As of: February 24, 2024, 10:00 a.m
By: Jonas Napiletzki
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Press
Split
Strong demands: Stefan Troppmann heads the Schliersee elementary and middle school, which is attended by 31 Ukrainian children.
Motivation depends on perspective © Thomas Plettenberg
Teachers in the district have also been teaching students from Ukraine for almost two years - now in regular classes almost everywhere.
But problems and language barriers still exist.
Schliersee
– Less than three weeks after the start of the war, the first students from Ukraine were admitted to classes at the Schliersee elementary and middle school.
That was mid-March, remembers Stefan Troppmann - in 2022, shortly before he took over management of the school.
But to this day, almost two years later, the challenges remain: for the Ukrainians, their classmates, but also for teachers, parents and for him as the principal.
“Difficult,” Troppmann summed up in an interview with our newspaper.
“We are reaching our limits.”
Also read: Refugees from Ukraine: Holzkirchen Community Foundation expects that many will stay
A total of 31 Ukrainian children are taught in regular classes in Schliersee, 13 of which are in primary school and 18 in middle school.
The latter has a good 100 students in five classes - mathematically, almost one in five comes from Ukraine.
The proportion is only slightly better distributed in primary school, which is more than twice as large with twelve classes.
There, explains Troppmann, lessons in the first two grades are largely uncomplicated.
In some cases, students have problems.
“But when children start in the first or second grade, most of them learn very quickly along with the German children.”
There is a lack of teaching staff to provide sufficient support
But already in the third and fourth grades it is becoming increasingly difficult to take students into regular lessons.
“The material is becoming more complex, faster and we are working towards the transition.” Particularly in this phase, there is a lack of staff to offer Ukrainian children additional support, says Troppmann.
And this despite the “luxury” that the school enjoys: “We have a teacher from Ukraine who supports us,” says the principal.
She speaks German and was hired as a school assistant by the Ministry of Culture.
“This is very fortunate for us.”
Also interesting: Ukrainian family reports on their new life in the Tegernsee Valley
Transferring to secondary schools or high schools remains the exception across the district, as figures from the school authority show (see box).
“The vast majority attend elementary or middle schools,” says school district director Jürgen Heiß.
The higher proportion of Ukrainian students there is nice for the children and young people themselves, adds Troppmann, “but not necessarily positive for the integration process.”
Because two things played a big role in the lesson: age and group formation.
“Communities” make willingness to participate more difficult
“The fact that there are three to four Ukrainians in each class means they have their community,” explains Troppmann.
“That makes it difficult to be willing to cooperate.” However, if only one student per class was from Ukraine, he would have to speak as well as possible.
Age plays a role because of puberty.
“There is no difference between a 14-year-old German and a Ukrainian of the same age,” emphasizes the headmaster.
School is not exactly the top priority at this stage.
“If you also struggle with the language, it becomes even more difficult.” In addition, motivation is closely linked to perspective.
“If I hope that I can go back in a year, the motivation to learn German is low.” As a result, most people would understand a lot, but would still have great inhibitions about speaking.
At times the students are therefore overwhelmed - both the Ukrainian students and their classmates.
“But all schools struggle with this.”
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It is therefore a lot of work for the teachers to enforce rules and avoid crossing boundaries.
“A child is not just presented with a worksheet in class,” reminds Troppmann.
Contact with parents is also important and is much easier if the school receives support from them.
“But this is independent of nationality,” emphasizes Troppmann.
The teachers are trying very hard.
“We try to get ninth graders into training through school social work or career entry support.” In the current year, it is apparent that this is successful for at least two out of four Ukrainians.
And yet, says Troppmann, as a teacher you constantly ask yourself: “Have I done enough?”
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