Polytechnic Secondary School

The polytechnical school (abbreviation POS, POS spoken ) was the general form of school in the school system of the GDR and included ten classes. It was created in 1959 to reform the eight-year primary schools and ten -year secondary schools. Conceptually, there was a uniform ten-year community school without internal or external differentiation during regular classes, so that the whole class, with the exception of high school graduates for Advanced High School (EOS), remained stable over all years of schooling.

• 5.1 Time-table for the ten-year general polytechnical school in 1959
• 5.2 Time-table for the ten-year general polytechnical school in 1971
• 5.3 Optional lessons

Enrollment and completion

Starting school joined to the kindergarten. For children who had not been in kindergarten, was the visit of a usually one-year preschool duty. For pre-school education, the legislature kindergartens and other facilities provided for, organized locally.

The enrollment in the POS was six or seven years. Who was up to and including 31 May of year six, was enrolled in the same year, the later born the following year. Not yet mature school children could be deferred one year. At the request of parents to follow a training in the same year was possible for up to 31 August babies.

The completion of the 10th grade of a POS authorized for admission to vocational training for skilled workers in a factory and professional education.

The term " polytechnical school " and their characteristics

Officially called the POS since its introduction in the law on the socialist development of the school system in 1959 ten-year general polytechnical school, shortened polytechnical school. The attribution was polytechnisch lowercased. The Ministry of Education designated the POS in the official documents, however, frequently ambiguous than high school. With the law on the unitary socialist education system in 1965 changed the ministerial use of Scripture from Polytechnic High School in Polytechnic High School.

The complex term " ten-year general polytechnical school " already contained parts of the new features of the school in the name.

• The attribution zehnklassig describes the school as an integral type of school without structure and institutional separation and selection, which included the classes 1 to 10, and thus represented a fully equipped school without multi-stage classes.
• The attribution of general education describes the orientation of the school. The goal was a modern, all-round education that did not allow for contempt of certain groups of subjects. Also, a tendency differentiated specialization, leading to narrowing of education, for example, in a course system was rejected.
• The attribution polytechnisch describes the idea of ​​ubiquitous polytechnic education and the consequent connection of spiritual and creative thinking and practical, productive work and socially - useful activity as a fundamental characteristic of the school.
• The prominent in the German educational tradition definition of high school presented the most complicated part of the naming represents a secondary school was an institution of higher learning. A higher school taught higher education and was strictly separated from the elementary school and primary education. In a narrow sense therefore applied only high schools, junior high schools, and since the end of 19th century upper secondary schools as a higher educational institution, which also still graduating with a high school diploma. High schools in this sense as well as the divided school system was accused of leading to a high selectivity and the associated high injustice and to give no or very difficult access to the lower classes and the poorer backgrounds.

To construct the comprehensive school in the form of a high school, meant an end to the institutional separation of primary and secondary education, and extended a variety of teaching content of the high school in grades 1 through 4. Because in addition to the polytechnic high school existed not in primary school and no longer a middle school, all children received in this way uniform access to ground -formal education, which is an up to now unique change in the school system on German soil. The POS was built as a secondary school, more than Real Progymnasium ( secondary school without upper secondary school ).

History

The establishment of the polytechnic secondary school as a form of school falls in the final phase of construction of the socialist school ( 1949-1962 ). It replaced the by then in the Soviet occupation zone and the GDR existing as a unit school eight years of primary school.

Pedagogical basis for the POS was the concept of polytechnical instruction in which should combine theoretical and practical pervasive remodeling Tun ideally in all subjects. Involved in the design educators the GDR formulated this as a goal that the students ' love of work "should be sold and that they would build on cross-curricular experiences that would have accumulated during the school day in the production of the students. In preparation for the establishment of the POS first create a new timetable was without long lead for the school year 1958/59 introduced the new school subject Introduction to the socialist mode of production in industry and agriculture ( ESP), combined with weekly one days practical training in production contained.

