Happy

When I stepped in to my first German classroom, it was to a surprised teacher that did not know I was coming or exactly why I was there. He warned me that the class may seem boring, because it was preparing the students for the TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language) exam, and they pretty much were relying on the prep materials. Multiple choice questions to assess reading comprehension are such a staple of standardized testing in the United States, that it seemed downright silly to watch these 11th grade students practicing techniques introduced in elementary school back home. Of course, it was not puerile for these German students, who have not been trained in the contentious American format of assessment.

 

Despite his obvious frustration with the necessity of relying on the dry and potentially boring practice activities from the curriculum, the teacher remained dedicated to fostering a rigorous, student-centered class culture. Interspersed amongst the listening exercises and schematic tables were challenges for the pupils to analyze and reflect on their work. Instead of simply correcting them when wrong, he urged them to consider alternatives, prioritize the choices based upon the criteria requested, and appraise why their selection may have been incorrect. It was rare that he ever just gave them the correct answer, choosing instead to encourage them to figure it out with the help of classmates when stuck. Of course, he was willing to offer an explanation when they were truly puzzled.

 

By far my favorite element of this course though, is the portion that did not rely on the test prep material. To infuse some personal elements into the class, the teacher has a student bring a song with English lyrics to wrap up the lesson. This was fantastic on many levels. First and foremost, it held the students accountable for creating content. I could sense that they really enjoyed choosing their song and sharing it with their peers. Second, it offered a chance to integrate several levels of Bloom’s without being obvious to the students. They demonstrated knowledge by completing fill in the blank lyrics. Comprehension was tested by having students summarize the gist of the song. Often he encouraged them to infer what was meant when it was unclear, and on occasion even had them justify their rationale. Despite the teacher’s concerns over the weakness of the lesson, I found his creativity imbued the tasks with engaging relevance. This first lesson proved to be a prime example of the emphasis on discussion here at this gymnasium.

 

In every class I have observed, there is a tremendous amount of time spent allowing the students to express their opinions and arguments. Really the only class where this was not the case was a group of seniors preparing for their Abitur. Here in Germany, the final obstacle a student must surmount before graduating is to pass a challenging final exam in each subject. They are given a couple weeks to prepare at home, and must pass the tests in order to go on to a university. In history, they were given three possible questions that may appear on the tests, and they spent the last few lessons in class refining their essays. While they were certainly working hard to synthesize the material into a cohesive whole that demonstrated their knowledge, it also felt quite a bit like they were merely asking the teacher for the right answers. On several occasions, students shared their interpretation and the justification for it, just to have the instructor tell them that was not what he was looking for. From my perspective, in this case, it seemed that the emphasis was on exhibiting acquisition of certain key facts, a regurgitation of typical textbook cause and effect relationships, rather than applying historical skills to develop their own critical understanding.

 

This experience was not the norm for what I have witnessed so far though. By far the greatest strength of the German classroom is the integration of discussion into every aspect of the lesson. This really shifts the balance of the work onto the students, who are constantly encouraged to express their perspective and amend it when necessary. I found most of the materials to resemble those used in my own history classes. Poetry, political cartoons, photographs, primary sources, and textbook readings have each been utilized in the lessons I have observed in Germany. One teacher was actually using the same American textbook I taught from in my school in North Carolina. Like the teachers I worked with in the states, the instructors here rely on a myriad of materials to engage students in the lessons. The pupils are repeatedly asked to reflect on what they have been provided and evaluate the reason why.

 

I have also noticed that the pace of lessons, like most things in Germany, just seems to go slower. In my 45 minute lessons, I feel the need to flit from activity to activity, changing the format to keep my students entertained and interested. My observations here certainly challenges the “Change the Pace” technique promoted by Doug Lemov, but it still works for the Germans. At first, it felt like their lessons crept along at a snail’s pace, but after the first week I had adjusted, and really enjoyed spending 25 minutes just listening to the students talk about their homework. While the classes lack the kinesthetic elements prevalent in the US, the students here do not seem to miss the movement and motion. The more relaxed speed also results in an amazing use of wait time. I still am not sure if this is because it takes both the students and teachers longer to process things in English, or if it simply because they have achieved mastery of this elusive skill..