Elementary schools: A 60-hour week and low salary

Rectors in elementary schools are missing everywhere. Time is often only enough to organize the most necessary. The danger: Pedagogical concepts are too short.

Elementary schools: A 60-hour week and low salary
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  • Page 1 — a 60-hour week and low salary
  • Page 2 — The salary is not worth it
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    I love my job, says Ulrike distress-Duwe. Almost as if she had to justify herself for all overtime that she does late at night and on weekends. For 22 years mid-Sixties has been a school director at Henning-von-Tresckow-Elementary school in Hanover. She built school with colleagues and n took over line. At time, she only wanted to make sure that her pedagogical visions of a cosmopolitan school were also implemented. To this day she sacrifices every free minute for "her" school, which is now a UNESCO model school and also takes care of technical education as well as sufficient exercise and healthy nutrition for students.

    "Luckily my husband is a retired teacher and keeps my back. Sometimes he even takes on tasks that would orwise be left out, "says distressing-Duwe. She also has a capable deputy, but still often a 60-hour week.

    Ever fewer elementary school teachers are willing to sacrifice mselves in such a way. The consequence: Many German elementary schools have to come to a clear without rector. In North Rhine-Westphalia alone, according to Association Education and Education (VBE) in 390 of 2,700 elementary schools principals, in Lower Saxony, where Troublel-Duwe works, have to get 179 schools without a rector. Nationwide it is about 1,000. The open Rector's posts are occupied by Commission – often for several years.

    Head of school as a lone fighter

    The lack of Duwe is not surprising: "The number of tasks and amount of bureaucracy have increased considerably in recent years. We are already more managers than educators. Without much idealism and an understanding environment, you can hardly manage a primary school. " Currently, head of school takes care of free fruit for all classes, writes opinions about each pupil's level of study and organizes language support for refugee children. She is responsible for ensuring that cafeteria complies with hygiene regulations and that educators receive employment contracts in afternoon care. At same time, school budget must be managed. She must also take care of inclusion and full-day school support. After all, she is in classroom for twelve hours a week and teaches German and religion.

    It is due to structure of German elementary schools that so many tasks are accumulating at head of school. "Unlike at a gymnasium or a general school, re is no broad management level of experts and coordinators who take on tasks and actively support school management", explains Herbert Asselmeyer, professor of organizational pedagogy at university Hildesheim. A primary school only has a vice of 180 students, who takes care of distribution of lessons or representation plan. Even a secretary or a caretaker is not a matter of course. But a medium-sized management level is also important in order to introduce young colleagues to managerial tasks and to find future school leaders, says Asselmeyer

    He warns of consequences: "Many school leaders have just enough time to work out everyday tasks and problems, but y can no longer take care of furr development of ir school." In worst case, pedagogical concepts are not elaborated, such as those aimed at securing inclusion of disabled children or improving full-day care.

    Date Of Update: 16 October 2017, 12:02
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