In January 1959, were adopted at a meeting of the Central Committee of the SED, the "Theses on the socialist development of education in the German Democratic Republic ", which once again reaffirmed the transformation of the education system within the meaning of polytechnical instruction and an established programmatic: "It's about, the school transformed into organizational way to a socialist school. [ ... ] Therefore, the proposal is being made to establish a ten-grade general polytechnical high school. " Based on these assumptions, the People's Chamber on December 2, 1959 adopted the Law on the socialist development of education in the German Democratic Republic. With the establishment of the POS, the adoption of a new school regulations went on 12 November 1959 ( which already regulates the close cooperation between schools and enterprises ) associated.

The Act of 1959 also guaranteed in the bilingual parts of the districts of Cottbus and Dresden instruction on the relevant POS also in the Sorbian language.

First, the control system of the POS included only grades one to eight, that meant that the gradually introduced in the 9th and 10th grade did not count for the regular school term. Especially in cities there were these grade levels, though not in every school. It was not until the early 1970s, was extended by a further comprehensive restructuring of the education system of the GDR the regular school term to 10 years, making the classes 9 and 10 were integrated into the POS.

The internal structure of the POS

The POS was divided internally into a number of stages. This stage system experienced several times a change in the different periods of the GDR education policy. Generally, it is not comparable with the grades of the West German school, neither of her approach, even in the names. The stage system was initially an apparition from the past Weimar school tradition without being institutionalized somehow concretely in everyday school life, because even the resolution of the divided school system in 1946 created a uniform eight-year school. Thus, the stage system served as a refinement on the paper and in the curriculum in order to more pragmatic and make management work, the control of the curriculum, the organization of the curriculum and the lessons easily. 1982 disappeared the gradation de facto completely and there existed only one organic steered in all aspects of class 1 to 10 secondary school for all children. In a narrower sense, the stage system clearly demonstrated the progressive educational influences that existed in the polytechnic secondary school because the curriculum and the design of the steps noted the specificity of the aging and the development of the children so that a child-friendly and child facing educational work are safeguarded should.

Lower school

The lower level included

• 1946-1970 Grades 1 to 4,
• End with the introduction of the new curriculum work 1971 Classes 1 to 3

Were taught in addition to German language and literature, History, numeracy or mathematics and the arts subjects drawing and music, as well as the specialist physical education and sport. The polytechnic subjects the lower grades were school garden, plants and needlework. The sewing classes there were dutifully for girls and boys in grades 3 and 4, from the early 1980s but only as an optional lesson. In 1st class, also the subject of practicing penmanship of this writing was given.

Classes were usually covered by teachers for the lower classes ( " level teachers ") after the class teacher and class teacher principle, that is, the subjects German ( with the courses of reading, writing, spelling and grammar, oral and written expression and History ), Mathematics and one of the subjects the school garden, plants, art, music or sports was given by a single teacher who accompanied a classroom in this way from the 1st to the 4th grade. The level teachers, in which the proportion of female teachers than the proportion was much higher male, in the GDR had a strong pedagogical and practical oriented training at the institutes for teacher education ( IfL) and taught in grades 1 to 4 in addition to their educational and psychological well -oriented methodology training in mathematics and German also an equal third specialized training for sports, work, art education, school garden or music. The trained for the trusses level teachers were in contrast to the other subjects the ability to teach this subject up to grade 6. For special accommodations for the various craft, artistic and theoretical work have been established.

Part of physical education, or vacation care was in accordance with local opportunities already in the lower level, typically in the third class, swimming lessons, and also isolated the skating lessons. In order to strengthen the municipal -oriented school net, the 1988 in many 1000 -inhabitant villages maintained a (often single-compartment ) high school and therefore in the public enormous encouragement and support enjoyed, forced the GDR, especially on the land to build a single gymnasium building and a single pool hall type of building (25 m pool ). Planning documents stipulated to allow the medium term (about the end of the 1990s) to build each school have a direct-attached gym and unproblematic means of favorable siting access to swimming pools. Especially in the southern districts of the GDR and in Upper Lusatia this goal was already in the late 1980s as good as achieved so that there extensive sports lessons in gymnastics and swimming was the norm.

