A r c h i v e d  I n f o r m a t i o n

Chapter 4
The Role of School in
German Adolescents' Lives
(Part 2 of 5)

Time Use

At 6:45 a.m. on Tuesday, Andreas Feldmann rolls out of bed, takes a shower and pulls on his clothes in a hurry—a T-shirt, an Oakland Raiders sweatshirt, stylishly torn jeans and a pair of tennis shoes. Grabbing his leather school bag by the door, he runs to the subway stop down the street, where he meets his friend Martin who is headed to the same Realschule. They greet each other informally and talk about the soccer game from the night before. By the time the 7:25 train arrives at the stop, it is already crowded with students, and Andreas and Martin have to squeeze into the standing area. Ten minutes later at school, Andreas and his friend go to their classroom on the second floor.

Students are already in the classroom and several boys call out to Andreas and Martin as they come in. The first period is German, and Frau Riemann arrives to teach at 7:45. She calls for order, and the last few students drift in and find their seats as she starts writing discussion points for the day on the board. Andreas takes out his small leather bag full of pens and a thin notebook to write in.

At 8:30, German is over and Frau Riemann leaves for her next class. Students talk and joke while they wait for Herr Mayer, who will teach math during the second period. Today, Herr Mayer is introducing single-variable algebra. He goes over the homework from the night before, calling on students who raise their hand to give answers. When Andreas' friend Martin gets an answer wrong, Herr Mayer makes a quick joke about it and moves on to the next person. Andreas tries to avoid being called on because he forgot to do his homework the night before. When the bell rings, Herr Mayer finishes giving the homework assignment, and the students talk as they go out to the courtyard for the 20-minute break. Andreas brings his cheese and bread snack with him, huddling up with two of his classmates as they talk excitedly about the soccer game between FC Bayern and Düsseldorf the night before. "Did you see the final shot. . . . Isn't Number 18 great. . . . " The courtyard is full of students aged 11 to 16 running, shouting, or talking. Before going back inside, Martin rolls a cigarette, which the three friends share as their talk turns to the upcoming "practicum," a 2-week internship that starts the next week. They realize that the break is over when they see the other students heading inside, and they make their way back to the classroom. The next subject is biology, and the enthusiastic young biology teacher, Frau Schulz, is everyone's favorite.

The rest of the day consists of English, history and chemistry, broken up by another 20-minute break at 11:10. After sixth period ends at 1:15 p.m., Andreas and his friends pack up their things and head home. Andreas' mother has lunch waiting on the table, and she and Andreas' two younger sisters sit down with him for the main meal of the day. After lunch, Andreas changes into his soccer clothes, packs his bag and rides his bike to the nearby sports club for soccer practice.

Arriving back home at 5:00 p.m., he makes himself a snack in the kitchen and then goes to his room to look over the materials he was given by the representative from the labor office for his "practicum." He wanted to work in a bank, but had trouble finding an employer who was interested, and is now scheduled to work in an import-export office for the 2-week period. Dinner with the whole family is at 7:30 p.m., and Andreas' father asks him how things are going in school. Although he is having some problems in math, Andreas says that everything is going fine, and his father, a master electrician, goes on to ask him about his upcoming practicum. He presses his son on a vocational decision: What do you want to do when you finish your Realschule certificate? Andreas says he's not sure yet and tries to change the subject.

Martin calls at 8:30, and they talk about their plans for going to the disco on the coming weekend. Martin prods his friend on the subject of Britte, a girl they both know who has been flirting with Andreas lately. At 10:00 p.m., after doing homework for half an hour, he goes to bed.

The typical student gets up between 6:00 and 7:00 a.m., eats breakfast at home and travels to school on foot, bicycle, or public transportation, such as bus or subway. Separate school busses are not common and very few students drive a car to school. School usually begins between 7:30 and 8:00 a.m. and lasts until 1:00 p.m. The large majority of secondary-school students in Germany come home after school and eat a warm meal, which is often the main meal of the day. Most students do their homework in the afternoon, often following a short break after lunch when they listen to music or take a nap. Students also said they often went shopping, played sports, or just "hung out" with their friends in the afternoon. A lighter meal is typically eaten together with the entire family in the early evening between 5:00 and 6:30 p.m. Students spend time on various leisure activities in the evenings, depending on their interests.

