29. March 2024

Pause checker in action

This could set a precedent. School social worker Tobias Buck has taken on the generally lamented tension in the break times at the Stetten school centre between the supervising teachers and energetic kids fighting and created an exemplary novelty: For half a year, the team of break checkers from learning group 10 has been supporting the work of the teachers in the schoolyard and in the corridors during the first two big breaks. After the bell, the checkers help the learning partners to leave the corridors quickly in the direction of the playground.

The idea for the project actually came from the learning partners themselves: Nils Bücheler and David Steidle from learning group 10.1 made the suggestion to be allowed to supervise during breaks together with the teachers, if they could stay in the corridors in winter in return. An admittedly personal wish - but an approach that Buck could develop. Here lay dormant an ingenious idea for resolving the disagreement between students and teachers on how to behave and act during breaks: Use pupils as helpers!

"The trigger for the emergence of the break checker job was, for example, the question of how there can be fewer conflicts in the outside situation and how penalties can be minimised," Buck explains the beginnings of his project. "The checkers create clear local transparency. By putting students in a co-responsibility, we can support a good break process, and by cooperating with the teaching staff, the breaks now run almost conflict-free." And with a smile, he adds: "The atmosphere is much more relaxed.

As a joint primary and secondary school, the Stetten School Centre generally has a lively break time community to supervise. Although everyone can spread out well on the spacious grounds, friction still arises. How do the checkers help in this situation?

"The break checkers have a duty roster of who has to be where and when," Buck outlines the organisational process. "Their job is to direct students to the break boundaries if they are disregarded and to supervise that everyone leaves the building at break. They have a badge to be recognised as checkers. At regular intervals they meet with the school social work and discuss their experiences."

The ambitious project encourages and challenges the participants at the same time: For the checkers themselves, too, it means being role models and being able to step out of the student role. Just buddies in the classroom - now authority figures and authorised to give instructions. Can this be successful at all during puberty?

Annemarie Ziegler, the head of the learning groups 5-7, interviewed some checkers about their new job and got to the bottom of the question of how pupils learn to deal with hierarchy among themselves.

Interview with Jonas Jacob, Jacek Sielicki, Julian Ruff, Lucia Herre and Deputy Student Representative Daniel Kratschmann:

Ziegler: You have been working as break checkers for about half a year now - how do you like the job?

Jonas: It's definitely fun! You also get into contact with the smaller pupils a bit more.

Jacek: ...although the little ones don't always listen to what you say! (grins)

Julian: Yes, some can be disrespectful.

Lucia: You have a responsibility for what you do.

Daniel: It's good that you can help right away if, for example, small children fall down. But there are few incidents.

Ziegler: What was it like when Toby Buck came at the beginning and presented the idea to you? What did you think, were you sceptical or were you immediately enthusiastic?

Julian: I was a bit sceptical, I hadn't heard of it before...it was something new!

Daniel: I was also prejudiced because I thought it wouldn't work. Many students are always so rebellious...but in the end it worked out! (laughs)

Lucia: Sometimes the students try to get their way with us - then you might have to look for a teacher. But at some point it gives.

Ziegler: How often did you have to call for support?

Lucia: Never really, we've always been able to work it out among ourselves.

Ziegler: You want a clear sign that recognises you as a checker. With Toby Buck, you are currently thinking about wearing a high-visibility waistcoat.

Daniel: The little ones (Primary school pupils) would not recognise you otherwise. In addition, the duty shifts would be clear, who is where, you can see the checker from afar.

Ziegler: How do you deal with the personal requirement - you also sacrifice the break. In winter it might be comfortable, you can stay inside, but it's still extra. For example, you can't go to the toilet or eat something, spend time with the others - does that feel like a burden?

All: Nah, it's ok, it works.

Ziegler: What do you think about the future of the project - what is good and what needs to be improved?

Jonas: You would definitely have to see to it that the checkers have more authority, are accepted even more.

Daniel: We have a clear duty roster, but sometimes the teachers don't know who is who and the primary school pupils don't either. We could go through their classes and explain how the break checkers work.

Ziegler: Do you think this project makes sense, should it also be done at other schools?

Broad agreement

Ziegler: You are an exam year and have other things to do at the moment than always handing in your breaks. Toby Buck will therefore soon be scheduling you and instructing new checkers. From when can you do that, can you also include 8th graders?

Jacek: No, they are not yet perceived as the big ones. Maybe people have less respect for them.

Daniel: I would say it goes from grade 9.

Ziegler: What have you personally learned?

Daniel: That there are fewer conflicts - in the past, some students stayed inside without supervision and then stressful situations arose with teachers - that has almost disappeared.

Lucia: The primary school sector now has help.

Julian: The respect towards us has definitely increased.

Jacek: I think you have to be more assertive because you have to send people out. But they sometimes don't want to, even though you tell them to.

Jonas: It's definitely getting quieter in the buildings. Everything is much more orderly. The students are not spread out somewhere in the corridors.

Ziegler: What I find great is that you walk through the entire building corridors, also open the doors to the classrooms and look. There are always students who hide there if, for example, the teacher has not locked the door in his mind. I have found you to be very responsible in this. Now the 9th graders are being trained as new checkers - what would you give them from your practical experience?

Daniel: That they don't prefer students because they are their friends. It's a challenge to separate the role, when am I buddy and classmate, when am I in my function.

Julian: Being respectful to each other, especially as a role model and authority figure. One thing you learn with this role is not to be inappropriate in your tone.

Ziegler: Thank you very much for this informative interview! At the end of your service, a lot of credit goes to you: The school is incredibly grateful for your work, and as soon as one of you is missing, it is immediately noticeable! The teachers are impressed by how consistently you have fulfilled your responsibilities.

Tobias Buck's Pupil Auxiliary Checker project is thus clearly a model for the future of break supervision: the checkers have been very well received by pupils and teachers alike, and as pioneers of the project, they have mastered the hardest part of the job, namely forming the path that the succeeding auxiliaries will follow.

In the photo from left to right:
Front: Nikoleta Nikolova, Julian Ruff and Tobias Buck
behind: Jonas Jacob, Jason Mielke, Tobias Mors, Lennox Joachimi, Nils Bücheler, Lina Siber, Désirée Gräfin Bernadotte, Alina Arnold, Vanessa Butz, Deputy Student Representative Daniel Kratschmann
Not in the photo, but also in action as checkers are: David Steidle, Hannes Kraft, Jacek Sielicki, Dawid Sielicki, Anna Strölin, Sarah Nolle and Alissa Conzelmann

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