Many children attended the lower school after class the hoard, which there was in every school and that was the main form of after-school care for school children in the GDR. The children were partially supervised in the same room where they had classes in the morning, but there were often independent nursery plants outside schools or in separate wings of the school building. The educator who had also graduated from a technical college studies at the institutes for teacher training and educational institutes, and basically constituted teacher for a subject of the lower level, working closely with the class teacher, so could be that the late afternoon addressed deficiencies and material problems of students. This co-operation of teachers and class teachers and educators braked one hand, not the taut science lessons at school unit and offered the other hand enough room to identify remaining students early on and then coordinated and to promote targeted. The measures were carried out in consultation with the parents, who were informed of the established, scheduled promotion. As an indicator GDR were typical of censorship average and the joint behavior of the lower grades students.

In the lower school and the well-organized since the early 1950s, Interest Groups and Associations sat a the afternoon offered a rich and wide range of recreational activities to children. In addition to the wide range of children's sports were mainly working groups of arts orientation, ie art, music, sculpture, and study groups for math - science - technology. Here, found next to the recurring career guidance at school, the authoritative guidance of the girls on mathematical, technical and scientific occupations held by the girls could be brought from a young age continuously with technology and science into contact and promoted it. Similarly, the Hort Hort teachers or educators kept the interests and inclinations of the children in mind, so that the Interest Groups and Associations better tailored to the children or a more favorable design of the pioneer 's camp could be seen in the summer holidays.

Was with the school most closely interwoven membership in the Pioneer organization Ernst Thalmann, in which most pupils most in a trip organized by the school ceremony, during the first class entered as young pioneers, whose external feature then one to be worn for festive occasions blue scarf was. From the fourth class, the second stage of the pioneer one, that of the Thalmann Pioneers whose distinguishable feature in addition to the pioneer clothes, from 1973 was a red bandana began. This scarf was worn up to and including 7th grade. Among the regular programs included not only pioneer afternoons, creating wall newspapers, on various occasions, petitions for politically imprisoned people such as Nelson Mandela and Angela Davis, but also to participate in afternoon Altstoffsammlungen as fundraisers. The Pioniersein of children was organized by adult officials, the friendship pioneer head office managers who were employed in the schools. Thus, the activities of the pioneer organization were closely involved in the school day. The involvement of social organizations such as the pioneer and later the FDJ in school life was enshrined in law.

Intermediate

The Intermediate began formally with the 4th grade. The 4th class should play a bridging role between the lower intermediate and intermediate and prepare the students for the differentiated subjects as well as their first foreign language. But in the schools, they differed in content not from the lower level. The level teachers taught to the 4th grade, so that practically started the middle school until the 5th grade.

With the restructuring of the education system in the later 1970s and the move away from the steps were also related to the center stage as such. The curriculum work definitively established a unified, organic lines of the specialist teaching from class 1 to 10, so that the children should no longer be seen in terms of transitions from stage to stage but running from class to class. However, continue to the peculiarities of the educational process were emphasized in the lower classes and explained separately in the curriculum work. Meanwhile, there was a gradual equality of teachers for the lower classes with the teachers diploma, as the specialist education was expanded to level teachers to five years.

From the 5th began the subject teacher principle; the curriculum saw lessons in German language and literature, mathematics, biology and geography, plants, history, art, music and sport before, from the 6th class also physics. In 1951, Russian was for all students the first foreign language, before the students from English, French and Russian were able to choose as a foreign language. Works was taken over as a subject up to grade 6 from the lower level and usually taught by trained primary level teachers. The German local history lessons began increasing integration of disciplines and still contained the training grammar and spelling, oral and written expression, as well as literature.

Advanced level

The upper level included in the usage of the GDR, the classes according to the lower level and prior to the high school level. The advent of the Intermediate in 1971 softened on this, but with the times but reform of the curriculum work 1982/90 accounted for the name along with the others. In the upper level science education was fully equipped; in 7th grade chemistry was added as a fourth science. The popular astronomy lessons completed in the 10th grade after hours.