The most common leisure activities are watching television, listening to music, or going out with friends to the cinema or to a café. Several male students also said they spend time "playing" with their computer. Most students under the age of 18 go to bed between 10:00 and 11:00 p.m. Older students often spend more time with friends or their boyfriend or girlfriend both during the school week and on the weekend. On weekends, German adolescents of all ages spend significant amounts of time with peers.

The adolescents I talked with demonstrated a pattern of time use similar to that revealed in previous studies. According to a 1992 survey of over 4,000 German youths aged 13 to 29, adolescents spend about 35 percent of their day at school and on school-related activities such as studying on their own. They spend another 33 percent of their time in leisure activities such as socializing with friends, playing sports and games, watching television and listening to music. The remaining 32 percent of adolescents' time is spent either working, in activities with their family, or in personal maintenance (Fischer 1992).

School

There is considerable variation in the amount of time students spend at different types of secondary schools. Students at the Gymnasium and those in an academic track at the Gesamtschule often attend up to 35 class periods of 45 minutes each every week. Students at the vocational Gymnasium spend the most time in class, because these students take subjects such as vocational studies and economics in addition to subjects in the regular Gymnasium curriculum. Several teachers said that it is common for students at the vocational Gymnasium to have 40 or more periods of class a week. One teacher at a vocational Gymnasium said that he expects his students to "demonstrate a level of commitment similar to that of employees at a large corporation." He calculated that when time for homework, class preparation, and commuting to and from school is added to the time for class attendance, students at the vocational Gymnasium spend 60 hours a week on school-related activities. The results of this study imply that students may spend more time in school than the average of 28 hours per week reported in a 1992 survey (Fischer 1992).

In general, secondary school students attend class in the morning only. However, there are several notable exceptions. Afternoon instruction may be offered in grades 11 through 13 (Oberstufe) at Gymnasium (in the state where East City is located, Gymnasium ends after grade 12). Students in the Oberstufe are expected to begin preparing for the Abitur exam and thus may spend significantly more time in school and on school-related activities. Some Gymnasien hold class on Saturday morning instead of during weekday afternoons. Parents of Gymnasium students in the upper grades often said that their son or daughter remained in school until between 3:00 and 5:00 p.m. several afternoons a week. In some cases, students are attending afternoon classes; in other cases, students participate in extracurricular activities with or without a teacher as sponsor. Other schools, such as the Gesamtschule, may also be designated as "all-day" schools, where students participate in athletics or other activities several afternoons a week.

Most students do not eat lunch in the school cafeteria. During the school day, there are several short breaks of 15 minutes to a half-hour. Most schools have a small café or kiosk, where students can buy juice, milk, coffee, and snacks, such as sandwiches or sweets, during breaks. However, of all the schools visited, only the Gesamtschule had a full-service cafeteria. The assistant principal said that on those afternoons when students stay in school until 3:30 p.m. to work on projects, they can buy a hot lunch in the school cafeteria for about $2.50. The assistant principal proudly explained that the cafeteria was run previously by a private company and sold only about 50 lunches a day. Now it is run by students under the supervision of home economics teachers, and they sell between 150–200 lunches a day at a lower price.

Class schedule. Weekly class schedules from several students highlight the differences between students in different grades and at different types of school. The first schedule (see figure 1) is from an 8th-grade Gesamtschule student in an academic track which will lead to the Realschule–leaving certificate (Mittlere Reife) after 10th grade. Students graduating from the Gesamtschule with the Mittlere Reife after 10th grade have the option of continuing for the Abitur during grades 11 through 13 by attending upper-level Gymnasium. This student has more periods of instruction (33) per week than does an eighth-grade Gymnasium student (30), reflecting the fact that the Gesamtschule student elected to take Latin. Project work in the afternoon consists of teacher-initiated topics on which students of various grade and ability levels work together. Gesamtschule students not intending to go on for the Abitur could opt for a less demanding schedule by not taking elective subjects such as Latin or French.

