A math teacher as the favorite of all students - that is rare.
Maximilian Gebhard teaches the subject at the Weilheim secondary school.
Obviously with great success: students nominated him for the German Teachers Award - and he actually won it.
Weilheim / Berlin
- The students' comments should go down like oil for the math teacher. “Because of him, I got off to a flying start in math,” is a praise. "On this way, once again a big thank you", a second. And so it goes on: "There are few teachers whom you can meet as openly as Mr. Gebhard," it says. And - probably the highest honor one can do to a teacher: "I would also like to become a teacher of mathematics at secondary schools."
The words of praise go to Maximilian Gebhard, 32, teacher of mathematics and Protestant religion at the state secondary school in Weilheim. Gebhard has now received a high distinction: the German Teachers Award from the Philologists Association and the Heraeus Education Foundation in the category of “Excellent Teachers”. Usually the ceremony takes place live in Berlin. This time, like so many other things, it was only virtual.
For the native of Lower Franconia, it is a high point in his professional life.
He has been in Weilheim for five years now and has settled in there.
The young pedagogue also heads the school band and is an elected trust teacher, a kind of mediator between the students and the school management.
Probably not without reason.
Gebhard noticed at a young age that he got along well with young people, when he led a youth group of the Evangelical Church.
He also trained as a youth leader - which today helps him to find easy access to young people.
As a trust teacher, the children come to him because of private problems - recently a girl who was lovesick.
The material has to fit - that's strict
But he's not a buddy who wants to please everyone. In math, he also distributes fives and sixes if the performance is not right. The homework has to be done, the material has to be right. He's just a normal teacher there. But then Gebhard says a few sentences that teachers may not always say. For example: “You shouldn't think that there are problem students.” Everyone deserves a chance, over and over again. Or the one here: "Students don't just go to school because of the content." But also because of social life, that is, what is not currently taking place during the pandemic. A third proposition: “Honesty is very important to me.” So when Mr. Gebhard is in a bad mood, he tells the students that too. There has to be so much transparency.
Now it's a pandemic and Maximilian Gebhard, when he's not teaching high school students, is mostly alone in the classroom in front of the computer. Not only does he teach, he now also chats. There are class groups for this. “You can also create closeness, despite the distance,” he says. He has recorded educational videos and sometimes comes up with funny things - for example for the 50th online homework - to keep the students happy. And yet: For months he has only seen some students on the screen. Much does not take place. No dance class, no trip to England, no job fair - everything is canceled. It is important to “save personal development,” says Gebhard.
Incidentally, Maximilian Gebhard does not know who he owes the award to. “You can also apply yourself, but I wouldn't have done that.” Some of his students or ex-students, perhaps their parents too, must have registered him. As a secret thank you for an exceptional teacher.