«Tunnel vision on grades has problematic consequences»

Mrs Stamm, in every conversation about grammar school, at some point you come across children who are drilled by their parents. To what extent does the image of ambitious mums and dads correspond to reality?

I wouldn't say drill, that sounds like black pedagogy. But they are a reality, these controlling parents who are so eager to do their best that they lose their distance from the child and the situation. This is also the impression I get from talking to teachers. Recently, the headmistress of a Swiss grammar school told me that she was increasingly having to deal with mothers and fathers who want to change class allocations, challenge exam results or influence lessons. She assumed that a good 25 per cent of parents were involved.

Why do parents behave like this?

The explanation that they act out of pure ambition falls short. Rather, their decisions are influenced by a social attitude that promotes performance-orientation and competition and points to personal responsibility in the event of shortcomings. For mothers and fathers, this means that they are responsible for the success of their children: If the offspring succeed, it is their fault; if there are problems, it is their fault because they have invested too little. Our education system does nothing to ease this situation.

In what way?

In various cantons, children are assessed in kindergarten on the basis of a multi-page catalogue. If there are a few crosses at the undesirable end of the scale, parents often have to sign an agreement that stipulates that the parents will practise with the child. In primary school, further assessments follow, which are said to be strength-orientated, but are in fact tests. In addition, many professions that previously did not require a school-leaving certificate have been raised to tertiary level. For parents, this is a clear signal: it's not going to be easy.

If a child gets good grades, it's often a case of rushing off to grammar school. It would be desirable for schools not to focus so strongly on grades.

Nevertheless, there is reason for optimism: a vocational baccalaureate can also be used to study in Switzerland.

That is true. We have one of the best education systems in terms of permeability. However, parents often know too little about the opportunities it offers. In contrast, they see the baccalaureate as a passport and believe their child is on the safe side. Added to this is the increasing number of highly qualified workers who are immigrating. Many expats are parents, and many are keen for their children to complete the Matura because they may later return to their home country, where this school-leaving qualification is standard, but dual vocational education and training is unknown. There are many reasons why parents are becoming increasingly involved. The school has also invited them to do so.

What do you mean?

In the past, the dialogue between parents and teachers was limited to one parents' evening per year, then Zurich was the first canton to introduce parent-teacher conferences a good 20 years ago. Today, all Swiss teachers are required to hold one or two meetings per year. The code of conduct of their professional association obliges them to «co-operate» with parents. This means that education policy has laid an egg for itself, as certain parents - we are talking about the well-educated middle class - sometimes make undue use of this opportunity. The others, however, remain silent.

As a result, it is not a child's ability, but their social background that determines their admission to grammar school.

We are dealing with a significant number of children who are unable to realise their intellectual potential because the conditions at home are not right. In education policy, measures to combat this injustice are not given the priority they deserve. Too little is done and instead the permeability of the education system is used as an argument. This is little consolation for children who are already behind when they start nursery school because they don't speak German or don't know any regular daily structures.

What could help?

In my view, the state should intervene in affected families at an early stage on a compulsory basis. Whether in the form of all-day structures such as pre-schools or language support courses. It would make sense to pick up children at around the age of three. But nobody in this country agrees on such issues. In any case, well-off parents will not stop supporting their children, that is their right.

Independent thinking, initiative and perseverance are important interdisciplinary competences to be able to succeed at grammar school.

Who do you think belongs at grammar school?

Children who have appropriate cognitive abilities such as a good grasp of things, but above all academic interests. This means that they like learning, enjoy sitting down, immersing themselves in content or puzzling over a task. Unfortunately, it is forgotten that children often have neither good cognitive abilities nor the aforementioned inclinations. And there are adolescents who may be agile in their minds, but are unhappy in the long run when they have to sit at a school desk. If a child gets good grades, it's often a rash decision to send them to grammar school. It would be desirable for schools not to focus so strongly on grades.

What do you suggest instead?

In Curriculum 21 , the so-called generic competences have been given a special status. I hope that this will also be the case in practice at some point. With regard to grammar school, for example, independent thinking, initiative and perseverance are important generic competences in order to succeed in this type of school and later at university. It would make sense for schools to focus more on such prerequisites - and to discuss the extent to which a child has them at an early stage in discussions with parents. The tunnel vision on grades has problematic consequences.

Namely?

It leads to children and parents joining forces to cram for one product: the minimum grade point average or exams. Firstly, this deprives children of the experience that learning can be fun and takes away their long-term enjoyment of school. Secondly, this focus on the product distracts from independent thinking, which means that many young people don't know what interests them, but simply do what is expected of them, usually by their parents. Parents, in turn, are happy when their offspring do well - and are happy to do everything else for them. At the University of Fribourg, where I lectured, it was common at the beginning of the semester for there to be a good six mothers among 30 students who wanted to know what to expect from their offspring. The boys didn't seem to be embarrassed.