In contrast to the Gesamtschule student, an eighth-grade Gymnasium student (see figure 2) does not have afternoon classes or project work. There are two short breaks during an otherwise nonstop school day which lasts from 7:45 a.m. until 1:15 p.m. German, French and math meet 4 hours a week, English and physical education meet 3 hours a week, and several other subjects meet only 2 hours a week.

It is evident from these schedules that students do not have the same subject at the same time every day. Rather, their schedule normally varies from day to day. For example, in the upper grades (11 through 13), students may have instruction in a particular subject during two consecutive periods, for a total of 1.5 hours, 2 or 3 times a week. Therefore, the schedule of a student in grades 11 through 13 may be more similar to that of a beginning college student in the United States than to that of an American high school student.

In the third example (see figure 3), the 12th-grade Gymnasium student has a weekly load of 39 class periods. The student has German and French as advanced courses (Leistungskurse), each of which meets for five periods a week. Other subjects meet for two or three periods a week.

Figure 1 — Sample class schedule for a student in the eighth grade at the Gesamtschule

Also notable in this student's schedule is the large number of free periods. Students in upper grades at Gymnasium are more likely than other students to have up to three free periods between classes, during which they are not required to remain in school. Several Gymnasium students said that they often go home during their free periods in order to study or to relax. This is possible for many students who live within walking distance from their school. Those students who choose to remain in school during free periods will often use the time to do homework or chat with friends in the student café.

Figure 2 — Sample class schedule for a student in the eighth grade at the Gymnasium

Extracurricular activities. Extracurricular activities range from musical and theatrical groups to sport clubs, political groups, and student council. Although the number of extracurricular activities offered is large, students and teachers who were familiar with the United States school system remarked that German secondary schools do not offer the same range and extent of extracurricular activities as do U.S. high schools. For example, a student in the eighth grade at a vocational Gymnasium said that what she liked best about her year as an exchange student at a high school in the United States was the wide offering of extracurricular activities at the school. Almost all students and teachers felt there should be more extracurricular activities available at German schools, which have been described as being first and foremost, academic institutions (Petersen, Leffert & Hurrelmann 1993). Several teachers at Haupt and Realschulen said they would like to introduce more extracurricular activities at their schools, but they lack the financial and human resources to do so.

Lack of student interest can also be a limiting factor in the extent of extracurricular activities offered. For example, a vocational Gymnasium student said that her school offers student groups in theater, choir, and band but few students attend the rehearsals, so that the activities "really only exist on paper." Another Gymnasium student expressed a similar opinion regarding student council. He said that the most frustrating aspect of being a member of student council is the fact that "hardly any of the other students are interested in what we are trying to do."

While some sports activities are offered, German secondary schools usually do not sponsor a system of intramural or interscholastic sport teams. This is not to say, however, that German adolescents do not participate in organized sports. Rather, most sport activities take place outside the school context. Instead of playing on a varsity or junior varsity school team, adolescents may participate in community-sponsored clubs and sports leagues after school (Petersen, Leffert & Hurrelmann 1993).

Extracurricular activities are typically organized as "project groups" (Arbeitsgemeinschaften) or AG for short. Common AGs offered at most schools are choir, band, theater, photography, newspaper production, basketball, and soccer. However, depending on student and teacher interest, a school might also sponsor political or cultural AGs. For example, an eighth-grade Gymnasium student said that he belongs to a Germany-Romania Cultural Exchange AG, a group set up to foster cultural awareness and academic exchange between the two countries. The creation of this AG was based on student initiative. According to a survey by Baumert and Leschinsky, the average school offers between 3 and 4 AGs, although a good 15 percent of schools do not offer any. The extent of extracurricular offerings also varies according to school type and size. Gymnasien, on average, offer 7 AGs, followed by Gesamtschule with 5.5, Realschulen with 5, Hauptschulen with 4, and Grundschulen with 3. In general, the larger the school, the more AGs offered (Baumert & Leschinsky 1985, p. 18).

Several teachers mentioned the value of extracurricular activities in promoting teamwork and social education. For example, a Gesamtschule teacher said that schools need to organize more outdoor excursions, such as sailing or hiking, during which the students can learn social skills needed outside of class. He believes that this kind of "outdoor education" can help teach students to respect each other and to work together as a team.

