Amok

Today I heard it from my colleague at work - who, in turn, had heard it on the radio in the car: there was a shooter running amok in a town close to Stuttgart, not far from where I live, too.

To my own shame I have to admit my first reaction was a double one. On one side I was terribly sorry, for the 16 victims (17 if you count the shooter who killed himself in the end in a shootout with the police), for their loved ones, for the injured and also for the psychically scarred. It happened at a school, yet again, and was even on CNN news this evening.

On the other side I was more or less waiting for the first mentioning of “Killerspiele” yet again - because it always happens in such cases. I can’t help it, I just know the politicians and the media too well.

By now the first mentioning of “Killerspiele” has happened, but on the whole there’s more focus on why the parents and brother didn’t realize something was wrong with the young man - and where he got his guns from. He’s probably gotten them from his parents’ home - they legally own quite some weapons, which is rather unusual in Germany.

I’m still terribly sorry something like that did happen ... had to happen. At the same time I know they will not accept there’s more to this amok run than just a few violent computer games, that society is to blame for it. It’s always easier to blame others than take the blame yourself.

German School Discussion

The German school system is complicated - and it doesn't work very well, either. For all those of you who have not had first-person experiences with the system, I'll give a short description first, before going over to the discussion that's been going on - with breaks - ever since 1968 or so.

While most other countries - especially those in industrialized areas - have a rather straight school system with only one type of school for all children (though it's quite probable that they're separated into primary and secondary school). Germany does not. We have one type of primary school and three types of secondary school (not accounting for specialized schools to help the learning impaired). Those three types are completely separated from each other, they are in different buildings, have different head-masters (or -mistresses, of course), different teachers. A child that has been sorted into one of those school types will not, under normal circumstances, switch into another school type later on.

After four to six years of primary school (when I went to school, four years were average, but now primary school usually goes up to sixth grade) the children are sorted into the three types of secondary school. They are between eleven and thirteen then. After this time, they hardly stand a chance to switch into another type of school (at least 'upwards', downwards is always possible). Until the end of their school career (after 9 to 13 years of school overall), they are stuck with this school type.

Now, what are those three types? As I'm quite sure there aren't such types in most other countries, I'll keep the German words for them.

"Hauptschule" once was where the largest amount of students went after primary school (therefore, a lot of primary schools still also function as "Hauptschulen"). It lasts for 9 years (including the aforementioned 4 to 6 years of primary school) and is supposed to prepare them for work in lower-paid jobs in companies. The majority of workers comes from this type of school and it's rather practical orientated.

"Realschule" is the newest type of those schools. It was created when office work became far more important during the industrialization. The school lasts 10 years (again including primary school) and brings forth the middle-class of workers in a company (or at least it's supposed to), so there's more place for theory in this type of school.

The "Gymnasium" (and I know that name is confusing to people from English-speaking countries, as 'gymnasium' there means a building for sports - but both words come from the same Greek origins) is the only type of school from which you can go to university (and Germany doesn't know the principle of colleges). It's as old as the "Hauptschule", while the "Realschule" was created quite some time later. "Gymnasium" lasts 12 or 13 years (depending on the state you live in, southern states usually have 13 years, northern states mostly have 12; again the primary school is included in this number). The "Gymnasium" brings forth the scientists, doctors and high-level personnel for companies. Politicians usually went to the "Gymnasium" as well.

So, now that you know the different types of school, about the discussion in Germany. In PISA we didn't exactly fare well. Even though some states (Bavaria above all) scored at least good enough, Germany on the whole was left in a rather bad position.

But long before PISA, during the 70s for the first time, people tried to change the system. The idea of separating the children that early didn't go well with the young parents who were doing their best, not to rise their children like their parents had. The strict school system was not what they wanted.

Every time they tried to change the system, though, they failed. There are a couple of school types in Germany that incorporate what those parents really wanted to create, but the average public school was not changed. This means, parents who cannot afford or don't really want to sent their children to private schools are left with the old school system and its weaknesses.

