Laborschule Bielefeld facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Laboratory School BielefeldGerman: Laborschule Bielefeld
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| Established | 1974 |
| Grades | Preschool - Grade 10 |
| Enrollment | 660 |
The Laborschule Bielefeld (which means "Laboratory School Bielefeld") is a special kind of school in Bielefeld, Germany. It's known for being one of Germany's few "democratic" schools. This means students have more say in their learning. Many news outlets in Germany have called it one of the country's best schools. However, some teacher groups have disagreed with this claim.
Contents
How the School Started
The Laborschule Bielefeld opened its doors in 1974. It was created with a unique idea: that the school should change to fit each child, instead of children having to fit the school. This democratic approach was inspired by the ideas of Hartmut von Hentig, a well-known educator.
Who Goes to Laborschule?
The school welcomes students from preschool (called 0th grade) all the way up to 10th grade. About 660 students attend the school, and 60 new students join each year.
When the school first started, it wanted to be a "school for everyone." It tried to encourage families from all backgrounds, especially working-class families, to enroll their children. However, this goal was hard to reach. In 2005, most students came from families where parents had gone to college. The school explained that it was located near the University of Bielefeld, so many families living nearby were university-educated. They also noted that democratic schools often appeal more to middle-class parents.
How Students Are Chosen
The Laborschule always aimed to have students from all parts of society, like a mini-version of Germany or the city of Bielefeld. This meant including many children from working-class and immigrant families. Even though it was challenging, the school worked hard to achieve this.
They ran campaigns to encourage students from these backgrounds to apply. In 2009, a school representative said that students from working-class and minority families were guaranteed a spot. For other students, especially those from middle-class families, spots were given out by a lottery. This was because more students wanted to attend the school than there were available places.
How Grades Work
At Laborschule Bielefeld, only students in grades nine and ten receive traditional written marks for their schoolwork. For students in earlier grades, things are different. Instead of marks, they get special written letters each year. These letters describe their progress and what they've learned in class. The school discusses these letters with both the student and their parents.
Why Evaluation Letters Are Used
These evaluation letters are very important for several reasons:
- They show everything the student learned during the year.
- They keep parents informed about their child's progress.
- They praise students for their hard work and achievements.
- They help the school communicate clearly with the students themselves.
School Performance and Studies
Students from Laborschule took part in the Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA). They performed well, and the media quickly announced the Laborschule as one of Germany's best schools.
However, later information showed that most of the students came from families with many advantages. In subjects like reading and science, these students did about as well as other students from similar backgrounds. It was also found that Laborschule students did not perform as well in math compared to other students from similar backgrounds. Studies also showed that working-class children at Laborschule did not do as well as their middle-class classmates.
Despite some of these findings, a study revealed that parents were generally very happy with the school's overall performance. The study also showed that students from Laborschule knew a lot about politics, were responsible, and were good at including people from different countries.