Gymnasium teachers offered the only notable exceptions to the general enthusiasm for extracurricular activities. Several of these teachers lamented what they viewed as declining academic standards at the Gymnasium, and, in the case of one teacher, explicitly placed the blame for this decline on the prevalence of extracurricular activities:

If I were the principal at a Gymnasium, I would try to introduce more concentration on the academic subjects—math, science, German, foreign languages and pay less attention to extracurricular activities like student exchange programs. I find that these programs detract from the main purpose of the Gymnasium. When many activities occur at the same time, they take kids out of the classroom and therefore hinder learning. . . . we need less activities to keep the kids 'entertained,' at least at the Gymnasium. Of course, those other activities are fine, but they shouldn't occur at the Gymnasium. The Gymnasium shouldn't become a Gesamtschule.

Homework. In addition to time spent in classes and during extracurricular activities, students spend a significant amount of time on homework assignments and studying for tests. Many students said they spent between 1 and 2 hours on homework per day during the school week. As an average figure, this confirms the results of a 1992 survey, in which German adolescents reported studying outside of school an average of 7 hours a week (Fischer 1992). However, there was a large variation in the responses of students at different types of secondary schools. Gymnasium students in the upper grades spend the most time on homework and studying for tests outside of school, typically between 2 and 3 hours per day. Also, it is common for Gymnasium students to study for several hours on Saturdays. While Gymnasium students frequently said they felt burdened by the amount of time they needed to complete homework and prepare for tests, teachers at the Gymnasium, in contrast, shared the opinion that students do not do enough work at home.

During the 6 months before the Abitur, Gymnasium students in the 13th grade (12th grade in some states) are especially busy preparing for the upcoming exams. One student said that teachers sometimes offer students in their advanced courses additional opportunities for study and review outside of school. Teachers may host weekend excursions where they conduct intensive review sessions in preparation for the Abitur examination. However, this is not necessarily the case at all Gymnasien. Most Gymnasium students said they prepared for the Abitur exams on their own or with the help of a few friends. The mother of a Gymnasium student in the 13th grade said that her daughter hardly has any free time. Rather, she must concentrate on preparing for the Abitur and on doing well in her courses. Since the beginning of the school year, her daughter has spent all day Saturday in her room preparing for the Abitur. Most Gymnasium students in the 13th grade said that they plan to begin intensive preparation for the Abitur in January of the 13th grade, about 6 months before they take the examination.

Parents of Gymnasium students were often impressed by the extent to which homework occupies their children's time. One father admitted that Gymnasium students in the 1990's do a lot more homework than he did as a student in the 1960's. However, parents sometimes misinterpret the time their children spend alone in their room as time spent doing homework. A 12th-grade Gymnasium student sheepishly admitted that he did "almost no homework." While his parents think he is doing homework, he said he is in his room "playing with the computer."

Students at the Haupt/Realschule and Gesamtschule have considerably less homework than do Gymnasium students. Students said that their daily homework assignments ranged from "none at all" to "an hour at most." Most teachers confirmed these responses and complained that their students do not do enough homework. According to one combined Haupt/Realschule teacher, students only spend an average of 15 minutes a day on homework.

Not all teachers believe that students should do more homework. Teachers and administrators at a Gesamtschule said that they deliberately assign very little homework. Their opinion was that since their school is an "all-day" school, ample time exists during the school day to complete practice exercises. The most students might have to do at home is to finish a few math problems if they require more time than other students. The argument was even made by one teacher that assigning extensive homework is unfair, because some students have the benefit of help from parents or siblings while others do not.

In fact, in some states the maximum amount of homework that can be assigned is stipulated by law for students in 1st through 10th grades. For students in the upper grades, however, there is often no legally specified maximum. For example, in Central City, teachers said that the maximum amount of time allowed to complete all assigned homework ranges from a half-hour per day for Grundschule students up to 2 hours for 10th-grade students. In reality, however, teachers, students and parents emphasized that the amount of time most students spend on homework is far less than the legal maximum. A Gymnasium teacher said that her seventh-graders were surprised and resistant when she told them that she planned to assign between 1 and 2 hours homework each day. Most of the students were used to doing less than a half-hour of homework. However, many students, especially in the upper level (Oberstufe) at Gymnasium, do have free periods during the school day when they can partially complete their homework assignments. One student said that he finishes assignments, which teachers think will take 2 hours to complete, in 45 minutes during a free period. "So far," he added, "my grades haven't suffered because of it."

