Helene-Lange-School (Wiesbaden)
Encyclopedia
The Helene-Lange-School is a comprehensive school in Wiesbaden
, Germany. The school received much media coverage for its pedagogic methods. While proponents of comprehensive schools believe it is one of Germany's best schools, opponents believe it is just a run-of-the-mill-school that serves privileged kids who would do just as well attending any other kind of school.
. At this time it was an all girls school. In 1971 boys were admitted to the school. In 1986 it was converted into a comprehensive and Enja Riegel became headmistress of the school. In 1987 the school became a member of the UNESCO
Associated Schools Project. In 2009 it became a Club-of-Rome-School.
(PISA), doing well. Breaking the rule that PISA must not be used for school-level evaluation (for which it is methodologically not suited), the media were informed and the Helene-Lange-School was announced Germany's best school. Later it was revealed that while the students really did well, the school was outperformed by most Gymnasien (prep schools) in the south.
Wiesbaden
Wiesbaden is a city in southwest Germany and the capital of the federal state of Hesse. It has about 275,400 inhabitants, plus approximately 10,000 United States citizens...
, Germany. The school received much media coverage for its pedagogic methods. While proponents of comprehensive schools believe it is one of Germany's best schools, opponents believe it is just a run-of-the-mill-school that serves privileged kids who would do just as well attending any other kind of school.
History
In 1847, the school was founded in Wiesbaden as Höhere Töchterschule (School for upperclass daughters). In 1955 the school was named after Helene LangeHelene Lange
Helene Lange was a pedagogue and feminist, and a symbol of the Women's Movement in Germany.-Education and pedagogy:...
. At this time it was an all girls school. In 1971 boys were admitted to the school. In 1986 it was converted into a comprehensive and Enja Riegel became headmistress of the school. In 1987 the school became a member of the UNESCO
UNESCO
The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization is a specialized agency of the United Nations...
Associated Schools Project. In 2009 it became a Club-of-Rome-School.
Students
The school serves mainly upper-middle-class children. While 42 % of all children visiting Wiesbaden schools have at least one parent born abroad, less than 10 % of the Helene-Lange students do. Enja Riegel said she would love the Helene-Lange-School to become more diverse, but that minority youngsters simply did not apply for the school.What makes the school special?
When Enja Riegel became the school's headmistress in 1986, she wanted to do away with ex-cathedra teaching. She had walls of rooms torn down, thus creating lounges for the students to interact and engage in free learning. She introduced project weeks. Life at the Helene-Lange-School is influenced by having celebrations, traveling, working on projects and participating in theatre plays. In 1988 students became committed to development aid in Nepal.Germanys best school?
In 2002 the Helene-Lange-students participated in the Programme for International Student AssessmentProgramme for International Student Assessment
The Programme for International Student Assessment is a worldwide evaluation in OECD member countries of 15-year-old school pupils' scholastic performance, performed first in 2000 and repeated every three years...
(PISA), doing well. Breaking the rule that PISA must not be used for school-level evaluation (for which it is methodologically not suited), the media were informed and the Helene-Lange-School was announced Germany's best school. Later it was revealed that while the students really did well, the school was outperformed by most Gymnasien (prep schools) in the south.