The polytechnic education also reached its highest development. Works fell away; next TZ ( Technical Drawing ) were ESP (Introduction to the socialist production: construction, mechanics, engineering, electronics, microelectronics ) issued and UTP ( of class in production). UTP was called from 1971 PA ( Productive Work ). The curriculum work from 1959 differed extensively in rural and urban schools, so that two different orientations exist: industrial - heavy industrial and agricultural technology. The PA lessons varied thus depending on local conditions. While the students were technically trained in urban areas in industrial plants, trained in industrial mass production, machine technology and automation technology and in the upper classes of the high school also had stakes in the real production, students could work in rural areas in agricultural production or agricultural chemistry. Learning to driving a tractor or Mähdrescherfahren, in the LPG and MTS was also possible, so that the PA could also include mechanized activities of the field work. In the late 1980s, education was added in computing and information technology / computer science, where basic knowledge of microcomputer technology and were taught in the BASIC programming. The integration of information technologies was done in comparison with the Federal Republic defensively. The optional classes in computer science should be converted into an obligatory, regular classes in the early 1990s. On the EOS this happened as early as the school 1989 / 90th

Also could another foreign language optionally be occupied. For the change to the EOS this was necessary so that students who wanted to take chances on admission to the EOS did the calculation and a high school, these optional classes visited in any case. Other students could choose a second foreign language; However, students were completely denied with big problems in German or Russian or impedes the participation in the rule. The offer for the second foreign language was popular and well frequented.

Most schools offered as a second language to English, and some French or Spanish very rare. A plurality of second parallel languages ​​were rarely offered. This is justified on the one hand with a lack of French teachers, on the other, so that the English courses were much more popular. However, since about 15 % of high school graduates should possess basic knowledge of French, so no English was often taught in the so-called French schools. Students who wanted to take a high school later, so had to learn French as a second language or change schools. To get the whole class, was the second foreign language in a marginal hour - afternoon or even in a so-called zero- hour, that is before the actual teaching - taught.

From the 9th grade has been since 1978 a mandatory but ungraded professional military instruction - mostly as a block course - taught. This included a pre-military training in the form of lessons on the basics of the "socialist national defense ," which was partly held by NVA officers. The lessons included at the end of 9th grade, a two-week military camp for boys and a course in civil defense (including training in first aid ) for the girls and those boys who did not go into the military camp. This was in the early years the majority of the boys, as it was not enough seats in the military camp. Towards the end of the communist era took almost all the boys participate in the military camp. These were mostly carried out at the facilities and equipment of the Society for Sport and Technology. The structure in the military camps was very similar to that of a military unit. As group leaders were mainly students, who wanted to seize the officer or non-commissioned officer professional, and mostly used as a platoon leader cadets of the NVA.

In the 8th grade was for the majority of young people, the change from the Thalmann pioneers for single state youth organization Free German Youth ( FDJ), as well as the state-organized youth initiation at age 14. For religious young people the only way out, boy or municipality for initiation was called the respective religious institution.

The upper classes of the high school offered the students beyond since the late 1970s differentiating electives, which should provide the aptitudes and interests of pupils larger space.

Education, number of hours

School hours for the ten-year general polytechnical school in 1959

Instructed in

How the curriculum can be taken, were granted significantly higher weekly hours circumferences compared to the contemporary and the present school system of the Federal Republic of Germany. The Saturday as a regular school day made ​​it that even take place in the higher classes barely long afternoon classes needed and were able to benefit the high school students on the afternoon working groups and interest- zirkeln.

