Assistant teacher program/Grades for social behavior

Grades for social behavior
In some German federal states pupils are given grades for social behavior (citizenship grades). This course unit aims to provide some ideas for assistant teachers how to contribute to grades for social behavior.

Assistant teachers should probably not make their own recommendations concerning grades for social behavior. The assistant teachers should describe behavior by example and compile a report in cases where they did consider it necessary. If assistant teachers are meant to recommend actual grades the recommendation should be made by a committee, not by a single assistant teacher.

One reason why assistant teachers should not determine grades alone is that an assistant teacher may be tempted to threaten a bothersome pupil with bad grades. A pupil who knows that a single assistant teacher does not have that authority may feel less intimidated. Assistant teachers should consider to make it part of their code of conduct not to make statements that can be mistaken for threats.

Educational mandate
The exact wording of the educational mandate given by the state is suitable as a handout for the participants, especially for a course unit that deals with social behavior.

German law

 * $Schulgesetz NRW - SchulG §2$: Bildungs- und Erziehungsauftrag der Schule
 * Schulgesetz Schleswig-Holstein - SchulG §4: Bildungs- und Erziehungsziele

German

 * Arbeitsverhalten und Sozialverhalten in Zeugnissen, Handreichung des Schulministeriums NRW (PDF)