’s excellent educational
“I’m doing German, reading, and geom- beads and dice help nent of the Martin- practices, this award also comes
etry,” says Paul. One of the children them in the process. schule’s concept. with 100,000 euros in prize money;THE MAGAZINE
3.18
15
five other schools receive 25,000
euros, and all schools that have been The parents grade; before that, he attended a
Waldorf school and a regular public
seem to have an
nominated are awarded 5,000 euros. school. “It was boring,” he says. “They
There are many extraordinary went too slowly.” Here, he can learn
things about the Martinschule. For as quickly as he wants. There’s no
example, the school has an extensive
repertoire of teaching methods that it
overwhelming homework, no grades, and even tests
are fun.
has collected over the years from a
range of different sources and refined
desire for their “Parents often get nervous when
their child still likes going to school
to suit its own needs. But really, one
thing is most important, says Benjamin children to after a few years,” Skladny says with a
grin. The idea that learning has to be
receive a perso-
Skladny, the headmaster. “Every painful is deeply ingrained in them. “Is
child learns differently and at his or her my child actually learning anything?”
own pace.” That’s why in a single they ask themselves. But the numbers
grade level, some children might still
be struggling with reading, while
nalized educa- speak for themselves. “Our students,
whether they are on a college prep
others are working on square num-
bers, like in Piet’s learning group.
tion. track or not, complete their diplomas
with better scores than the average
It all started 25 years ago with a in our state of Mecklenburg-West
school for children with mental dis- Pomerania,” says the principal. “So
abilities that Skladny set up in Greifs- we must be doing something right.”
wald after the fall of the Berlin Wall. Skladny is fighting a battle on two
“In special education, we know that if fronts: he repeatedly has to explain
you don’t focus on the individual himself and the school’s concept
child, you will fail,” he says. “And the to parents. And it’s not always easy to
same holds true for other children; get the faculty excited about the
it’s just that we can’t see it as easily.” concept, either – some teachers have
A visit to the school shows us how a hard time with it. Traditional
much the children benefit from this class structures can be more conve-
approach, and what a challenge it nient. But despite some resistance,
is for the teachers. There are three par- the parents seem to have an over-
allel classes in the elementary school, whelming desire for their children to
and up to four children in each class receive a personalized education.
have special educational needs. In the That much is obvious at an informa-
integrated high school, which starts tion session for parents of future
from fifth grade, the students are elementary school students one eve-
divided into learning groups. There is ning. The small elementary school
a maths room, a German room, and is bursting at the seams, with fathers
an English room. 60 teachers work in and mothers shimmying through
the building, alongside 23 members
of the educational support staff such
as special needs caregivers and 60
integration aides. The state, the local
community, and private payments
from parents finance the school. Each
teacher is assigned twelve children
to teach. With this teacher, they plan
their days, set monthly goals for
themselves, and come together to see
whether they’ve met their goals.
“Did we get it right this time?”
That’s what Namid and Anselm want
to know today. The two seventh-grad-
ers are standing in front of the com-
puter on the teacher’s podium like
kids at an ice cream shop – with that
same longing, pleading look and
intonation in their voices. “Can you
pleeeeease print out the maths test on
fractions for us?” Namid has only
been at the Martinschule since fourth16 Report Robert Bosch
Stiftung
the corridors, every seat in the audito- wald were shutting down. The Martin-
rium occupied. schule is a private school, however.
The teachers have laid out Many families are exempt from tuition,
course materials and the students’ and the parents who do pay spend
works in some of the classrooms. about 170 euros per month in fees –
“In fourth grade, every child builds a and they have been beating down
stool,” says a teacher in the workroom. Skladny’s door since day one.