The German language was intensively taught in the lower grades, which allowed it to conclude that verbal training in spelling and grammar before the 10th class. This secured space for a wide repertoire of literature and created due to the lower number of weekly hours space for other subjects. In addition, the mathematics played a central role. Furthermore pierce the particularly high number of hours for the natural sciences, especially physics and chemistry, forth. Walter Ulbricht commented several times on the important role of chemistry teaching, because the chemical industry was a leading industry of the GDR and chemical engineering related to the " scientific-technical revolution " was considered essential. Geography was one of the natural sciences, since the contents of physical geography outweighed the economic and political geography. The Polytechnic as a core element of the high school was part of the curriculum of the 1st to the 10th grade and was promoted from the 7th grade next to the math the most important subject.

It is also seen that, unlike the case today, almost all the states that once introduced subjects were basically taught consistently and have not been exposed to school yearly basis.

The proportions of the subject teaching show an overall balance of the humanities and the mathematical and natural sciences and technical subjects (MNT subjects). However, the lessons were in these subject groups are not evenly distributed, but in the lower school outweighed the German lessons while in high school, the MNT subjects were the focus. The focus of the " high-school education for all children " was made ​​after a thorough and comprehensive mastery of the German language binding on mathematics, science and technology. This is effective since 1958 line of indented West German school system diametrically opposed.

School hours for the ten-year general polytechnical school in 1971

This timetable remained until 1989. It was only modified to the extent that the optional inserting at the beginning of the 80's courses by the framework program in the 9th and 10th grade of high school and was originally intended to be a permanent reserve additional hour lesson in the subject German for 8th and 9th grade integrated.

Optional lessons

The optional course lessons were designed in the late 1960s as a way of differentiation and could be perceived by high school students in grades 9 and 10. For this purpose a large number of working groups on general binding framework programs (AGR ) was first created, which should complement the compulsory teaching as widening or deepening courses. As usual, in the unity school of the GDR, these additional courses were geared didactic methodology extensively with related required courses the curriculum. The optional lessons should serve gerechtzuwerden the different interests and inclinations of the older high school students. At the same time, greater emphasis should be placed on independent learning and scientific substance misuse, which should enable the students to become familiar with the basic identifying and solving challenging problems.

Some examples which social programs among other working groups in the school practice were available:

• About the atomic structure of matter, soil fertility, microbiology, agro chemistry, water chemistry, chemistry of oil, chemistry of metals, Angewandte Chemie, astronautics, astronomy, chemical technology, metallurgy, engineering, construction, repair, Electronic data processing, electronics, Automatic machinery technology, and animal feed production,

• Fine arts, performing arts, music, literature, architecture, Socialist architecture in the GDR, environmental design, Selected Areas in the history of the German labor movement, basic questions of Marxist- Leninist philosophy

In the early 1980s, the working groups were strictly systematized and reduced under the new name as optional courses according to the framework program to a manageable size of twenty-two courses:

• Mathematics
• Computer science
• Electronics
• Technical applications of physics
• Astronomy and Space
• Chemistry of the water
• Microbiology
• Information processing and process automation
• Automotive Technology
• Handsome home territory
• Socialist country culture
• Introduction to basic questions of Marxist- Leninist philosophy
• Selected problems of international contemporary policy
• Selected areas of the history of German and international workers' movement
• On the origin and development of the world socialist system
• Research - Development - Design
• Cooking - serving
• Sewing - Machine Knitting
• Literature
• Music
• Art Education
• Russian conversation

Graduation

The word degree was from 1959 in the unity school of the GDR synonymous with the successful completion of the 10th class of the polytechnical school. In a week the students took off a central audit. This consisted of four uniform throughout the GDR written tests:

• German Language and Literature
• Mathematics
• Science
• Foreign language ( Russian)

The organization of the examination period changed several times. In the 60s, the examination papers in German, mathematics and natural science on three consecutive days had to be met from Monday to Wednesday. The Russian audit was conducted a week later. The science was to be determined by the student free from one of the subjects of physics, chemistry and biology. Later, only a reduced freedom of choice has been granted: For each audit, the Ministry of Education was in front of two of the three science subjects for a special rotation. For example, physics - chemistry, the following year, chemical biology, the following year biology physics and so on. This pattern was abandoned only in the 1980s. In the report mark censorship and censorship of the written examination were included at 50% each. Ambiguous benefits such as 1.5 have been rounded, the test usually tipped the scales.

