More about my School

One of the favorite things I've done in some classes at school is to give a presentation on American schools with a focus on my own high school. Now, in a reverse case, I'll talk a bit about my German school.  To be honest though, I'm still rather confused about many parts of the school system.  In my school itself, I also wasn't given much of an orientation, so it's mainly what I've picked up along the way.
(Since this is a long entry, the short version is: German schools are structured quite differently than US schools and there are also several little differences in terms of things like class structure and discipline.)

Some Background
German children start out at a Grundschule, which is grades 1-4.  After that, they have to choose a type of school to continue at.  The options are the Hauptschule, Realschule, Gymnasium, or Gesamtschule.  I'm working at a Gymnasium, which is grades 5-12 (13th grade has recently been eliminated).  Gymnasien are considered the best of the schools and from there students go on to university.  That means that only students who go to a Gymnasium go to university.  If you go to Realschule or Hauptschule, you may get an apprenticeship after 10th or 11th grade I think.  A Gesamtschule is a new type of school which mixes all levels.  I've never liked that students' futures are chosen for them in 4th grade, but that's a whole different topic.

My School's Organization
* Since 5 - 12 grade is a large span, there are still some division between students.  Up until 9th or 10th grade students are in one homeroom class with the same students and might have a particular focus, like my school has a music branch so the students will have a class music ensemble.  In 11th and 12th grade, you choose to specialize in certain subjects.  These years are in preparation for the Abitur, the big test in each subject you have to pass in order to graduate.  The final grade you get is also important for getting into university.
* First period starts at 7:55.  Then there are two 15 minute breaks between 2 and 3rd period and 4th and 5th period and a longer break (45 min) between 5th and 7th.  Between all other periods there is a 5 minute break.  During the longer breaks, all the students are kicked out of the classrooms and have to go outside or in the break halls.
* Every weekday the schedule different.  Usually, students will have a subject 2 or 3 times a week in a mix of 90 minute and 45 minute periods.  Sometimes, students are done after 6th period, other times, after 8th.  Sometimes they may even be done earlier, but I think that this is changing and that the school is moving towards a full-day model.
* In German schools, the teachers, not the students, change classrooms for the most part.  Since teachers don't have their own rooms, there is a big teacher's room for breaks and storing books.  All teachers have to teach two subjects, and some even teach 3.

Other Perceptions
* Students always sit at tables.  None of the single desks like in US schools.
* There is no official lunch break for students, who are allowed to eat at any time during the break.  There is a cafeteria open for most of the day which has sandwiches, snacks, and one hot meal a day.
* In general, students are a lot freer and there are fewer rules.  There are no hall passes and there's no dress code.  My school doesn't have many behavioral issues, but the one downside is that there aren't really any ways to enforce better behavior if needed.  There are no detentions, tardy slips, etc.
* There are no school buses.  Students either ride the public transportation buses, get rides from their parents, walk or bike.
* Latin is more standardly offered at Gymanasien.  There is no required health class, but a few presentations on the subjects instead.
* There aren't many after-school activities for students.  There is gym class, but no sports teams.  Instead, there are different sports clubs in the towns and cities which students get involved with.  There are also fewer clubs.  My school has some theater and music offerings.
* Just like in American schools, technology varies by school, but in my school, only one classroom has a computer in it.  There are computer labs though.  Mainly you have to either get out a laptop if needed or use an overhead projector.
* Partially this is a cultural thing, but students are asked for their input much more often in terms of saying what they liked or didn't like about something.  For example, a teacher may ask for feedback on a new method, or which book the class will read, or most commonly, on another student's work.  And Germans are much more honest, so they are not afraid to criticize something, which Americans are more hesitant to do.
* I think tied into the above point is the fact that there doesn't seem to be much grade inflation.  Not many students in classes get 1s (= A.) Many students are happy with 2s (= B, but without our connotations).  Another example of this from elsewhere are the results of product quality surveys placed on different products.  One bank advertises it is "good" (equivalent to a 2).  I think that could never happen in the US, everything needs to be "very good" there.