The seminar “Participation in Schools” from September 9-13, 2024 invited students from the Fritz-Reuter-Oberschule, the Friedrich-Ebert-Gymnasium and the Robert-Jungk-Oberschule to explore the topic of initiative in artistic workshops and to work on issues, problems and projects of their schools.
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On the first day, everyone had the opportunity to get to know each other personally and present the strengths, challenges, projects, structures, and participatory tools of their respective schools. The Fritz Reuter High School, the Friedrich Ebert Gymnasium , and the Robert Jungk High School were able to identify and reflect on similarities and differences in their discussions.
Much student engagement still takes place through the student council, the legally enshrined body for student participation. However, it has become clear that some students also take on additional responsibilities for their school, for example in the Queer Working Group or the student budget.
The theme of personal initiative was present throughout the week. It involved organizing the plenary sessions and evening programs, volunteering to lead games, contributing ideas to artistic work, and stepping in when others needed help. Realizing one's own project ideas and needs requires initiative. It's about not waiting to be asked, but taking the initiative and assuming responsibility.
In the dance theatre workshop, a piece on the topic of bullying in schools was developed. The young people feel that teachers often don't act, or only act too late, and that they themselves have to take action. They criticized existing structures and also called for people to pay attention and intervene.
The rap group also addressed bullying and discrimination, as well as many other issues that concern the students, taking initiative and taking the first step towards change. They wrote their own lyrics and developed a music video (the rap group's music video can be found on Vimeo).
Several photo series were created in the photography workshop. They explored the question of what happens if no action is taken, who ultimately does so and feels responsible, and what would happen if no one were there to do anything (the photos from the photography workshop are on Flickr).
The comic group created Part 5 of the Amir series, which has been running for years in this school setting. This episode, "Amir Goes Crazy," even contains two stories. In both, Amir is put in unfortunate situations where he is initially not believed and from which he cannot escape without the help of others (click here for the comic).
In graphic design, various exercises on fonts and graphics were practiced in connection with school-related topics and problems. From initial exercises to the specific topic, students ultimately created visually appealing posters to illustrate problem-solving. (A selection of the exercises and results can be seen here).
More pictures from the seminar week are available on Flickr.
The results were presented and admired at a final presentation on Friday. After a thorough reflection on the week, and especially on what the students would take back to their schools, the short week came to an end.
We wish all participants every success in their continued commitment and hope that new motivation has been awakened to take on responsible tasks for themselves, the school and society.
See you next year!
The seminar was funded by the Senate Department for Education, Youth and Family.