Later on, a teacher demonstrates Seventh-grader Christian is
how the method of “learning to read sitting in the corner with his adviser,
by writing” works. She explains diligently writing biographies in
in great detail that the children are neat, careful penmanship: Alexander
allowed to make mistakes at the begin- Graham Bell, inventor of the tele-
ning – which is why the method is Dedicated phone, and Alan Turing. Christian is
controversial – and how much this Teacher Ms. Mangel writing all of this from memory, and
encourages the Motivated
method helps to motivate them. “My if you ask him about it, he’ll tell you the
kids with multipli- (Image, right)
son can already read. What would Students Namid
exciting story of the competition
cation games and
you do with him?” asks Anja H. “Well, strategies tailored and Anselm surrounding the invention of the tele-
kids who can read will be assigned to their individual pore over their phone in great detail. And why is he
another task,” the teacher explains. needs. maths test. writing all of this down? “Well, I’m
“It wouldn’t make any sense to learn
something you already know how
to do!” The parents nod gratefully,
knowing full well that at most schools,
all children in the same class actually
do have to learn the same things – and
as a result, some students get bored,
while others struggle to keep up
because they learn at a slower pace
and get left behind.
The next door is labeled “Snoe-
zelen Room.” “Oh, my son would
love this,” Anja H. says as she opens
the door. There’s a waterbed, a couch,
and a ball pit inside, and the lights
are dimmed. “He’s not good with large
groups,” she says. She also likes the
wide hallways, the fact that there
are places to sit everywhere, and that
there are always spaces for the chil-
dren to retreat to.
This is the reason why principal
Benjamin Skladny chose exactly
this building when he was faced with
the task of setting up an inclusive
elementary school in 2002. The for-
mer daycare center, with its long corri-
dors, seemed ideal. Personalized
learning requires space. He felt that
children with mental disabilities
shouldn’t be segregated, saying, “They
learn better when they are integrat-
ed.” He believed that isolation was the
wrong approach. So he sought out
other elementary schools for a part-
nership, and he found one that took on
one of his classes in exchange. Their
experiences were positive, but there
weren’t enough schools willing to
enter into a partnership. So Skladny
founded his own – at a time when
public elementary schools in Greifs-THE MAGAZINE
3.18
17
doing German right now,” he says. And
that means writing.
A few rooms down the hall,
teacher Christine Mangel is sitting with
students tutoring them in remedial
maths. Four girls with dyscalculia,
i.e. a weakness in arithmetic. But Man-
gel knows how to reach them. First,
they play some multiplication table
games, in teams of two versus two. The
girls are loving it; they’re doubled up
with laughter. Then, Mangel hands
out worksheets on long division. “Can
you do this, or is it too hard?” The
girls hesitate. One of them says, “It’s
too hard.” The teacher knows that
German is Hanna’s favorite subject;
she’s very creative and writes excellent
essays. “What is division, exactly?”
Mangel asks her. “What’s this all
about?” She is trying to figure out how
Hanna thinks, and how she approaches
a maths problem. “What is division? need a hook – some form of content
Tell a story about it! How would you that seems worth learning,” Otto says.
explain it to a little kid?” Step by step, But that wasn’t always so obvious to
they get closer to the heart of the issue; him. When he was studying to become
now Mangel knows how Hanna ap- a high school teacher, educational
proaches maths problems and under- research wasn’t really an issue they
stands her strategy. “There’s no one- touched on. It wasn’t until he graduat-
size-fits-all strategy for every child; ed in the middle of a hiring freeze and
luckily, there are lots of different ways ended up working as an educational
to do maths,” she says. “Is it OK if I consultant for the state sports associa-
finish the whole worksheet?” one of tion that he encountered teaching
the girls asks at the end. methods where motivation and per-
Where else would you find sonalized learning played a central
children with dyscalculia begging to role. “In schools, you often hear peo-
finish a maths worksheet? Mangel ple say that if a child doesn’t know
shrugs. “It’s all a question of relation- something, it’s because they didn’t pay
ships and motivation. You’ve got to attention,” he says. “But really, the
measure up to society’s expectations, question should be: Why weren’t you
and to the parents’ expectations, of interested in that?” As an educator,
course,” Mangel says. And that’s why wasn’t I able to reach this child?
not always easy. “The neighbors’ kids While some of his colleagues complain
are already learning fractions. Why about the hard work of teaching in a
aren’t you teaching that?” She hears way that meets everyone’s needs, Otto
that question often. Or, “The curriculum can’t imagine teaching any other
says that the kids should already way these days. “This job is so fulfilling
be able to count to 1,000 – why can my when you see that you’re making a
child only count to 100?” “But what
good would it do for a child to teach “I don’t difference.”
