Fears about the future, worrying media consumption and a learning motivation that has reached a low point – that is the conclusion of social pedagogues of the district youth council Munich-Land (KJR), who are active in the school campus in Gräfelfingen in the care of students. The pandemic has had a massive psychological impact on the students, colleagues in other districts shared this impression, says Sabine Kraus from the KJR. The social behavior of the students and the class community would have suffered. Those who experience little or no school support at home are the losers of the pandemic. “The social gap is in the balancing act,” says Juliane Kammerl from the KJR, responsible for youth social work at the middle school in Lochham.
“Individual counseling has exploded exponentially,” says Juliane Kammerl about her work in Lochham. Actually, she offers many student projects on the subject of addiction, sex education, class cohesion or civil courage. But there is no time for that right now. Individual problems of the children and young people came to the fore, “I actually only go to school with the fire extinguisher”. Many students have developed major social and psychological problems as a result of the pandemic, from depressive moods and depression to school and fear of the future.
The pedagogue estimates that half of the students will not pass the qualification
Above all, media consumption is the number one topic. Consumption increased again during the pandemic, the children are often alone when using the media, especially when the parents are very busy. “Some of the students are online until 3 or 4 a.m.,” says Kammerl. The crux: In the pandemic, the cell phone was also the salvation to stay in contact with others at all.
The effects of months of homeschooling can also be felt in everyday school life. “Social behavior has suffered,” says Sabine Kraus from the KJR, who is responsible for the lunchtime and afternoon care options at the Gräfelfingen schools. Sitting still, letting each other talk, behaving respectfully and tolerantly, all of this often has to be re-learned. There is still a lack of a sense of class community, especially among schoolchildren who have experienced a change of school during the pandemic. The children have to find their way in everyday school life for the first time. “They haven’t really arrived yet,” says Kraus. This applies especially to second graders, but also to sixth graders. Everything that would strengthen the class community – joint festivals, tutor support or project work – cannot take place right now. “School has become a pure learning space.”
Girls with a migration background in particular see no reason to study. They were getting married anyway
Juliane Kammerl observes that some of the students who seek her advice have developed fears. You would be worried about getting infected, infecting others and then being “to blame”. Others are very anxious about the future and don’t know why they should even make an effort. Overall, the motivation to learn is “in the basement”. Sabine Kraus confirms this: “The motivation for everything is at a low point.” More than half of the students will not make the qualification, says colleague Kammerl. There are also girls with a migration background from very traditional and religious families who see no point in learning because they would be married anyway and then live a traditional role model. It would be important to offer projects here that counteract such ideas. But there is a lack of staff. “I’m alone here.”