10.-16.11.2014
From November 10th to 16th, 2014, 28 students met at the wannseeFORUM for a training seminar for student representatives. The participants, aged 11 to 17, were students from the Wilmersdorf Secondary School and the Gutenberg High School in Hohenschönhausen.
The seminar aimed to provide impetus for student representation work at their local schools, to develop new ideas for their own schools, and to explore the topic of democracy in school and everyday life. The students were able to take responsibility for the seminar itself, for example, by moderating plenary sessions or independently preparing and carrying out the evening program.
For an artistic approach to the topic, the students could choose between black-and-white photography, dramatic readings, and theater. In these workshop groups, students from different schools worked together until Friday, preparing the results for a final presentation. Parents, teachers, and principals from the participating schools were invited to this final presentation. presented in the Wannsee Forum's Theatersaal to the attentive eyes of the guests
The theater group performed a roughly ten-minute piece entitled "It Doesn't Matter," which explored the topics of voluntary marriage and migration. The photography workshop then invited everyone to tour their specially curated exhibition. On display were photographs that examined various aspects of democracy, such as freedom. The event concluded with a dramatic reading that posed the question of whether Germany has truly achieved gender equality. Scenes from both a domestic setting and women's soccer were presented. Afterwards, the seminar participants, instructors, and guests were invited to enjoy coffee and cake together.
On Saturday, the students, with the support of the instructors, independently conducted a role-playing exercise on student government. In preparation, the moderators received coaching for their roles, and the other students discussed the fundamentals of effective discussion.
At the meeting of the student council, three motions were introduced and put to a vote. The students engaged in a lively debate about the extent to which cell phones should be used during breaks. There was also a motion to establish a self-organized information platform and to support victims of bullying through monthly class counseling sessions and a mediation team.
The seminar concluded with a beautifully prepared evening buffet and a final disco, where the last of the students' energy was burned off.
A follow-up meeting between the two participating schools is planned for January.