Die Strategie für das Lebenslange Lernen ... - EUROlocal

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TRANSITIONS, INTERLOCKING AND PERMEABILITY OF EDUCATIONAL DOMAINS
Learning Network AKZENT in the Western Pomerania (East)/ City of Greifswald /
Uecker-Randow Region (Mecklenburg-West Pomerania)
Integrated school-leaving certificate with career orientation
I. Problem
In the region covered by the AKZENT open learning network,
there are a large number of “native” teenagers and
young adults, along with young ethnic German migrants
from the former Eastern bloc, and other young migrants,
who do not have a middle-school (Realschule) leaving certificate,
but who urgently need this qualification in order to fulfil
their career wishes. The young people largely come from
socially disadvantaged families and are quick to give up
when they have personal problems or a “low” for any other
reason. For this reason, attending “normal” evening classes
offering this qualification is out of the question right from
the start.
II. Solution approach
The aim of the project (known by its German acronym InSa)
is a middle-school leaving certificate and career orientation.
What the scheme hopes to put across are the contents of the
school curriculum in core and special subjects, along with
the skills necessary for developing and strengthening personality
structure. Using specially chosen teachers and comprehensive
counselling and supervision by two educational
social workers, the individual abilities and skills of the course
participants are developed and reinforced.
The scheme has been developed in the form of evening
classes. Before the start of the first course, we invite all applicants
to attend an interview and carefully select the future
participants. In a three-month preliminary course, these are
given instruction in mathematics, German, English, physics,
social studies and history, along with a week-long computercourse.
In addition, we have been able to provide extra coaching
in mathematics, German and English. During the preliminary
course, extra-curricular activities also take place, as
does a career-orientation session at the vocational training
centre in Greifswald.
The first semester of the qualification year began in
January 2004 and ended with intermediate examinations
which all the students passed. These were followed in the
summer months by a three-month career-orientation workexperience
period. During this time, the young people were
under constant supervision, and given support when problems
occurred. The second and final semester of the qualification
year will begin in October 2004 and will prepare the
participants for the examinations leading to the award of
the middle-school leaving certificate.
During the semester, teachers and educational social
workers are in regular contact. Monthly teachers’ conferences
are held, so that any difficulties can be dealt with at once
and as the situation demands. The educational social workers
and the college principal sit in on lessons on a regular
basis; an important instrument of quality assurance in respect
of the teaching. Monthly sessions with the educational
social workers give participants an additional opportunity,
over and beyond the daily consultation periods, to address
and resolve problems which affect the way the course is
going for the whole group.
III. Outlook
The need on the part of the young people for additional
middle-school courses in the region is not disputed. After
the current project comes to an end, we shall revise the concept
where necessary, in order, among other things, to
extend the network and to be able to react even more flexibly
to the regional conditions on the education and jobs
market. Our approach involving consistent supervision by
educational social workers is in any case successful and promising.
It is indispensable for the success of school leavingcertificate
courses of this kind.
www.lrovp.de/Netzwerk.htm