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Der Schulalltag

Context

In Kapitel 27 you learned to discuss school life and the German School system. The short story "Der Stift", by Heinrich Spoerl, gave you a humorous glimpse of a German high school class and the trick one student attempts to play on the teacher. Although the story was written in the first half of the 20th century, it presents situations which might happen today. What instances can you identify in the story that might happen in your school? Which ones do you think happen in Germany today?

Exploration

To find out more about a normal school day in Germany, go to the following Web site. As you read, keep a pen and paper nearby to jot down notes to the following questions.

What courses does the student mention are available at his school? Are the courses at your school similar?
What does he say about the courses and the teachers?
How much homework do German students normally have? What is their attitude, according to this student, toward their homework?
What do German students like to do at school?
How many hours a day do German students attend school?

A Student's View
Read a student's opinion of his school.

Application

Write a letter or email to the student who wrote the description of the "Schulalltag" and tell him, in German, what a typical day is like at your school. Tell him about the students and the teachers, the courses that are available, and the amount of homework. What days do you go to school? How long is the school day? What do students do outside of class? Are there organizations or clubs? Do students ever play tricks on the teachers like in "Der Stift"? Do you know anything about the history of your school? If so, tell the German student about it.