If the written examination of the censorship differed significantly, no oral verification was performed. An unexpectedly good performance in a relatively poor student interpreted the GDR school in favor of the student as a desirable success, which required a good exam preparation and a good challenge to the test and not relativized with checks or should be destroyed. Conversely, an unexpectedly bad test result of a good student is not also corrected with an investigation. It was argued that failures are inevitable in life that a person has bad days and that some may be not always corrected by second chances.

In addition, each student had to complete the physical test.

A few weeks after the written tests were performed the oral examinations. Obligatory each student had to complete two oral examinations, maximum, could be held five oral exams. How many subjects and what subjects were tested was determined individually by the teachers' conference for each student. The student in this case had no influence on the decisions and no say or right of appeal. In general, a student was tested in subjects in which the censorship did not allow a clear evaluation. Outstanding students who have been proposed due to their specialized services for the awarding of the Medal Lessing had to be necessarily tested orally in five subjects.

In the report mark censorship and censorship of the oral examination were included at 50% each. Ambiguous benefits such as 1.5 have been rounded, the test result was the decisive factor in de rule. If a student tested orally and in writing in a subject, the individual performances usually were received with 33% each, that is 33 % pre-censorship, 33 % written exam, 33 % oral exams.

The censorship of a subject was not communicated to students in advance of the written and oral examinations.

Oral examinations in other subjects could apply for a student if he thereby hoped for raising the overall score. This was also possible in the already tested subjects in writing, to compensate, for example, a failed written test through better oral examination. However, the approval of such correction trials was not the rule, and could be denied, especially if a student had to show very poor results in several subjects or more than one test.

The diploma contains not only the individual marks in the subjects of a total predicate ( with distinction; Very good, Good, Satisfactory; Enough; Terrible ), which resulted from the grade point average. The completion of the 10th grade (POS ) entitled to receive a qualified vocational training for skilled workers and a study at a specialized school ( nurse level teachers and nurseries or kindergarten teachers were from the 1970s technical college training ).

A final certificate of POS is today recognized as equivalent in general than the high-school diploma, a graduation certificate of the 9th class of the POS is equivalent to a secondary school, as a leaving certificate from 8th grade in conjunction with a subsequent skilled worker certificate.

In general, the level of education at the POS, especially in mathematics and science and technical fields was higher than that of a modern junior high school, while some resembled today's standard in the language subjects, the difference lies in the fact that six years of Russian as a first foreign language was taught and English only four years could be learned, the participation was it voluntary.

Students who wanted to take a high school, changed after the 10th class to the advanced high school (EOS). Until 1981 there was a rule except after 10th grade to start after the eighth with a high school career. The baccalaureate students and students of a school were summarized in a so-called preparatory class (V class) and occupied the 9th grade vintage still at their previous POS. As long as the change to the EOS was made after the 8th grade, the remaining students were split on new classes because the class divider has not been seen in some schools.

Alternatively, it was in the GDR with vocational training diploma. Students who wanted to study a technical field of study at a technical school or engineering school, often chose this path. In addition to a high school had after three years of apprenticeship, a more or less intensive training in the chosen profession. The professional practice was doing only slightly less importance attributed than in a 'normal' teaching, as students were studying in the same field, usually after apprenticeship.

Students who chose this education had, indeed, with their experience in the practical work a significant advantage over the EOS students who Abitur subjects Biology or Chemistry for certain scientific courses of study, however, had to take at community colleges.

Students who were interested in studying in the ( socialist ) countries, visited the ABF II in Halle.

Student enrollment vintages 1954-1958 laid next to the High School 1966-1970 after a contemporaneous training the technical examinations.