Once, when he was teaching
teach. The
fractions if he or she still needs to high school, he decided to evaluate
learn the fundamentals?” Mangel asks. his teaching methods for his biology
During a break, she sits with class. He put together a multiple-
Wolfram Otto in the principal’s office.
He’s a wiry man with gray hair dressed
children teach choice test on the material they had
covered that school year. “It was sober-
in a track suit. Together, they dis-
cuss the next steps. The two of them
themselves – ing to see how little of the material
actually stuck with the kids.” And that
are jointly responsible for organizing
grades five through eight; she’s a I help them in was despite his activity-oriented teach-
ing style. From his perspective, the
the process.”
trained special needs teacher, and he a problem was that all the children had to
high school teacher. “Of course, you learn the same thing at the same time.18 Report Robert Bosch
Stiftung
“But learning only works when you’re The students from the Martinschule,
really interested in something, when on the other hand, apparently
you actually want to know about it.” don’t view running laps as a punish-
He believes that teachers need to re- ment. They are all taking a warm-up
think their role if they want to achieve jog around the field; the faster stu-
life-long learning. “I don’t teach. The dents run three laps, while the slower
children teach themselves – I help them ones run two. A boy wearing a shirt
in the process.” emblazoned with “Landeskader
But can all children handle the Schwimmverband” (State Swimming Head over heels
freedom of getting to decide for Federation) leads the pack. He out- Students in gym
themselves what interests them each strips Paul and Luis, who have spent class. The teachers
day? Isn’t that asking too much of the whole time chatting about soccer. want to motivate
Just before they finish their second their students here,
some of them? “Some of them can’t
too – by making
handle the freedom; they need struc- lap, they come up behind a child in a
things fun and giving
ture,” says Christine Mangel. And wheelchair who is just finishing his the kids the
at the Martinschule, they get it. “But first lap – and instead of running past freedom to make
just because some children need struc- him, they give push him onwards a bit. their own decisions.
ture doesn’t mean we have to bind
all the others to that same rule.”
As Wolfram Otto jogs around the
corner of the sports field, he sees Piet,
the sixth-grader who didn’t want
to give up his ring that morning. Piet
looks a little lost; he’s kicking the fence
that runs around the field. When he
sees Otto, he gives the fence one last
kick, then runs over to the teacher and
jumps up to hug him. “Shall we play
some soccer?” Otto asks. “Yeaahhhhh!”
Piet shouts, and runs ahead to the
field. When he gets there, he jumps up
to try to hug another teacher, but that
teacher immediately places him back
on the ground, keeping him at arm’s
length with a perplexed look on his
face. Not every teacher is comfortable
with the physical aspects of working
at the Martinschule. And yet, this is par
for the course at a school that special-
izes in this approach and therefore
relies on the unconditional coopera-
tion of the entire faculty. That becomes
clear a moment later, when two boys
start to fight over a ball; they push each
other, and one of them lashes out. An
integration aide puts her arms around
him; it looks like another fight at first.
The student tries to break free, but the
teacher holds him tight with both arms
and all her strength. He then starts to
cry in her arms, resting his head on her
shoulder: “But I wanted the ball!” She
comforts him and suggests that the two
kids take turns with the ball.
