What is PISA shock and why is it the norm and not the exception

For a long time, Germany drove its education model of the Weimar Republic, like an excellent Benz car. And in 2001, it suddenly turned out that the car was slightly outdated. The surprise was called a PISA shock. Then the educational machine was given a kick, without changing anything in the construction. The kick didn’t have an effect long.

Read more

School system in Saxony

Secondary school system in Saxony are one of the most conservative school systems in Germany and are similar in this sense to Bavaria, which is supported by good results at the general German level. But in recent years they are still trying to make it more flexible and give children a way out of the rigid sorting system.

Read more

German Gymnasium school. Profile choice, marks and inclusion

When I sent my child to a German gymnasium, against the advice of an elementary school teacher who, for psychological reasons, recommended the Gemeinschaftsschule, I expected that the gymnasium would be somewhat similar to the gymnasium of my time: a profile subject 8 hours a week (so to speak level A), the rest as part of the standard program (level B). Everything turned out a little differently: there is no level B in German gymnasium, all subjects have level A and your preferences, interests, problems and abilities are of no interest to anyone.

Read more

Secondary schools in Bavaria

We continue to consider where to go after elementary school in Germany. Next is education system in Bavaria. Secondary schools in Bavaria have retained the stricter education system as in other German lands.

Rheinland Pfalz education system
Education system in Baden-Württemberg
Secondary school in Berlin – Brandenburg
Secondary schools in Schleswig Holstein
4th grade. Gymnasium or Realschule?
Gymnasium. First year
School supplies in Germany. Notebooks, folders, art lessons

Read more

Gymnasium in Germany. First year

Of course, a covid year can hardly be called normal learning, so it is rather difficult to objectively assess grade 5 in the Gymnasium in Germany.

My comments concern a boy with normal grades (official tested as above average). That is, we project onto weaker children for the worse. By the end of the post, you will understand why most children need a private tutor.

So far, the diagnosis is as follows:

Deeply outdated education from 19th. century, with a mass of unnecessary information, based on the message “learn by heart” rather than “think”, which they are afraid to reform like a sacred cow, for some reason assuming that the gymnasium gives a good education, and if they touch it, then everything will fall apart.

Read more