At least a bit of normality: Young Ukrainians are taking lessons in high school

Created: 05/25/2022, 02:00 p.m

By: Andreas Höger

These two young Ukrainians are now part of the school family.

Here they are exchanging ideas with teacher Eva Rendle.

© Thomas Plettenberg

It's an attempt to bring some normality back into a life that's gone haywire.

And that is dependent on a foreign country where a foreign language is spoken.

A "welcome group" for Ukrainian students started on May 23 at the state high school in Holzkirchen.

Holzkirchen

– As in the elementary school in Otterfing and in the Oberland-Realschule in Holzkirchen, Ukrainian children in the Gymnasium in Holzkirchen should experience “regular” teaching structures again.

There are three children at the beginning of the "welcome group", explained deputy headmaster Ernst Hollweck on request, "the group is designed for up to 20 children".

The school authority in Miesbach, although not responsible for secondary schools, acts as a cooperation partner here, collects applications from Ukrainian families and assigns the children to the schools.

“Our offer covers all school types,” says Hollweck.

The group is intended for students in the fifth to eleventh grade, they are ten to 17 years old.

About ten teachers volunteered to support the project.

The group is mainly looked after by three Ukrainian teachers who have also fled and who are also paid for it.

"The lessons are in Ukrainian," says Hollweck.

The children themselves hardly speak German, only a little English.

The teachers are currently taking German courses.

"We're trying to teach some German," says the deputy headmaster, who has been Axel Kisters' permanent representative since February.

"We're slowly approaching it."

Ukrainians also attend classes of German students

During the first two school hours, the group keeps to itself, then the children spend two teaching units in regular classes at the grammar school.

"This is how they see how our lessons work," says Hollweck.

Ideally, Ukrainians quickly learn important terms that they need in everyday life.

"And of course we want the children to get to know each other and maybe make friends," hopes Hollweck.

For the time being, only three children have been registered;

they are eleven, 15 and 16 years old, two girls and one boy.

"Three weeks ago it looked different," says Hollweck.

But turnover is high.

Many Ukrainians are moving to other counties because they have found work or housing there – or are returning home.

"In the medium term, we assume that the group will slowly fill up," says Hollweck.

After the flight experiences, the children should also feel safe in the schools of their host country and be distracted from the situation in their home country by new experiences.

The "Welcome Group" will initially run until the beginning of the summer holidays.

There is currently space because the high school graduates have cleared their classrooms.

"We'll see how things go in the new school year," says Hollweck.

By the way: Everything from the region is now also available in our regular Holzkirchen newsletter.