On a neighboring sports field, a
gym teacher from another school
is screaming his lungs out. His voice
cracks and sweeps over the heads
of the children at his feet like a torna-
do. “You’ll do as I say right now, or
I’ll make you run laps!”THE MAGAZINE
3.18
Interview 19
INTERVIEW
Alexandra Wolters
What Makes a
Good School?
ILLUSTRATION
Stefan Mosebach
Mr. Pant, what impressed you in
A conversation with Hans Anand Pant, particular about the winner of this
year’s German School Award,
education researcher and CEO of the German the Martinschule in Greifswald?
This school works with people with
School Academy, about the crisis facing mental and physical disabilities as
a matter of course, and its work
the education system and the ideas behind is both exemplary and unparalleled.
It says: Yes, these students are
the German School Award. sometimes loud and out of control.
But the Martinschule manages to not
only integrate these members of
society who are often hidden away as
if they were a source of shame, it
also views them as a source of enrich-
ment to the classroom environment.
How does the school do it?
The faculty has a well-coordinated
routine and a very good antenna for
whether something might be about
to happen that could disrupt the
classes. For example, if a child with
a developmental issue suddenly gets20 Interview Robert Bosch
Stiftung
loud, the teacher just needs to make
eye contact with the aide in the room,
who will “step in” to handle the
situation.
Many of the schools that have won
the German School Award have
gone through a crisis that led to a
long-term development process.
I am convinced that crisis is a very im-
portant starting point for growth.
And problems don’t usually affect the
elite schools – they affect the schools
that are already operating in a difficult
environment. If I had my way, I would
like to make it possible for schools
to essentially simulate a crisis and use
it as a way to spark growth. The pur-
pose is to work together in a systematic
process of self-assessment – essen-
tially to take stock and reflect.
In your view, what are the major
problems our schools and our school
system are currently facing?
There is often a lack of balance
between a school’s autonomy and the
dictates that the school is required
to adhere to. I’m not a romantic when it
comes to social issues, by any means.
I’m not one of those people who thinks,
“Oh, let’s just let the schools do their There is a shortage of teachers at
own thing, and it will all work out.” But the moment, and teachers are also
we need to systematically make the expected to help integrate children
case for co-constructive processes. All from immigrant families and drive
of the important actors in a school forward the process of inclusion.
need to come together regularly to How can you convince these teach-
look for the best solution to a situation, ers to rethink their approach?
a problem or a change. To convince teachers of the benefits
of teamwork, we have to focus
What is stopping schools and the on attitude and mentality and offer
federal states from doing that? precisely targeted coaching. Teacher
The structures need to be thought over training needs to undergo a com-
more thoroughly. Today, around plete overhaul over the long term. The
50 percent of students in a given class subject of cooperation is hardly
end up on a college track. The days Hans Anand Pant
touched on in teacher training today.
when certain types of schools had no is a professor at the We need to teach cutting-edge
contact with diversity are over – het- Humboldt University educational and didactic methods at
erogeneity is everywhere. If we were in Berlin, where he universities.
to acknowledge this fact in teacher researches the issue
of how empirical
training programs and manage to How will that look in the future?
methods can be
familiarize all educators with issues harnessed to benefit
My vision of a good school is a school
of integration and inclusion, that schools, educational that offers personalized teaching
would be a major step. And there’s administration and learning. Everyone should feel
another problem: nearly half of all and education comfortable with all the requirements
teachers prefer to plan their lessons politics. He is also at all stages of education. All students
responsible for the
alone, rather than as part of a team. should be supported according to
German School Acad-
Given the huge range of tasks that their potential and have fun while they
emy program and
teachers have to handle nowadays, is a member of the learn. That would be enough for me.
this is a completely inefficient way of jury for the German Additionally, we shouldn’t lose sight of
working.