Out-of-school instruction. Although teachers claim that private preparatory courses for the Abitur and other formal examinations are gaining in popularity, student attendance of academic classes outside of school is still uncommon. No student interviewed said he or she was enrolled in such a course. The statement heard most frequently was that extra preparatory courses are not necessary as long as a student works diligently on his or her own towards exam preparation. However, peer-tutoring groups do exist at most schools, as do professional organizations staffed by paid tutors, which offer their services to students for a fee.

While examination prep courses are uncommon, courses in German as a second language are a common form of out-of-school instruction for foreign students. Although schools with a high percentage of foreign students may offer supplemental German instruction in school, many local organizations, such as the chamber of commerce, offer additional language courses for people of all ages. A teacher in a Haupt/Realschule with a high percentage of foreign students said that many of her students regularly attend these courses.

Students of different ethnic backgrounds may also be enrolled in after-school courses in religion, culture and language. For example, many Muslim students attend "Koran school" in the afternoon, where Islamic religion and Arabic language are taught. Very often, in neighborhoods with a high percentage of foreign families, these courses are taught in the same schools the children attend during the day.

Additionally, several students said that they are enrolled in private ballroom dance courses or are taking private music lessons. The percentage of students who said they are taking such classes is considerably higher (15–20 percent) than the national average of around 4 percent of adolescents aged 10–19 who are enrolled in nonacademic classes, such as music or ballroom dancing at a given time (Statistisches Bundesamt 1993). It is common for German adolescents to take a ballroom dance course of several months in duration. In fact, many families consider this instruction to be a necessary part of a young person's "cultural" education.

Leisure

Next to school and school-related work, leisure activities account for a major portion of adolescent use of time. Discothèques, cafés and bars are important components of youth culture in Germany. These are the contexts where young people come together, meet their boyfriends and girlfriends, socialize with friends, and listen to the latest music. School is not the primary focal point of adolescent social life. Teachers mentioned that the sense of "being at home" in school is missing in German schools.

Peers and friends. When asked what they did in their leisure time, adolescents usually said that they "hung out" with their friends. When I probed further, they said that "hanging out" usually meant going to the discothèque, bar or café, shopping, or playing sports. As might be expected, students in the 12th grade more often go to a bar or discothèque with their friends, whereas 8th-grade students often play sports with their friends. The legal drinking age in Germany is 16 (driving age is 18), and therefore bars often cater to a young crowd. Since it is unlikely that the bartender will check the age of adolescents coming to the bar, youths as young as 14 or 15 also reported going to a bar or discothèque with their friends. A teacher at a Haupt/Realschule said he has an 11-year-old student who regularly goes to a local discothèque.

Several teachers and parents complained that young people seemed to have a lack of interest in creative or athletic endeavors, such as playing a musical instrument or riding a bicycle, preferring instead to hang out on the street corner or wander aimlessly through the city. For example, one Haupt/Realschule teacher said that many of his students would rather stand on their street corner instead of riding bicycles in the countryside. "They want to be where the action is." Parents said they thought the city or state should sponsor more youth clubs to keep young people busy. In contrast, teachers believe that adolescents are simply not interested in the youth clubs that do exist. One Gymnasium teacher said that she often sees students hanging out in front of the neighborhood youth club for hours, doing nothing in particular.

In some cases, the school is used as a meeting place for young people who are not allowed to bring their friends home. This was the case at a Haupt/Realschule in Central City, which is open until 6:00 p.m. every day, although class ends at 1:00 p.m. for most students. Observation of the school lobby at 5:30 p.m. on a Friday afternoon confirmed teachers' assertions that the school is used by students as a meeting place–several girls were sitting at a table chatting and three boys were kicking a soccer ball around in the lobby. Outside, many more students were yelling and playing. At 6:00 p.m., the school custodian rounded up the students who were still in the building and sent them on their way home so that he could lock the doors. The custodian said there are almost always students at school when he closes at 6:00 p.m.

