Learning and Instruction - Greens urge schools to prepare for hot weather conditions.
The Greens are urging for modifications in the education system due to the rising instances of hot weather during summers. As per a draft resolution drafted by the Green faction for the following state parliament session, "Summer months are becoming a growing obstacle for academic learning." They urge for a review and adaptation of current regulations on lesson planning on hot days and existing agreements on the school vacation system to tackle the impacts of the climate crisis.
The state must push for a shift in the summer vacations to later months at the Conference of Culture Ministers, with nationwide summer vacations taking place in August and September. They advocate for an extension of the overall vacation period.
This year, Saxony-Anhalt's students will receive their report cards on June 21st. With only six weeks of summer vacation, school will reopen on August 5th, which is unusually early.
Apart from this, the need for heat-resistant schools, more shaded areas in classrooms and playgrounds, more green spaces in playgrounds, and drinking fountains is emphasized by the Green party. They seek to prevent students from having to learn in excessively heated rooms. Additionally, the Greens are advocating for more self-directed learning, "so students can focus on educational content during the day at the pool and in the cooler evening."
The Green party acknowledges the existing regulations for teaching high temperatures and recommends reviewing them. In Saxony-Anhalt, a lesson can be ended after the fifth hour if 26°Celcius or more is recorded in a representative teaching room at 11 am. The decision to conclude lessons in extreme heat and humidity lies with the school management after the fourth teaching hour. Moreover, teaching hours can be shortened in such cases.
The Greens have initiated a decree with a regulation for teaching in high temperatures: "Sweating doesn't learn well. Adapting school education to the increasing heat waves."
Read also:
- In response to the climate crisis, the Greens are urging for changes in the education system, particularly during the hot summer months, which are increasingly impeding academic learning.
- At the upcoming Conference of Ministers of Education and Cultural Affairs, the Greens are advocating for a shift in summer vacations to later months to help schools and students better cope with the effects of the climate crisis.
- The Green party in Saxony-Anhalt is promoting various measures to make schools more heat-resistant, such as adding shaded areas, green spaces, and drinking fountains, to provide a more comfortable learning environment during hot spells.
- Recognizing the impact of high temperatures on learning, the Greens propose reviewing current regulations on lesson planning and school vacation systems to ensure that students are not expected to learn in excessively heated rooms.
