German Schools

German schools are different from American schools in a few ways. Children begin in the first class when they are six years old. School attendance is mandatory as homeschooling is not an option here. (This is how we homeschool.) The school day consists of the morning with options to attend a full day. If the child stays for the afternoon they can receive help on their homework and may attend religious classes.

When kids are in the fifth class they are seperated into one of three tracks which plays a big role in determining what type of job they will have as an adult. Hauptschule prepares students for trade jobs and ends after the ninth class. Realschule prepares students for technical jobs and ends after the tenth class. Gymnasium prepares students to enter college and ends after the twelfth class. Once a student begins a particular track it is very difficult to make a change.

For vacations the children have a two week break in the fall, two weeks in the spring, two or three weeks at Christmas time and six weeks in the summer.

In talking with a few students who have had experience in both American and German schools in the upper grades, the majority say that the German schools are much more difficult. And the last big difference is that there are NO BIG YELLOW SCHOOL BUSES. The kids ride to school on the public buses.