I set out two years ago with the question of how other countries teach their students to be active learners. Specifically, "to what extent do schools in Germany teach or encourage students to take meaningful action through service to their community during the learning process?" Throughout the pandemic I changed a lot of my instruction to focus on active and meaningful learning (to very mixed success). The challenges in engagement, social emotional needs, and attitude we saw in students in Chicago made this difficult. However, our German colleagues also spoke of trying to overcome the same barriers to learning. This was both surprising and oddly reassuring. It turns out that the answer to this question really depends on the teacher and their school context, but the concept of service learning in Germany is expanding.

As discussed in the Travel section, Germany has a complex educational system comprised of several routes for students based on interest and their perceived ability at a young age. Gymnasium schools, those that prepare students for the A-Level exams, follow a strict curriculum that covers a lot of ground. This does not leave a lot of time for projects that encourage civil and social action. As the educators at C.S.G. explained, they simply do not have the time for students to complete service projects, for example, as part of the learning process. When I mentioned this was required in the U.S. (two projects are compulsory in Chicago Public Schools, plus CAS for IB students) one C.S.G. teacher was astonished. She believed this is exactly what German students need to become reengaged "post-pandemic." As it stands now, Gymnasium students may complete service as part of an after school sports team or through a club they attend. This was further iterated by some of the work I saw hanging in the hallways of C.S.G. As part of one class, students made posters outlining the opportunities others could participate in during a Gap Year, post A-level exams. Some of the opportunities students researched were more worthy than others in my opinion. For example, while still educational, bartending in Kenya might not be as useful for society as tutoring in South America, working with abandoned animals, or helping children in Africa. Still, much like sports and clubs, these experiences were to take place outside the classroom.

The challenges in engagement with service learning discussed by our partner teachers in Bonn may reflect the idea that service learning in Germany is a relatively new idea. Based on research, service learning as a pedagogical tool did not gain prominence until recently. It is estimated that only a few hundred schools in Germany were partaking in a service learning approach by the year 2010 (Baltes, 2010). Many of the examples I read about did take place in Comprehensive or Vocational environments, and not in the Gymnasium schools. Since then, service learning as a teaching strategy has increased. Today, more schools in Germany are moving towards adopting service learning projects which are incorporated into the curriculum. The organization "Service Learning in Deutschland" seeks to promote democracy and a civil society by providing resources to teachers, schools, and communities. The organization works with all educational ministries in Germany to allow students to address needs they see in their communities. Furthermore, the projects students undertake occur as part of their school education and reflection of learning is an integral aspect of the process. The organization has defined quality standards, examples for students, and collaborates with teaching programs to ensure incoming teachers are familiar with service learning pedagogy. Interestingly, Service Learning in Deutschland also encourages students to complete service work in other countries, similar to ERASMUS+. The European Observatory of Service-Learning in Higher Education (EOSLHE) helps with this idea, and has a map of locations with project and research details across Europe. It seems the concept of service learning is taking hold across the continent.

I followed up on these ideas and what I saw in Bonn with Dr. Denton from Berlin. He explained that Gymnasium teachers have so much to do with students to get them ready for exams that there is not time built in for large-scale projects. Because he works at a comprehensive school (Gemeinschaftsschule auf dem Campus RUTLI), there is time to explore concepts in greater detail than the gymnasium curriculum allows. During his talk he spoke of allowing students to explore differences via class projects. He did not mean having students complete a poster board or book report. He spoke of substantial and life changing projects that students select and lead. As an example, the teachers and students at his school decided to explore the conflict between Israel and Palestine. They studied this in class and then took a school-sponsored trip to Tel Aviv and Bethlehem (how wonderful!). There his students, many of whom are Muslim, spoke to locals and tried to understand differences in culture and ideas. Many of his Muslim students were shocked at the multiculturalism that exists in Israel. Once students returned, they kept discussing what they observed and wanted to capture their sentiments, thoughts, and feelings. They decided to write a graphic novel about what they learned and met for a year to catalog their experiences, write the text, and design the content. To ensure it was professional in nature, the students worked with a political advisor and political cartoonist. The teachers helped with this process, but it was largely student led. This culminated in publishing "Mehr Als 2 Seiten" in 2020. This project received great attention and won several awards. It is also in the process of being translated to English and Arabic and will remain free online.

This example of students taking action is one of the most amazing things I have ever seen as an educator. I am simply blown away by what the students accomplished especially knowing how hard it is to sustain student interest, which the teachers facilitated for over a year. The project was successful in navigating a complicated issue to allow their community to understand how people in conflict may actually have many similar values. This is a hallmark of the ideals of Global Education. It is remarkable what students can accomplish when they are able to choose projects that interest them. No doubt this project has inspired other schools in Germany and Europe to push the limits of their own ideas around active learning. It is my hope students will use this example to understand they too can take on challenging projects to better their communities.