Educating Germany 

Its not too often that us little people get a real say or even heard, when it comes to decision making processes at local level and even less the higher up you go.

Recently though the European Commission called for submissions from National Groups, Education Authorities, Individuals, Students, Schools and EU organisations in response to the following questions:

1. Key competences for all: How can schools be organised in such a way as to provide all pupils with the full range of key competences?
2. Preparing Europeans for Lifelong Learning: How can schools equip young people with the competences and motivation to make learning a lifelong activity?
3. Contributing to sustainable economic growth: How can school systems contribute to supporting long-term sustainable economic growth in Europe?
4. Responding to challenges on our societies: How can school systems best respond to the need to promote equity, to respond to cultural diversity and to reduce early school leaving?
5. A school for all: If schools are to respond to each pupil's individual learning needs, what can be done as regards curricula, school organisation and the roles of teachers?
6. Preparing young Europeans for active citizenship: How can school communities help to prepare young people to be responsible citizens, in line with fundamental values such as peace and tolerance of diversity?
7. Teachers – key agents for change: How can school staff be trained and supported to meet the challenges they face?
8. Helping school communities to develop: How can school communities best receive the leadership and motivation they need to succeed? How can they be empowered to develop in response to changing needs and demands?

Among the respondents were a few national German lobby groups for educational freedom, and some pro-active homeschooling individuals as well.

Germany accounted for 8% of the total 358 responses.

Some of the interesting tidbits for me are:

       The respondents to the consultation wrote in 20 different languages.

There is a strong level of interest in the adoption of a learner-centred approach to learning from European associations (75%). This is also supported by 54.5% of public authorities and 71.7% of national organisations.

       National organisations and individuals were the most vocal about having the freedom of choice for which school a student attended.
       This, in my mind, says that there is no one-size-fits-all approach even within the state system.

Dividing students into different types of schools depending on their academic capabilities is one of the few areas raised in the public consultation where more respondents are actually actively against the notion rather than for it.

       German schools are notorious for their division of competencies at such a young age (10 years). This opinion went the same way for streaming
       within a school.

Only one respondent mentioned year repetition as a meaningful remedial practice for pupils who experience academic difficulties. On the other hand, 19 respondents voiced their opposition to the use of year repetition.

       Melissa Busekros was to be set back a year in the state school system, but instead her parents helped her to 'catch-up' at home. Their intuition
       triumphed over the institution.

With overwhelming support for the need to ‘Give more attention to the opportunities for personalised or individualised learning’, the results of the public consultation might be the sign of a significant trend in the European public’s attitude towards schooling in the 21st century.

Paying more attention to the learning and competences that children acquire in a more informal learning environment than traditional school classes is something that 103 respondents (25.4%) raise as being one of the changes that is necessary for the 21st century.

I could go on as there were many areas that deductions could be made but ultimately it is the outworking of these findings that hold more interest in the long term. What will be done? How will this impact on the legalisation of homeschooling in Germany?

All the submissions are in pdf format on this page.

To download the 114 page report click here.