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Council informs parties about mixed-age classes

In late November last year, Hünenberg headmaster Rolf Schmid and education expert Heidi Gehrig did their best to persuade parents at an information evening that mixed-age classes were the way forward in education. However, their persuasive powers were not quite strong enough for some of the teaching staff and parents. For its part, the local council decided they should inform the local political parties about what it all means after it emerged in the press that the plans for the introduction of the new system had caused ruffled feathers at the school.
 
The press reported in late December that some teachers were very much against the introduction of mixed-age teaching across the board at the school. They also claimed that their misgivings had not been taken seriously enough.
 
In its wisdom, the Hünenberg council intends to introduce mixed-age classes for year-one and year-two pupils from the beginning of the next school year, followed by the steamrolling of the system on year-three and year-four pupils the next year and that of year-five and year-six pupils the year after.
 
A number of parents, who, like some teachers, had misgivings about the benefits of the new system, asked for the introduction of the new system to be delayed by at least one year. The Zug Teachers' Association, which is not unlike a trade union, has also expressed its doubts about mixed-age teaching.
 
The council thought that the local political parties ought to be informed more about mixed-age classes and to this end organised an information evening for last Monday.
 
SVP party president, Thomas Villiger, was satisfied with the information imparted but his party's main concern was the cost for the introduction mixed-age classes. He felt they would not would be as minimal as forecast.
 
As for the FDP party, local president, Patrick Spreng, said that his party was basically behind the project.
 
For her part, Karin Andenmatt, president of the local CVP party, said that it had been important for her to have had the opportunity to ask questions but as to her party's views on the issue, she said she needed to consult with the board first.
 
The SP party president, Huber Schuler, said his party viewed the introduction of mixed-age classes teaching positively but felt teachers should have been better informed about it.
 
As for the Independent Green party, its co-president, Eric Frischknecht, agreed that mixed-age teaching was an important educational issue but reminded those present of the huge challenge the teachers would be faced with and added, "There have been negative examples cited about mixed-age classes throughout Switzerland. What is important is that a close eye is kept on how it develops."
 
It was St Gallen mixed-age class expert Gehrig, who, at the information evening in November, told parents that she preferred to speak of the "challenges" of the new methodology, rather that its disadvantages.
 
 


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