School Award. how schools can help further theTHE MAGAZINE
3.18
21
them. But I don’t think that we can positive atmosphere, including among
simply copy another country’s school the faculty – and they work hard to
system. Not even large parts of it. We achieve that. In good schools, teachers
always have to ask ourselves, “Can have a say in how the school devel-
we implement this in our 16 different ops, allowing them to discover leader-
German states?” ship qualities within themselves and
put those qualities to use. The teach-
Are federal structures one reason ers feel like they are being taken
why the German school system seriously as professionals, and not
is developing so slowly and reforms treated as underlings of the adminis-
are so difficult to implement? tration. I see participation as the
Yes, our federal education structures secret to changing an entire school
are certainly one of the reasons why organization. The schools cooperate
our school and education system often in multi-professional team struc-
operates like an enormous, lumber- tures, and they work with the students
ing tanker. In order to steer it in another on a level as individual as possible.
direction, we need a lot of small pilot
boats. However, we shouldn’t under- What does that mean in practice?
estimate the desire to maintain the The schools that win our award think
status quo among the structures of our about their students’ entire lives,
educational administration and pol- not just a single phase of life. They
itics. The reasons behind this are often look closely at the children’s back-
trivial, because every change impacts grounds and their strengths. These
jobs – generally the jobs of civil ser- schools’ view of the student doesn’t
vants. That’s why I think a constant stop at the end of the child’s school
flow of ideas from the bottom up – from career. They work hard to ensure that
independent schools – is indispens- their students go on to translate their
able. The real-life examples of schools education into good vocational or
presented by the German School professional experiences. Additional-
Award and the German School Academy ly, these schools don’t view them-
serve as models and pointers in the selves as operating in a bubble. They
process of integration in our society, right direction for a plodding system. are organized in networks, active in
such as by expanding and reinforcing regional education infrastructure, and
democratic ideals through education. How can as many schools as know nearly all the relevant programs
It might sound controversial, but I possible benefit from the knowledge on offer in the area. And when I see
always say that 14- to 16-year-olds don’t gathered by the German School the students from good schools, I can
set fire to refugee homes because they Award schools? tell that they enjoy going to school
didn’t get a good education in maths. The German School Academy offers and have fun in class. They feel like they
a shadowing program where interest- can actually achieve the goals they
In international comparisons of ed teachers can visit schools that set for themselves.
education systems, other countries have received the award. We have also
perform much better than Germany. worked with all the award-winning Mr. Pant, thank you for your time.
Can we learn from that? schools to establish a network that de-
I’m skeptical, generally speaking. velops and implements transfer
If we based our actions solely on the programs. Additionally, with our educ-
best results from studies of educa- ational travel program, we send
tional performance, we would want teachers-in-training to these award-
an education system like the one winning schools to talk to the teachers
in Shanghai. But their system is also and administrators there. For
based on strict obedience to authority the trainee teachers, it’s an excellent
and a draconian selection process; learning opportunity. And for
they have 15-hour school days and a more seasoned teachers, the program
high suicide rate among students. Do provides a chance to reflect.
we want that?
You stress that there is no universal
But still, other countries perform formula for a good school. Despite
better in aspects such as coopera- this, have you still discovered some-
Photo: David Weyand
tion between teachers and students. thing that all good schools have in
I do think that by keeping our own common?
detailed requirements in mind, we can The good schools I have had the privi-
look at other models and learn from lege to visit generally have a very22 Infographic Robert Bosch
Stiftung
How Good School Practice Spreads
There are roughly 40,000 public and private schools in Germany, is presented to outstanding schools. This has resulted in an ever-
distributed among various types of schools and 16 federal states. expanding network of award-winning schools. The practical strategies
How is it possible to take practical concepts that have proven and techniques used by these schools are examined, appropriately
themselves in one school and make them accessible and effective for refined or adapted, and finally made available again to all schools
all of the other schools? The system of the German School Award by the German School Academy through advanced training, publications
has exactly that as its goal. The German School Award was founded in and the German School Portal. This creates a cycle in which good
2006 by the Robert Bosch Stiftung and the Heidehof Stiftung to school practice becomes stronger and more widespread.
contribute to school development in Germany. Every year, the award
Network of outstanding schools
The 73 schools that have received the German School
Award offer many examples of good school practice from
which other schools can benefit.
