An Elementary School Experience in Munich

I am a school administrator and father living in the suburbs of New York City with my wife and son. My purpose in this writing is to describe the Bavarian elementary school experience as I came to know it July 2016. In the following paragraphs, I will write about my son and what I learned about elementary education as delivered in the school he attended — Boschetsrieder Strasse Schule, in Munich, Bavaria, Germany.

When my son was just a year old, I decided my language ability was good enough to teach him German. Fast-forward to this past July: my son, now eight years old, has fluency in German, and we planned to spend a month in Munich. I was aware that schools in the state of Bavaria remain open through July, so I contacted the principal of an elementary school near where we would be living, just south of the city center. To my delight, Frau Kienzerle, the school leader, agreed to welcome my son as a guest student for the month. He was placed in a third-grade class.

During this month, I began to see a huge difference in our systems of education — differences I would like to describe. My first surprise was that school days are shorter: classes began at 8:00 a.m. and ended, on average, at 12:30 p.m. for grades 1–4. Within this time, there were two breaks. Two after-care programs were offered within the school — one run by the school itself and one privately operated. In both, students were served lunch, played, and were given time and assistance for homework. I enrolled my son in the latter, which ran until 4:00 p.m.

Lunch was served at tables set with real plates, knives, and forks — no plastic. The day’s lunch menu was attractively written on a freestanding blackboard. It was striking to see nearly all students walking or riding bicycles to school — some as young as first grade walking without a parent, some in groups, and others accompanied by an adult. The school was located on a busy road, with crossing guards posted at nearby corners. There were bike racks to accommodate the many scooters and bicycles, and every student crossed the street only at the green light — a strict rule for all. I also noticed brochures for parents entitled “Your Child’s Way to School,” offering guidance and information about safe travel.

On the first day, I accompanied my son to his classroom. There were no computers or Smart Boards. The classroom was neither cluttered nor overly decorated. There were some charts and maps and a traditional blackboard. On the entrance door was a photo of every student in the class.

I learned from my son that I needed to purchase a few items to equip him properly for third grade in Germany. Here is the list:

– Most students have a Scout backpack made by a local German company. These are called Schulranzen. They are made with hard plastic sides and sleeves inside to protect books and papers. Outside, there are pouches for water and snacks, and plenty of reflective fabric for safety. They are designed to minimize strain on the back.

– The Schulranzen comes with two types of pencil cases: one highly organized case containing rulers, erasers, colored pencils, and other items, and a pouch for glue, extra pencils, and supplies.

– Within the organized pencil case, each student is required to have a child’s fountain pen with replacement ink cartridges. The most popular are made by Lamy, a German company. Students use the fountain pen for writing — and there is a great deal of copying from the board. I noticed a marked improvement in my son’s handwriting during our stay.

One of the textbooks used, entitled Denken und Rechnen (Thinking and Numeracy), published by Westermann, had “Bavaria” printed on the cover. Upon closer inspection, I noticed maps, buildings, and other exercises reflective of the state of Bavaria. While elementary students were learning math, they were also learning about local geography, including neighboring towns and notable landmarks. The book appeared denser, with information and exercises laid out thoroughly on each page. A variety of activities — including word problems and puzzles — looked very engaging; one might even say that some exercises resembled early “coding” challenges. The pages were subtly colorized, only where needed.

One day my son came home and told me the class would be having bicycle training. A small trailer supplied by the municipality was filled with bicycles. Each student, wearing a helmet, rode through a series of cones and received a lesson in bicycle safety.

During the month my son attended, he watched a total of two videos — one a traditional televised story shown in Germany for years, Pippi Langstrumpf, and another on energy. As this was the last month of school, this was more than usual. I also learned there were many opportunities for basteln — tinkering or working with one’s hands — which took place in art class and the after-school program.

One day the teacher asked me about my son’s religion and whether he could attend such a class. I was surprised that religion was taught in a public school. I later learned that schools in Germany offer instruction in religion or, alternatively, a class in ethics.

In every school and public playground I visited, I never saw plastic or artificial turf or cushioning. Instead, a thick bed of washed river pebbles provided a natural surface. Each playground was unique, built mainly from wood and other natural materials. Soccer fields were common, as were sand pits for jumping and play.

Munich has an abundance of beer gardens — most with an accompanying playground for children.

During the month my son attended school in Munich, he had a fabulous experience and learned a great deal — not only in class but through abundant opportunities for social interaction with other children within the school setting.

An American educator might call this school “quaint.” I believe there is a place for “quaint,” especially in our American elementary schools. The absence of computer technology, combined with an efficient way of delivering the basics of instruction, seems to work very well in a land that produces some of the finest products in the world. In the United States, I feel we need to take a good look and return to deeply thought-out basics in the elementary classroom. I would call such an elementary school in our country a “boutique school.” It is precisely the type of school I would want my son to attend.