While other countries, countries with just one type of secondary school, have fared well with PISA and other tests of that time, Germany still holds on to an outdated school system that keeps children too long in school (if they're going to go to university) or doesn't teach them well enough (if they go to the "Hauptschule").

Politicians always excuse the German system, claiming "it gets better" at the moment and will soon be up to par again, competing with the other countries in Europe, with Japan or the United States. Well, they can dream for all they like, but that doesn't make it true.

The main reason they always give for not changing this system, is money. It's too expensive and won't warrant the costs afterwards, they say. But is it really?

I have to admit that I have no idea about the costs of changing a complete school system - although even I can imagine it will take quite some money. But doesn't the outcome (German children being able to really compete with those from other countries) warrant that money, in the long run. Unfortunately, seeing things developing over a long time, isn't really a forte of German politicians. At the moment, it's too expensive from their point of view (and their children go to private schools, anyway).

The German school system needs a serious make-over, but it won't get it, that much is for sure...

German School Discussion

The German school system is complicated - and it doesn't work very well, either. For all those of you who have not had first-person experiences with the system, I'll give a short description first, before going over to the discussion that's been going on - with breaks - ever since 1968 or so.

While most other countries - especially those in industrialized areas - have a rather straight school system with only one type of school for all children (though it's quite probable that they're separated into primary and secondary school). Germany does not. We have one type of primary school and three types of secondary school (not accounting for specialized schools to help the learning impaired). Those three types are completely separated from each other, they are in different buildings, have different head-masters (or -mistresses, of course), different teachers. A child that has been sorted into one of those school types will not, under normal circumstances, switch into another school type later on.

After four to six years of primary school (when I went to school, four years were average, but now primary school usually goes up to sixth grade) the children are sorted into the three types of secondary school. They are between eleven and thirteen then. After this time, they hardly stand a chance to switch into another type of school (at least 'upwards', downwards is always possible). Until the end of their school career (after 9 to 13 years of school overall), they are stuck with this school type.

Now, what are those three types? As I'm quite sure there aren't such types in most other countries, I'll keep the German words for them.

"Hauptschule" once was where the largest amount of students went after primary school (therefore, a lot of primary schools still also function as "Hauptschulen"). It lasts for 9 years (including the aforementioned 4 to 6 years of primary school) and is supposed to prepare them for work in lower-paid jobs in companies. The majority of workers comes from this type of school and it's rather practical orientated.

"Realschule" is the newest type of those schools. It was created when office work became far more important during the industrialization. The school lasts 10 years (again including primary school) and brings forth the middle-class of workers in a company (or at least it's supposed to), so there's more place for theory in this type of school.

The "Gymnasium" (and I know that name is confusing to people from English-speaking countries, as 'gymnasium' there means a building for sports - but both words come from the same Greek origins) is the only type of school from which you can go to university (and Germany doesn't know the principle of colleges). It's as old as the "Hauptschule", while the "Realschule" was created quite some time later. "Gymnasium" lasts 12 or 13 years (depending on the state you live in, southern states usually have 13 years, northern states mostly have 12; again the primary school is included in this number). The "Gymnasium" brings forth the scientists, doctors and high-level personnel for companies. Politicians usually went to the "Gymnasium" as well.

So, now that you know the different types of school, about the discussion in Germany. In PISA we didn't exactly fare well. Even though some states (Bavaria above all) scored at least good enough, Germany on the whole was left in a rather bad position.

But long before PISA, during the 70s for the first time, people tried to change the system. The idea of separating the children that early didn't go well with the young parents who were doing their best, not to rise their children like their parents had. The strict school system was not what they wanted.

Every time they tried to change the system, though, they failed. There are a couple of school types in Germany that incorporate what those parents really wanted to create, but the average public school was not changed. This means, parents who cannot afford or don't really want to sent their children to private schools are left with the old school system and its weaknesses.