The six quality
areas of a
Infographic: Anton Hallmann/Sepia | Text and research: Martin Petersen
good school
• Academic achievement Award-winning
schools
• Approach to diversity
• Quality of instruction
• Responsibility
Development program Feedback
• School culture
• School development
The German School Award
Each year, the German School Award is presented
to six excellent schools on the basis of six quality
areas (see box on the left). All schools in Germany and
German schools abroad can apply for the competition,
which is endowed with a total of 270,000 euros. All appli-
cants receive individual feedback, and up to 20 of
them that do not receive awards are included in a
two-year development program.THE MAGAZINE
3.18
23
Research program
“What Makes a Good
Practical concepts
School?”
This research program examines
excellent practical concepts. Are they
really that good? What conditions are
needed for them to succeed? Scientists
can apply with their own research
projects. The results are later
published.
The German
School Academy
The award-winning practical concepts are
adapted at the German School Academy
Practical concepts by headmasters, teachers and scholars and
then brought back to schools
as courses for further training.
Publications
The
German School Portal
In the German School Portal, the
award-winning practical concepts are Continuing education
Practical presented to the public in digital form: they are
concepts
conveyed in video or audio clips as well as text
and serve as inspiration for all interested educa-
tors. School professionals will also find the latest Inspiration
news on schools and education policy.
Information
Roughly 40,000 schools in Germany and
140 German schools abroad24 Robert Bosch
Stiftung
Heike Schaumburg
is an educationalist
and has a doctorate
in psychology.
In her research at
the Humboldt
University of Berlin,
she studies the
integration of digital
media into school
teaching. Schaum-
burg is co-author of
a new study on
personalized learn-
ing with digital
media, published
by the Robert Bosch
Stiftung.
INTERVIEW
Martin Petersen
PHOTO
Is Digital
Better?
Daniel HoferTHE MAGAZINE
3.18
Debate 25
With the Digital Pact, Germany’s federal government intends to make
schools “fit for the digital age.” What does this mean in practice?
Teachers are not going to be replaced by computers, says educational-
ist Heike Schaumburg – but school principal Ulrike Kegler is certain
that the role of teachers will change fundamentally.
Ulrike Kegler
is a teacher, a
school principal
since 1995, and
has published three
books on the
subject of good
schools. Her school,
the Montessori
Oberschule Pots-
dam, was recognized
with the German
School Award in
2007.26 Debate Robert Bosch
Stiftung
“Media abstinence is not
their students, could watch them very
closely, and didn’t always have to
meet with them face to face to provide
the right approach.” personal support. All of this e-learning
is widespread in other countries, in
Heike Schaumburg such a way that students would poten-
tially not always have to go to school.
In these scenarios, you do certain
things at home, and school would in-
Ms. Kegler, are digital media a Another basic idea, which originates stead be the place where you collabo-
blessing or a curse for schools? in the first use of computers in schools rate and exchange ideas, and maybe
Kegler: I would say neither of them: it and is now gaining currency again, even get personal feedback. The
depends on the content, i.e. what you is to allow students to pursue individu- old teacher role, where teachers have
do with it. There can be excellent uses alized learning paths and give indi- the knowledge they then impart, has
for digital media. But as I see it at the vidualized feedback on their learning actually been outdated for a few
moment, we in Germany are still very processes. Computers can be a fan- years now. In the future, teachers
far behind compared to other western tastic source of support for teachers in could play a greater role as sources of
European or wealthy countries. this regard, because one teacher won’t information and advice, and they could
be able to respond adequately to illustrate the relationships among
Ms. Schaumburg, schools have everyone in all respects when help is individual knowledge components or
been using computers for a long needed. But I think one promise that draw attention to interesting
time. What do we mean today when was made in the past is incorrect: that cross-connections.
