Das Deutsche Schulsystem Deutsch III Notizen Ausbildung in

Das Deutsche Schulsystem Deutsch III Notizen

Ausbildung in Deutschland O Education = state- based so some differences may exist between the 16 Länder O Very high academic standards throughout Deutschland

Kindergarten O Not free OR required O Available to children ages 3 -6 O Very difficult to get into Kindergarten O Limited space O Parents usually start asking about Kindergarten as soon as children are born O Tuition = typically depends on income

Grundschule (Elementary School) O Students enter when they’re 6 years old O Consists of 4 years (grades 1 -4) O Students have one main teacher who teaches several subjects O “Specialty” teachers = music, art, and physical education

Grundschule (Elementary School) O Students learn: O Reading and writing O Basic math O Religion O Social standards & values O Music O Art O P. E. O HSU (Heimat und Sachunterricht) combines biology, history, and geography

Time to Choose O After the Grundschule, parents and teachers choose between 3 different types of high schools: O Hauptschule O Realschule O Gymnasium O School chosen = based on student’s academic performance

Hauptschule O Grades 5 through 9 or 10 O Attended by about 50% of students O Lowest-achieving students O Slower paced O Basic instruction of primary subjects, including English O Students prepared for an apprenticeship or skilled/semiskilled job O After graduation, students can attend a 2 -year vocational school

Realschule O Grades 5 through 10 O Attended by about 25% of students O Unterstufe = “lower levels” = grades 5 -7 O Emphasis = basic academic subjects O Oberstufe = “upper levels” = grades 8 -10 O Emphasis = specific disciplines

Realschule O Students prepared for mid-level jobs in business and industry O If student’s grades are high enough = possible to transfer to a Gymnasium O Realschule diploma = Mittlere Reife O Typical next step = vocational school O Typical Realschule “jobs” = salesmen, nurses, mid-level civil servants, secretaries, etc.

Gymnasium O Grades 5 through 12/13 O Attended by about 25% of students O Highest achieving students O Prepares students for the university O Students can enroll at the lower secondary level (5 th grade) OR transfer to the Gymnasium after completion of Realschule (11 th grade)

Gymnasium O At least 2 foreign languages required one is English, the other is usually Latin, French, or Spanish O 7 th grade = students choose a Zweig (literally means branch) = track O Common tracks include: O Classical languages O Modern languages O Humanities O Math/Science

Gymnasium O Oberstufe = upper levels = last 3 years of Gymnasium (grades 1113) O 13 th grade = students prepare for the Abitur = exam that students need to pass in order to study at a university

Verschiedene Gymnasien (Different Gymnasiums) O In or near large cities different Gymnasien with various “specialties” O Examples: Gymnasium Speciality Agrarwissenschaftliches Gymnasium Agriculture Sportgymnasium Athletics Technisches Gymnasium Technology Musikgymnasium Music Ernährungswissenschaftliches Gymnasium Nutrition Sozialwissenschaftliches Gymnasium Social Sciences Wirtschaftsgymnasium Economics Europäisches Gymnasium Languages Biotechnologisches Gymnasium Biotechnology

Gesamtschule O “Comprehensive” schools O Arose during the 1960 s O Only available in certain Länder O Combine different types of high schools under one roof O Enroll students of all ability levels O Completion through 9 th grade = earns Hauptschule certificate O Completion through 10 th grade = earns Realschule certificate

Grading System O Grading scale used throughout Germany ranges from 1 – 6. O 1 = very good O 2 = good O 3 = satisfactory O 4 = adequate O 5 = poor O 6 = very poor O 6 = Failing grade O Teachers can add + or – to numbers to specify

Private Schools O About 3000 private schools throughout Deutschland O Most of them = boarding schools O Separate from public school system & create their own setups and rules

Berufsschule (Vocational School) O Typically for students ages 16 -19 (but can go as high as 23) O Students undertake a range of work-directed studies such as economics and specific business studies O Studies usually directly related to an apprenticeship

Die Abitur!!! O Degree received by Gymnasium students O Allows entrance to a university O Equivalent of an associate’s degree from a community college in U. S. O Final examinations = Abiturprüfungen O Students tested in 4 -5 subjects O 3 = required areas; 2 = chosen by student O At least one exam must be done verbally

Abiturprüfungen O Exam length: O Advanced courses (2) = 270 -300 minutes O Basic courses (2) = 180 -200 minutes O Verbal exam = no more than 20 minutes O All written exams = ESSAY! No multiple-choice! O Taken during the spring (March – June) O Students allowed to retake it only once O Receiving the actual Abitur = based on these final exam scores AND your grades in final two years at Gymnasium

Abi Fun! Activity Description Abi-Bild A mural created by the students as a lasting memory of their class Abimotto A slogan that represents the class Abi-Homepage Abizeitung A virtual yearbook A paper yearbook of sorts with pictures and articles Abibaum A tree planted by the class on school grounds Abifahrt A special trip just for the graduating class Abiball Abistreich Abigottesdienst Abi-Video Graduation celebration for students, staff, and families A day of disrupted classes where there is often a program for the entire school A church service for the graduates and their families A movie made about the students and their teachers; often funny