Outline

There is a growing awareness in our society that students lack a healthy self-confidence. At the same time, they are not able to treat their classmates, adults and conflicts respectfully and without violence. The reason for this is often the situation at home. This can be seen in the way students behave in lessons and how students treat each other and their teachers. Teachers and students alike can tell you about insults, bullying and irresponsible behavior among students. Students who are habitual truants can eventually become dropouts and this too, is an irresponsible behavior concerning their own future. It is not enough to just teach subjects and facts at school, but we have to train the social and coping skills of our students, so they can succeed in life and work on a positive future for themselves.

Because of the wars in Syria and in the Chechen Republic, as well as other changes, our school and many other schools in Germany were facing and still are facing the task of integrating children from these conflict areas. Students from our region around Finowfurt respond to this situation in manifold ways. Likewise, there are new citizens who make every effort to become integrated while others seclude themselves completely. The reactions go from total rejection to openness and friendliness. A negative attitude is most often acquired at home. This is where our topic “RESPECT-TOLERANCE-INTEGRATION” comes into play. We try to show and to teach that integration can only work on the basis of mutual respect and tolerance. This is true for our school community and for society in general. In the course of our first meeting in Germany the school in Finowfurt presented strategies for unity, respect and tolerance. Only those who feel well and accepted at our school as an institution will participate in school life actively and joyfully.