we talk about learning with digital computers could completely replace
media? teachers. The knowledge transmission itself
Schaumburg: In the past, children will take place more and more via
learned to use computers in computer When it comes to individualized programs?
science lessons, but they didn’t learning with digital media, what Kegler: Yes. Movies, for example, are
really know what they could use this first comes to mind for many a great way to do this: when you
knowledge for. Today, it’s considered people – myself included – is the watch the French Revolution in a film,
more sensible to teach media skills image of individual students working you have a feeling for that time period.
integrated into the subjects taught. alone with a device. Is that wrong? That alone is not enough to ensure
Kegler: I just saw that in Denmark, an understanding of the material, but
in a “paperless school”: a colleague it’s an introduction.
of ours, also a principal, called
it a totalitarian system. It’s all about So it’s the digital classroom, after
technology, and there’s really all, where everyone sits in front of
no encounter where screens aren’t the screen and watches?
opened up. Kegler: No, quite the opposite. The
teacher has to take the knowledge
Is that the school of the future? that’s now available to everyone and
Kegler: No, not for me at all! For me, the try to make something of it. This
most important thing in school is the turns the whole school around; it’s
conversation, the hearing, listening the principle of the “inverted” or
and speaking. We use a digital medium “flipped classroom”: I watch what I
whenever it is needed. I find it partic- need to learn at home and I go to
ularly inspiring when we write school to practice. In other words, it’s
and revise texts together, and every- just the opposite of what it is today.
one sees that they can get involved and That’s what’s coming in the next few
how they can do it. There are many years. At that point, it should be
other methods. Also individual impossible to imagine school as it is
feedback: in Finland, for example, I today. That’s my theory.
saw after the first PISA study that Schaumburg: What you have to ask
the teachers were all connected with yourself with these approaches is,THE MAGAZINE
3.18
27
them. A large proportion of people school curriculum by writing the texts
are only “fed” with what is on the together.
market. The resulting injustice – some Schaumburg: I’m increasingly asking
understand the relationships involved myself whether this skepticism
and have support, and others stand towards computers isn’t all that bad in
there passively consuming YouTube the German education system. After
videos – that is the major problem. all, it also prevents us from frivolously
Schaumburg: To be honest, I think jumping at anything and everything
those kinds of horror scenarios are digital. We need to get to a place where
grossly exaggerated, and I don’t the discussion is more about quality.
believe that media abstinence is the I think the approach you just men-
right path. But it is true that schools tioned is very good, the idea that you
need to teach a reflective, responsible also need to show teachers where
approach to digital media. This the added value is. Once you’ve under-
includes lessons like understanding stood that, you can also implement it
that behind everything that seems in your teaching. I do believe that
to be free on the Internet, there are some German schools are very good
ultimately business models. With at staying on course and don’t
regard to the elites you just spoke have a great willingness to innovate.
about, I see the challenge in creating Kegler: I get the feeling that new
equal opportunity in education under methods in general are incredibly
the conditions of digitalization too. difficult to establish in Germany. We
“Will all students be able to do that?” And who should do that if not schools? have this three-part school system,
They won’t be able to just like that. Not while other countries have one shared
every child can sit down at home and Ms. Kegler, you are regularly in school in which children are together
easily absorb learning content on their touch with other school principals – for long periods of time. This also
own. And this is exactly the role of a where are the difficulties in using means that teachers’ attitudes are
school: to see how we can enable chil- digital media? different. They need to work inclusive-
dren to learn to deal with this flood Kegler: One difficulty is that these ly, with a diverse group of children.
of information. devices are still treated like fetishes. Yet this segmented school system
Kegler: Exactly, that’s why school is Why isn’t new media integrated seems to be set in stone in Germany.