Specialization

In addition to the "normal" schools, there were several so-called special schools of different directions. This was mainly the Russian schools, the children and youth sports schools, special schools mathematics and scientific and technical direction and the special schools for music. On these students were able to come, which did particularly well in the relevant field; this had to be detected, some schools in an entrance examination. A place in a special school was therefore sought after, as they were personally and financially very well equipped and was the transition to such a school often before the 9th grade. After 1984, the extended secondary school began with 11 students, won some special schools continue to appeal, because at the beginning of this did not change with the 9th grade. At the special schools were taught in special subjects more intensively and with an increased number of hours.

The Russian schools (or so-called multi-tiered schools to R- classes) could be visited from the 3rd class. These led by advanced intensive language teaching without draining of the other requirements for polytechnic secondary schools. There was no playful approach guiding the children as currently in primary schools, but without delay put an extensive grammar and Orthoepieunterricht which began with the 5th grade in normal polytechnic secondary schools. The Russian expert members two teachers per class, so the learning groups were very small. These schools were relatively widespread and could be attended without boarding. Comparatively rare, there were such schools also for the French or the English language. Furthermore, there was in many districts a Math and Science Special School, to the particularly mathematics or physics - gifted or interested students came.

As part of government sports funding came the children's and youth sports schools with boarding facilities is of particular importance to the children depending on the sport could change in different grades. Unlike the other special schools here was a decline - at no more sufficient athletic or academic achievement - at the home school quite normal.

In Berlin, Weimar, Dresden and Halle also there were so-called special schools for music. Students should be prepared directly on to study at a music college. At these schools, students alternated with the 6th grade.

Others

A school day consisted of an average of six lessons that were taught in the morning. Lower grade students had a weekly teaching load of up to 30, middle and high school students from more than 38 school hours. 36 hours a week set the standard burden that applies to all students from class 5 as unequivocally reasonable, but should not exceed the hours boards during compulsory education to make room for upward ( for any increased special education in the case of impasses when changing schools or for further optional activities ). Double periods (90 minutes), there were only in the upper classes for performing closed topics ( experiments ), for writing extensive class work or essays, in the subjects with practical or physical activity or to prepare for the written tests. Afternoon classes with one or two lessons ( 7th and 8th hour) on some days of the week began with the 7th grade. By March 1990, the Saturday normal school with shortened classes were; in the lower grades in two to three and higher not exceeding five hours. Officially, the Saturday was abolished as of classes on 5 March 1990, however, some school leaders did this (usually in consultation with the competent education authorities ) earlier. Beginning the Lesson varied according to school 7:00 to 8:00 clock. However, in exceptional cases, the so-called zero- hour ( for example, beginning 6:40 clock in normal school beginning at 7:30 clock ), he could be even earlier.

In the GDR television school television programs have been regularly broadcast on the following subjects and repeated more often in the morning and early afternoon:

To support there was for language teaching magazine По Свету (Po Swetu ) with articles on Russian, but also in English and French, and for teaching mathematics magazine alpha.

After a long time the slide rule and the board works were used as a calculating aid was from the school year 1984/85 (starting with the 11 classes of EOS ) and from the school year 1987/88 in the 7th to the 10th class of the POS, the school calculator SR- 1 is used, the subsidized 123 Mark of the GDR ( free 800 marks ) could be acquired or ( albeit very rare) was provided by the school. 1987 took place the last final exams of the 10th grade in mathematics, which had to be overcome only with the slide rule and logarithmic tables. In the intermediate vintages, the calculator was introduced centrally from the school year 1987/88 in parallel with slide rule and table work.

Changes in the turn

During the period of political change 1989/1990, and immediately thereafter, a heated discussion about the school system of the GDR. The responsibility for school policy was transferred to the provinces, so the changes were depending on the province differently.

In all countries, the tray came civics in the place of civics, the military instruction was omitted. The subjects TZ, ESP and PA were replaced by the subject technology. The ideological indoctrination and the patronizing attitude with regard to the admission to the EOS was eliminated. The obligation to learn Russian as their first foreign language was downgraded to an offer that but could not prevail against the English as the first foreign language in practice.

Mostly the principle of unity school by the state parliaments freely chosen by the differentiated system was replaced. Even the name " polytechnical school " disappeared from the language.