While other countries, countries with just one type of secondary school, have fared well with PISA and other tests of that time, Germany still holds on to an outdated school system that keeps children too long in school (if they're going to go to university) or doesn't teach them well enough (if they go to the "Hauptschule").

Politicians always excuse the German system, claiming "it gets better" at the moment and will soon be up to par again, competing with the other countries in Europe, with Japan or the United States. Well, they can dream for all they like, but that doesn't make it true.

The main reason they always give for not changing this system, is money. It's too expensive and won't warrant the costs afterwards, they say. But is it really?

I have to admit that I have no idea about the costs of changing a complete school system - although even I can imagine it will take quite some money. But doesn't the outcome (German children being able to really compete with those from other countries) warrant that money, in the long run. Unfortunately, seeing things developing over a long time, isn't really a forte of German politicians. At the moment, it's too expensive from their point of view (and their children go to private schools, anyway).

The German school system needs a serious make-over, but it won't get it, that much is for sure...

Are you dreaming about being a school kid again?

When I think back to my time at school ... I'm really happy about the fact that it's over, because I didn't have such a nice time at school, being mobbed for about a year and usually a loner - though that was my own doing and wanted.

I know that, as a grown-up in the modern world with lots of stress and other bad things (like unemployment or - provided you're female - sexual harassment, though the latter has passed me by completely), I should look back at my time in school and think "wouldn't it be nice to be a student again". But when I look back at my time in school, I rarely think that. It wasn't as dreadful as it could be today - school has surely gotten rougher since I left -, but still it wasn't a nice time for me.

That wasn't even because of school as a such, but going back to school would also mean going back to adolescence - and which person with more than one brain cell does really want to do that. Yes, I know, a lot of people look back, only seeing the nice sides, and think of the teenage-years as "the best time of my life".

If I had to go back to my past, I would go back to my time at university, the year after I'd changed from computer science to literature. Life was relatively carefree, the courses were interesting and I had found my little niche in the wild life of university.

Those years between the end of school and the beginning of work life were great - because I was at the same time still somehow protected and free. I was legally and adult and could more or less do whatever I wanted. I could drive a car, I could stay out as long as I wanted and I could really enjoy life. It's a lot easier to enjoy life after a day or week at university - especially if you're a fast learner like me - than to enjoy it after a day of eight work hours or a week of forty. This short time span between the teenage years and the real adulthood with my own, ever-changing job would be my favourite time to go back to.

But then, what do people see as so great about going back to their time in school? What does a teenager have that's so great you want to have it again? It surely isn't the teenage body with it's brimming hormones and the pieces that don't fit together that well. It surely isn't the teenage mind, always torn between 'what your parents tell you', 'what your friends think is cool' and 'what you have to do to survive'. And for most people it surely isn't school either.

Yes, maybe my look at the glorious world of the teenager is a wee little bit tainted by my own bad experiences, but I really doubt I was the only one going through all of this. Fact is, a teenager doesn't have as many rights as it would want. A teenager doesn't have as much influence as it could deem necessary. Your parents, your teachers and your classmates seem to have more influence on your own life than you have yourself. Your parents can ground you for as long as they wish (though my parents hardly deemed it necessary, as I spent most time in my room anyway), your teachers can give you detention for the least bit of rebellion against their system and your classmates decide what's in and out in class. Freedom comes later, once you've passed your eighteenth birthday, your final exam and have left your parents behind to live in your place.

If I should hazard a guess - and this being my post in my blog, what do you think I will do, honestly - I would say the main reason for most people to glorify this time of their life is our ideal of the 'carefree childhood', of the time before the 'real life'. We forget about the bad things we've gone through and only remember the good things. And who knows? Maybe I will think like that myself in a couple of years, once I'm 40 ... or 50 ... or 60. Sooner or later you forget a lot about your past and then, maybe, you start thinking of childhood and adolescence as the best time of your life... I will have to wait and see.