School class
A school class (in the school context: class ) refers to a defined group of students who attend classes in a school together, or the grade (in Austria: school level ) in which the students are. A year at a school is usually conducted in several parallel classes . Notwithstanding this, it is possible in miniature schools in some states, in school trials and in alternative school systems to teach several grades in one class.
Structure of the class
A school class has a class teacher (in Austria: class board ) who serves as a contact for teachers , students and parents and who accompanies them on class trips as a supervisor. In all-day schools , the primary levels have educators or Hort educators that serve the daily routine after class.
The students in the mainstream schools elect a class representative who represents their interests vis-à-vis the teachers, the school management and the student council .
Often close contacts, friendships and relationships develop among the students over the years. Class reunions are organized decades after they graduate from school .
Formation of classes
Depending on the type of school, the number of pupils in the school class fluctuates, as the teaching and supervision effort is higher for students with learning difficulties, for example . There are usually around 20 to 30 students in a school class.
In schools with a special educational profile, the school classes are put together according to specific areas of focus (math class, sports class, etc.). There is also the education of different branches of the school : mathematical / scientific, economic, linguistic, musical.
Formerly that was separation by gender usual. There were boys 'and girls' classes and boys ' and girls' schools . The principle of co-education largely abolished separation.
As a rule, the students are grouped according to their year of birth, which means that almost all students in the class belong to the same age group. In school trials, this principle is broken by the formation of mixed-age classes. In North Rhine-Westphalia, the mixed-age entry level (first and second grade) has been aimed for since 2005. But there are also models that combine all grades of primary school (first to fourth grade) in one class.
In the past, there was often only one class in very small schools ( dwarf schools , mostly village schools), made up of different age groups. By merging and closing such schools, this form was fought for decades as "obsolete". The main disadvantages of this merging were longer (time-consuming) trips to school and the associated costs for school buses and special school transport , as well as the separation of the children's home and school. The school form dwarf school is still possible in some countries today.
