School Days

I have a two hour break right now. I got here at 9.50 for French class, and usually during this time I either go two blocks down the street to the tiny grocery store to get a piece of bread, or I hide myself in the conference room to take a nap. This break is super long, and since I have next to no work to do, I usually get quite sleepy. so I decided to write this baby up, in order to keep my brain active. I am currently sitting in the Oberstufe room, it is for the teachers who are in charge of the 11th, 12th, and 13th grades. They get their own private room with a big table and three computers. It is also the only room in the school that is ever more than 60 degrees (its about 64).
Anyway I thought I would tell you a bit about how school is going. After having literally begged and threatened my way into more work, I have finally had a few weeks where I felt like my presence was not only noticed, but appreciated! I gave a presentation on Creole culture the other day. The kids are reading A Streetcar Named Desire, so they are learning all about Louisiana...well lets say the are learning specific facts about the state and some small tidbits about the New Orleans culture. Nothing too comprehensive...because they have huge tests about ever 5 weeks. Its like having a final every five weeks. Needless to say its a lot stress for the students and leaves little free time for some silly American to present on her culture in class.
I did, however, get to make pumpkin pie for my AP course on Thursday. We talked about the history of Thanksgiving and Black Friday, and they at least all tried the pumpkin pie. They were all pretty weirded out by the pie...they have no concept of pie crust, nor do they understand the amount of sugar we put into our desserts. Chocolate cake in Germany is more like brown-colored bread with a little bit of sugar on it. Different, but still tasty. So we then went around the classroom and said what we are thankful for. It worked well--the kids took it seriously, and I think were very happy to have an opportunity to express themselves as individual human beings, rather than hard-working students. Although some students did not really get the difference between thanking someone and being thankful for something, so they just thanked me for bringing in the pie.
I just came from my French class, as I said, where I sit with a bunch of 8th graders who are in an advanced course. So they are already in the best type of high school possible, AND they are in an advanced class in the school. So, I think needless to say, they are quite proud of themselves. They also have a very close-knit community. These kids are expected to rule the country, and they are told this almost every day. Today we compared French schools to German schools. French schools are more similar to American schools in many respects: everyone gets to go to the same high school, the school day goes well into the afternoon, and students' behavior is strictly controlled while at school. (Personally I miss this, I cant name the number of times that I have been thrown into a wall or elbowed by some hoodlum 6th grader SPRINTING through the halls on the way to break.) The teacher intentionally painted this picture of a prison-like system, where idiots are together with geniuses, and the "intelligent" students have to babysit the "weak" or "lazy" students. Although I have been inundated with this attitude since I got here, I am still constantly surprised that even teachers will describe students, ESPECIALLY middle and high schoolers, as unintelligent! (You could at least wait until adulthood to give these people a chance to PROVE that they are idiots, because lets be honest here, everyone is a little idiotic in middle and high school.) Anyway, the students were totally astounded that the prison-like schools in France existed. And the teacher presented the German schools system as a dream-like paradise where they were extremely lucky to be surrounded by such intelligent people. (Lets talk about the dangerous hallways with full-speed trains of students or the back talking 12th graders, then ask who is lucky) Keep in mind, that while this was happening, down the hall was a drab classroom full of mostly Turkish students in the Hauptschule, who were probably there mostly due to language or cultural barriers. These are not often told they could run the country some day. Some of the kids in my French class even said, "Well what if you live in an area with a lot of immigrants? Do you have to be in the same classes as they are?" She responded "Unfortunately yes, if you live in that area you have to go to school with immigrants."
An important thing to remember here though, is that this is not unusual behavior for Germans...let me correct that. For the Germans I have met and have daily contact with. It is normal for the people I know here to expect to go to class, work, church, etc with people who look and talk like they do. And it is not a negative thing in this community to expect that kind of separation. As I look out the window over at the Hauptschule, I see only minorities, immigrants, or "Germans" who most likely have learning disorders or other problems that keep them from doing well at school. No one I have talked to about this is disturbed, actually they will very willingly defend the system. Describing an American public school is like trying to describe sharing to a 2 year old. They might say "well why should I have to give up some of my experience to make hers better?"
I will step off my soap box in a moment, but I wanted to make clear the attitudes of the teachers I see on a daily basis. These people are supportive teachers who care deeply about their students. But they expect a classroom full of students who can learn quickly, independently, and without any troubles. And even though there seems to be an elephant in the room about what "kind" of people go to which schools, no one seems to be troubled by this blatant separation.

Life otherwise is just swell. The sun has been shining for at least...3 hours. It will probably be pouring by the time I get on my bike to ride home, but its only about a 5 minute ride, then I will be safe and sound until my tutoring at 5.30. I will be making a tour of Christmas markets before I come home: Dortmond, Dinslaken, somewhere in Holland, Achen, and Gladbeck. I went to the one in Essen with an American friend and a British friend (that's right, I have friends all over this place!). Lots of cheer and fun...didn't find any amazing presents, but it was a unique experience, and it was nice to see a new side of German culture. We also had Thanksgiving on Saturday, I will post some pictures of that tonight--my big project.