Teachers stressed that many students are not allowed to bring friends home with them. This is especially likely to be the case for foreign students, who may live in crowded apartments with little room for guests. One teacher said that Turkish girls were especially likely to stay in the school in the afternoon rather than going home right away, because school is "the only place where they can meet boys." In contrast to this Haupt/Realschule, however, schools in other cities did not appear to serve as an after-school meeting place and playground for students.

Many adolescents said they belonged to a "clique." However, in many cases it was unclear what students meant by clique. Definitions varied from a large group with a common ethnic identity, such as Portuguese or Moroccan students, to a small group of three or four friends who go to pubs or play basketball together. Membership in a clique is an important aspect of adolescent social life and time use, especially in western Germany, where 68 percent of youths surveyed in a 1993 study claimed to belong to a clique. In eastern Germany, in contrast, only 31 percent of youths claimed clique membership (Bundesministerium für Frauen und Jugend 1993).

As an example of a small "clique," an eighth-grade Gymnasium student said he belonged to what he called the "Dortmund Fans" clique. He and a few friends are fans of the Dortmund soccer team and travel together to matches, wear Dortmund scarves, and generally identify themselves with the team. This provides the group with a special identity, especially in the area where they live. As this student said, "Everyone is a fan [of the Central City team], but we are a small clique, the Dortmund fans. It's cool to be different."

However, not all cliques are as harmless as the Dortmund fans. Several teachers mentioned that there are cliques, which are more like gangs in that they are known for vandalism and robbery. A Haupt/Realschule teacher said with sarcasm that very often what is called a "multicultural" society is in reality a "multicriminal" society. A second teacher from the same school said that a group of students from her school is known to shoplift at a local department store. However, she preferred to call these groups "loose bands" rather than cliques.

Romantic relationships. The large majority of adolescents were quick to stress that they have a boyfriend or girlfriend with whom they share some of their leisure time. However, upon further questioning, it often became evident that the boyfriend or girlfriend was really part of a group of friends who all went out together. This was especially true for eighth-graders, which were unlikely to have an exclusive or particularly close romantic relationship. "Boyfriend" or "girlfriend" is probably the wrong expression in this case. The German language is ambiguous in this regard, since there is no distinct word for "boyfriend" or "girlfriend." Rather, a girl will use the same word Freund to denote a male friend or her boyfriend. She might, however, say "my" friend to refer to her boyfriend and say a friend to refer to any male friend.

Twelfth-grade students were more likely to have a steady partner than were 8th-grade students. Students with a steady partner often spend much or even all of their leisure time with their partner. In general, adolescents take part in the same leisure activities with their boyfriend or girlfriend as they do with their other friends, such as going to a bar or discothèque. In contrast to students who have a steady partner, students who are without a partner do not often go out on "dates." Rather, they are more likely to go out with a group of friends, which may also include potential boyfriends or girlfriends.

Several Gymnasium students who were over 18 years old said that they stayed at their boyfriend or girlfriend's apartment on the weekend. No student at the Haupt/Realschule or Gesamtschule said that he or she spent the weekend at a partner's apartment. In some cases, however, students' preciousness regarding boyfriends and girlfriends was notable. For example, an 8th-grade Gymnasium student somberly told me that "the biggest problem for a 13-year-old" was "love." He went on to say that he has already had four different girlfriends, but "none of them worked out." Currently, he is "happy to be single again."

Sports and other clubs. Sports are the most common type of organized activity in which adolescents take part. Most students said they belonged to a neighborhood or community-sponsored sport club (Verein). The large majority of students at all types of secondary schools play at least one sport, the most common being soccer for boys and volleyball for girls. Club membership is important, because it is often difficult to find space to play a sport without belonging to a club. German schools often lack extensive grounds and sport fields; therefore, in order for a group of German teens to play soccer, most likely they must first join a soccer club.