the place where it needs to be filtered. more naturally into teaching? Because
Media literacy is, first and foremost, most teachers can’t deal with it in a The coalition agreement of the
media abstinence. That means that creative way. This can be seen from the German federal government
I decide when I use which medium fact that smart boards are now being includes the intention to invest five
and when I don’t. It should be a used instead of the blackboard. In billion euros in the digitalization
conscious process. We now know that other words, it’s a bit more colorful, a of schools. Can that be used to raise
hundreds of thousands of children bit more luminous, but everyone is the standard of the equipment?
in Germany are already considered to looking in one direction again just like Schaumburg: It’s pure window
be addicted to digital media. Juval in the old church order. This doesn’t dressing – the money won’t be any-
Harari described a vision of the future mean that we’re seeing individualized where sufficient enough to get schools
in his book Homo Deus: Algorithms learning. There’s still a whole lot of on the same level as to what’s going
could control an awful lot, and there music there; people are only scratch- on in other western European coun-
will be an elite of people controlling ing the surface. tries. Something that always gets
forgotten with these kinds of initiatives
“These devices How do you motivate your colleagues
to use digital media creatively?
is that it’s not about a one-time
investment; there are long-term costs
are still treated
Kegler: I work very hard, together with involved. A school is exactly like
my younger colleagues, to ensure any other enterprise in that you need
that we also enjoy learning new things someone who takes care of the
like fetishes.” as teachers. We hold several confer-
ences with cooperative digital media,
hardware and software, for example,
and it can’t be a teacher coming in
Ulrike Kegler and we’ve developed our entire on their off-hours.THE MAGAZINE
3.18
Report 29
“I’m Going to
Write Myself an
Imaginary World”
A visit to a writing workshop in Esslingen, where an author
and a German teacher are joining forces to get students excited
about literary writing.
“The children even did extra sweeping Innenstadt in Esslingen, near Stuttgart. As the first order of business, Elsäßer
and cleaning up,” whispers German All eyes are fixed on Tobias Elsäßer comes clean about his own academic
teacher Kathrin Höss to her guest who, dressed casually in jeans, a black history. He speaks quickly with a
as they walk down the bright school shirt, and sneakers, leans against strong, clear voice; it almost sounds
corridor. Not a scrap of paper lies the teacher’s desk. The students of like a rap. The twelve- to fifteen-year-
on the blue linoleum floor as they enter Learning Group 7a have been eagerly old audience quietly and attentively
the classroom, bags are stored neatly awaiting their 45-year-old instructor. listens to the author, who strides
under the desks, and everyone’s name “Hi there, everybody, my name through the classroom with long steps,
badges – fished out once more just is Tobias Elsäßer. I’m a book author, swinging his arms back and forth as
for their visitor – stand at the ready. and I only started reading books when he speaks, turning and shifting about.
It’s the second Tuesday after I was 14 years old.” A soft murmur After school, he and his band – or
summer vacation, and the large clock goes through the room, and one or two maybe more accurately, boy band –
over the classroom door reads 2:15 heads shake in disbelief. “My father played small venues throughout the
p.m. It’s the beginning of the last two didn’t think much of reading. I was country, and they were fairly success-
hours of class for the day at the Schule supposed to take care of my house- ful, says Elsäßer, describing what he
hold chores instead. And I was pretty calls a somewhat embarrassing phase.
bad at spelling, too.” “At some point I had so much stuff,
Elsäßer and Höss form one of so many experiences in my head. They
Notebook fifteen teacher–author tandems across had to come out. So I wrote my first
The children write Germany that are teaching literature book.” Daniel nods understandingly.
thoughts and feel- to children and young adults as part of “I’ve written a lot from my own imagina-
Text: Alexandra Wolters
ings, paste in special the Weltenschreiber (Writers of tion, too,” the boy says, doodling a
finds or draw in their
Worlds) program. Today is the first day, couple of fine lines on an empty note-
books. “That can
lead to some exciting and afterwards he will continue to book page with his pencil. “So
stories,” says author meet with the students and work with what comes to mind when you think of
Elsäßer. them over the entire school year. writers of worlds?” the author asksYou can also read
