As of: February 3, 2024, 9:04 a.m
By: Peter Sieben
Comments
Press
Split
Young teachers have to undergo a strange ritual in many schools.
© Ute Grabowsky/imago
A strange breakfast ritual in schools is causing debate.
Those affected say: their careers depend on it.
An examiner sees herself vilified.
Berlin - It's a strange ritual that more and more young teachers are now reporting: They all had to serve the members of the examination committee a sumptuous breakfast before their final exam.
In some schools there are lists for this: put on sandwiches, buy cookies and gummy bears.
Make coffee and tea, provide water with or without sparkling water.
Provide “decoration”.
Spreading bread during teacher exams was seen as demeaning
Most recently, a young teacher from North Rhine-Westphalia reported to
IPPEN.MEDIA
that, in addition to all the stress of exams, she found it humiliating to have to butter the examiners in the morning.
The descriptions have caused quite a stir, and several people have come forward who have had similar experiences.
A young teacher from Brandenburg, for example, calls it a “huge mess”: “They said that if you didn’t do that, it could affect the result of the exam,” he says.
Like many other teachers, he wants to remain anonymous so as not to get into trouble with his employer.
In fact, this breakfast practice is banned according to the North Rhine-Westphalia Ministry of Education.
Nevertheless, according to the GEW teachers' union, it is common practice in many schools.
Examiner: “I am a specimen of this terrible species, subject leader”
Karin Lüpper-Rollstein has a different view of things.
Her name is actually different, but she doesn't want to risk “employment difficulties,” as she says.
She sits on the other side of the breakfast table – she is an examiner.
And sees himself vilified.
“I am an example of this terrible breed of subject manager,” she says, and would “like to tell the other side.”
Examiner complains: lunch break?
Doesn't exist
She describes in bullet points how an exam day works from her point of view.
As part of an examination committee, she visits the trainee teachers in a lesson to assess: How does the young teacher interact with the students?
Is she professionally suitable?
“Departure home between 6 and 6.30 a.m.
Very rarely even 15 minutes later.
You are required to arrive 60 minutes before the first lesson,” says Lüpper-Rollstein.
“Then intensive reading of the materials, hardly any time to go to the toilet – let alone look for the school kiosk and stand in line with the students.” There is no lunch break.
“Is this permitted under occupational health and safety law?” asks the head of department rhetorically.
Grateful for rolls, fruit and sweets on “hard days at work”
After the exam, an “appreciative conversation with the examinees” and various consultations, it could be 4 p.m. before the examiner is back home.
She doesn't deny that there is a sumptuous breakfast in the morning.
“We are always very happy and grateful that we are provided with coffee, sandwiches, fruit, something sweet on these working days, which are also exhausting for us,” says Karin Lüpper-Rollstein and emphasizes: “But from the school or fellow trainees – and not by the examinees themselves. Examiners are also people and in order to perform well and work with concentration, they actually have to eat and drink something." It is absurd and makes you "sad and angry" to believe that they have their assessments and the grading would depend on the quality of rolls.
My news
Russia sees plan behind NATO maneuvers: diplomat attacks Deutschlandlesen
“Balloon burst”: Strack-Zimmermann clearly rejects Taurus ring exchange
Obama or Biden?
Donald Trump's misfires heat up debate about mental state
1 hour ago
Entrepreneur writes to Habeck in desperation - and is overwhelmed by the reaction: read “Simply unbelievable”.
Direct hit against Putin's Crimean troops: Ukraine achieves unique air strike reading
Martens and leopards: Ukraine is building a “German” tank brigade
Sounds plausible.
And yet: even the appearance of bribery on the one hand and exerting pressure on junior staff on the other should be avoided.
That's why the NRW Ministry of Education advises against catering at school.
But the competition for the best breakfast for the examiners has become ever greater, Anja Bensinger-Stolze, board member of the GEW union, recently told
IPPEN.MEDIA.
Union: Pressure on teacher candidates should not be increased
According to trade unionist Bensinger-Stolze, the trainee teachers are often under a lot of pressure during their examination lessons.
“This should not be reinforced by preparing breakfast for the examiners.” Because the young teachers “should be able to concentrate on conducting the lessons and the subsequent discussion about the lessons on the day of the exam.”
Examiner Karin Lüpper-Rollstein basically sees it that way too.
“Of course the examinees should concentrate on their exams.
We would like nothing else.” She and her colleagues would be happy if they could certify good results.
And in the end you always leave a few euros in the exam room, nobody wants anything for free.
Meanwhile, one of the young teachers who had reported on the ritual in advance has a practical idea for a solution: “Why don’t the examiners just bring their own sandwiches from home?
I do that too.” Today she works at a primary school.
And she says she would never accept breakfast or cookies before a class test from her students, even on a busy day.