The alternating lessons are back.
At least for all young people from the 8th grade, with the exception of the final years.
The teachers rely on live streams and learning videos through to the good old worksheets.
Some things work well, others less so.
Bad Tölz-Wolfratshausen
- This is what modern teaching looks like in times of Corona: Part of the class is taught by the teacher at school, the other part is switched on via live stream.
"We can school the 11th grade completely in parallel - in presence and at a distance," says Thomas Bastecky, member of the school management of the technical college and the vocational college in Bad Tölz (FOS / BOS) happily.
For months, headmaster Andreas Stefan and his staff have been preparing for the scenario that occurred at the beginning of the week.
In order to get the corona infection numbers under control, all students from the 8th grade learn alternately until the Christmas holidays, i.e. one day at school and one day at home.
The graduating classes are allowed to go to school regularly.
In the case of the FOS / BOS, 370 pupils from the 12th and 13th grades remain in face-to-face classes.
Around 110 tenth and eleventh graders have been teaching alternately since Wednesday thanks to Microsoft Teams.
"We are very proud that we were able to react immediately and that everything works smoothly," says headmaster Andreas Stefan.
This is thanks to the commitment of the teachers.
The basic technical equipment was there from the start.
The educators gradually learned how to use the programs correctly over the past weeks and months - for the benefit of their protégés.
“The students don't just sit at home and get one work assignment after another,” says Thomas Bastecky.
No lesson is lost in this way, the students have their teacher as a contact and a fixed daily structure.
Nevertheless, it is not the ideal case.
No technology in the world can replace personal contact.
Technical problems make life difficult for teachers and students
At the St. Ursula High School in Lenggries, streaming is one of those things.
“In some rooms the signal is too weak for a stable connection,” Deputy Headmaster Thomas Gampl discovered recently.
The only thing left was to change the room plans so that the 182 pupils affected by the alternate lessons can be digitally present in class.
According to Gampl, livestreams are only used in some subjects and classes.
“In other subjects, the students receive work assignments, for example via the school's own learning platform.” Some things go surprisingly well, says Gampl.
Other than the internet connection.
"You have to be honest."
Around 1700 vocational students affected
The Bad Tölz vocational school is probably the worst affected by the new regulation.
According to the headmaster Franz Hampel, all around 1700 students have been learning exclusively at home since Wednesday.
"Distance teaching was arranged for all classes at vocational schools without one exception for the final classes," says Hampel.
According to the head of studies, the majority of these students are only trained part-time during their training.
“That's why not all students are in class every day.” On average, a total of around 600 students are trained every day at the three locations in Bad Tölz and Wolfratshausen.
According to Hampel, the lessons take place in various forms - adapted to the respective subject.
“The variety of different apprenticeships from baker to bank clerk brings with it very different learning content, which requires very different methods to be conveyed.” Everything is included, from live streams to learning videos on Mebis to task sheets in file form.
In principle, students can take part in distance lessons using their smartphones.
A larger monitor and a separate keyboard made the work easier, of course.
“Many of our students, some of whom are already adult, have their own devices,” says Hampel.
Alternatively, most laptops, tablets and the like are available in the family or in the training company.
The school also offers rental equipment.
At the Lenggries Middle School, the 54 affected eighth graders can also borrow tablets if necessary.
“There are more problems with the Internet connection,” says Rector Bernd Kraft.
Although the alternating lessons were not unexpected and the school developed concepts, teachers and students perceive the measure as a "great additional burden" according to Kraft.
Kraft also sees the high risk that middle school students will lose their rhythm.
On the other hand, Bernd Kraft thinks it is good that, in contrast to spring, there is no longer weekly, but daily changes.
In the spring, some of the students lost touch with the school.
"With a daily change, problems or difficulties can be responded to faster and better."