Discussions with students supported the results of previous studies. In a 1992 survey, between 70 to 80 percent of German adolescents said they participate in sports regularly. Girls were slightly less likely to participate in sports than were boys. In 1992, 75 percent of surveyed boys under age 15 were members of the German national sport league (Deutscher Sportbund), which is the national parent organization for local organizations, which sponsor particular sports. In comparison, 62 percent of girls under 15 years old, 49 percent of boys between 15 and 19, and 32 percent of girls between 15 and 19 were members of the national sport league in 1992 (Fischer 1992).

Music, videos, and computers. "Techno music" is the music style currently in vogue with German youth. Techno music is fast, loud, and electric. It lends itself easily to free-style dancing popular at discothèques. Boys were more likely than girls to identify themselves as "techno fans." Several students also mentioned that going to "techno" discothèques is often combined with use of the drug "Ecstasy." However, there is a growing movement by various youth groups to remove the association between techno music and drug use. A recent gathering of 60,000 techno fans in Munich demonstrated with the motto "yes to techno, no to drugs" (Techno ja–Drogen nein). ("Sechzigtausend Techno-Fans mit lauter Musik gegen Drogen" 1995).

While the large majority of adolescents said that they listened to techno music, other kinds of music are also popular. Several students said they preferred jazz, especially when they want to relax. One girl of Turkish heritage said she listens to Turkish pop music because she understands the meaning of Turkish songs better than English or German songs. Most adolescents listen to British or American pop music. Favorite bands in Germany are often the same as those in the United States, a fact which was reflected in the fashion worn by many of the students, (e.g., T-shirts from groups such as U2, Nirvana, R.E.M., Metallica, Ice T, and Bon Jovi).

In addition to music, teenagers spend a considerable amount of time watching television or videos. The music channel, MTV, is available through cable, as is its European counterpart, VIVA. These two music channels are the favorite television programs watched by eighth-grade students. Many older students at the Gymnasium said that they did not watch much television, preferring instead to go to the cinema with friends. Rental videos are also common, and many students said they watched several videos each week.

Lastly, several students said they spend much of their free time "playing" with their computer. Most of the adolescents who use a computer during their free time were male students at the Gymnasium or vocational school. Teachers also noted that many students often spend enormous amounts of time in front of their home computers. In some cases, parents buy their child a computer thinking that it will help the student study and learn. However, instead of using the computer as a study aid, several teachers said that students more often use their computer to play video games.

Employment

Only a small percentage of students said working occupied much of their time while attending school. The older a student is, however, the more likely it is that he or she might be working. Rather than working while school is in session, it is more common for secondary school students to work either part time or full time during school vacations. In general, working while attending school is not encouraged by parents and teachers. The mother of an eighth-grade Gymnasium student was somewhat surprised by the question of whether her daughter had a part-time job. Her response made it clear that she believes her daughter's role as a teenager is "to be a student, to do her homework, and to socialize with her friends." This sentiment was echoed by parents of students at other school types, as well. Teachers also spoke disparagingly about their students taking part-time jobs:

I think it is a mistake for kids to take a part-time job during the school year. It's OK to work during vacations, but I think that they should concentrate on school during the week. Families should provide their kids with pocket money, so they don't have to work. Of course, we have kids from all social classes in this school, so this isn't always possible. (Gymnasium teacher)

Although most teachers shared this opinion, some were more supportive of students working. In fact, a second teacher from the same Gymnasium said that he thinks it is instructional for students to work during school vacations in order to get a taste of the "real world." He stressed the benefit of the worldly experience that students gain by taking hourly jobs in factories during school vacations: "Factory jobs teach students better than anything else the importance of getting a good education."

The discussions generally confirmed previously reported statistics on adolescent employment. In a 1992 survey, 19 percent of adolescents polled said they had a part-time job during the school term. Those who did have a job said they worked an average of 9.5 hours per week (Fischer 1992). The discussions also served to illustrate the patterns of work among students. Several students said they worked part time during the school term. However, in most of these cases the student was employed at a family enterprise of one kind or another. For example, an 18-year-old Gymnasium student said he works up to 10 hours during the school week in his father's grocery business. Similarly, other students work in family-run bakeries, hotels, cafés, or retail stores. In addition, many students in the upper grades work during school vacations, where again the most likely place of employment is a firm where a parent is employed.

Students at the vocational school are employed part time, as a rule, since apprenticeship employment is an integral part of their vocational school experience. This pattern of vocational training through simultaneous work and study is known as the "dual system" in Germany. Adolescents participating in the dual system work part time as apprentices and attend vocational school during the remaining time.

In contrast to students at the vocational school, students at the vocational Gymnasium do not work as apprentices. However, teachers at the vocational Gymnasium stressed that their students are "vocationally oriented" and therefore "realize the value of practical education." One teacher said that although his students may spend between 50 and 60 hours a week on school-related activities, many still choose to take on part-time jobs to gain real-world experience. In particular, students in areas such as computer technology, electronics, or applied math may succeed in finding high-paying, part-time positions with companies, which are eager to "snatch up the latest ideas." A vocational Gymnasium teacher said proudly that he has had several students who successfully founded their own computer software business while attending school. He considers this kind of experience to be the essence of a solid vocational education and therefore encourages students at the vocational Gymnasium to find meaningful part-time employment while they are in school.

Family

Students spend varying amounts of time with their families. Girls often said they have a "close relationship" with their mother, routinely sharing what is happening in school and in their personal lives. Boys were less likely to say that they tell their parent(s) about personal issues; however, they are as likely as girls to keep their parents up to date on their school progress and performance. Common family activities are going shopping, talking, and eating together. The mother of a 14-year-old daughter in the eighth grade at a Gesamtschule stressed that the family meal is a forum where concerns can be discussed and problems are often solved. She said that the expression "quality time" makes no sense to her—she believes that any family time can be quality time, it is only important to listen and observe one's children. "Communication is the key to a healthy family," she said.

However, after talking to students, it became clear that in many cases precisely this type of communication is missing in family homes, especially between boys and their parents. Boys very often said that when they were at home, they "hung out" in their room, listened to music or played with their computer, without spending much time interacting with their parents. During interviews with parents and students from the same family on separate occasions, I noticed that parents often do not have a clear understanding of how their child spends his or her time.

Teachers stressed that poor communication comes from both sides: sometimes adolescents do not share their experiences and concerns with their parents; in other cases, parents do not take the time to listen to those concerns or to be interested in their child's experiences. Several teachers asserted emphatically that one of the most serious problems facing adolescents is that their parents are too busy with their own careers and personal lives to invest sufficient time and emotional energy in their children. A Gymnasium teacher said that "many parents are trying hard to maintain their level of material success at the cost of neglecting their children. Children are growing up on their own." Most parents often shared this opinion:

Parents think their own free time is more important than spending time with their children. They think that their responsibility ends with providing a home and food for their children. Many parents must work 50–60 hours a week and simply do not have the time or energy to raise their children. (mother of Gesamtschule student)

Adolescents generally did not mention having to do a significant amount of work around the house. The typical list of chores performed by students includes straightening up their room, taking out the trash, and perhaps, especially for girls, helping their mother in the kitchen. A female Gymnasium student in the eighth grade said she does not have a fixed list of chores, but that she sometimes helps her mother with grocery shopping or cooking when she has time. Boys said they have few chores at home. Very few students said that they had a fixed list of chores, such as babysitting for a younger sibling, cleaning, or cooking.

Foreign students. An additional point should be noted regarding families with different ethnic backgrounds. Many of these families have different cultural values concerning the role of the family and the family home. Teachers emphasized that, in many cases, foreign students are not allowed to bring friends home. Family space and time is reserved for the family, and the role of the family in adolescent development may be even greater than otherwise. Many of the foreign students interviewed said they spent their free time with siblings or other relatives. Quite possibly, some students of different ethnic backgrounds feel more comfortable as part of a larger, extended family, which forms a social support network. In some neighborhoods, families of "guest workers" from Turkey, Italy, and Greece as well as immigrant and refugee families from Eastern Europe and the former Yugoslavia form the major part of the community.

[Chapter 4 (Part 1 of 5)]

[Chapter 4 (Part 3 of 5)]