School Cooperation

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Workshop "Intersections of Racism: Voices Unveiled“

26.01.2024

On 26.01.24 it was time again: our two cooperating Gymnasien visited us at the university for the joint workshop "Intersections of Racism: Voices Unveiled". The 12^th grade students from the Gisela-Gymnasium Niedernburg and the 10^th grade students from the Gymnasium Vilshofen showed great interest and commitment to the topic from the very beginning. At three thematic tables on the representation and the portrayal of Black characters and storylines in popular films, the significance of the Black Lives Matter movement, and the perspectives and empowerment of Black individuals as expressed in music, sports, online activism, or social justice organizations, students were able to uncover racism in an exemplary manner and unveil the intersections in society. It became clear how deeply rooted and pervasive racism is, and that it is not a phenomenon that disappeared with the end of the civil rights movement and is only making a comeback under Trump. Through various interactive exercises and discussions, participants were able to share their own perspectives and learn from each other. We would like to thank both Gymnasien for this enriching collaboration and look forward to continuing to promote race-critical thinking and working together for more tolerance and acceptance.

Thanksgiving School Visit

09.10. 2023 at theGisela Gymnasium

At the all-girls Gymnasium in Passau, a select group of talented students has the opportunity to delve deeper into specific subjects such as math, physics, and English. We were pleased to be invited to engage with these enthusiastic students. The timing in early October was particularly fitting to revisit the topic of Thanksgiving, given its status as the most popular holiday in the United States. Over the centuries, Thanksgiving has undergone significant whitewashing, obscuring its true historical origins and consequences of settler colonialism. This underscores the paramount importance of sharing the authentic history of this holiday and raising awareness of the ongoing challenges that Native Americans continue to face.

Meeting the New Gapp Exchange Students

2.10.2023 School visit in Gymnasium Vilshofen

Participating in an exchange program is a remarkable and invaluable opportunity, especially at a young age. We were excited to engage with the 10^th grade students who were about to embark on their exchange to Boston, Massachusetts, a region of great historical significance. However, recognizing the nation’s deep-rooted involvement in slavery, we highlighted Massachusetts’ extensive connection to it and addressed Harvard University’s current efforts to acknowledge its participation and to honor the enslaved involved in the founding of the famous school and the state’s efforts for reparations. Since students were visiting just before Thanksgiving, and their host families were planning to prepare a small Thanksgiving dinner for them, we also shed light on the true history behind the most popular holiday in the US.

We are grateful to have had the opportunity to introduce students to the diverse nature of the United States and to ensure that they entered their exchange program with a deeper understanding of the nation’s history and challenges. By addressing these challenging but crucial topics, we equip them with the empathy, knowledge, and awareness necessary for a respectful visit to these history-rich institutions and areas.

Urban Black America

30.06.2023 Visit in Gymnasium Vilshofen

Our US fellow Edith Ritt-Coulter had the wonderful opportunity to speak to grade 11 at the Gymnasium Vilshofen. As a historian, she traced back both the social and political factors that determined the development of Black urban areas and the cultural response to systemic discrimination from the children of the Civil Rights Generation. One such response is Rap music as a form of political activism. Listening to foundational artists such as the Sugarhill Gang, who developed the genre of rap music during the late 1970s, and then focusing on the life and work of Tupac Shakur, who established rap music as political commentary in the 1990s, students came to see the long-lasting legacy of the Black Power Movement. While analyzing his songs "Keep Ya Head Up" (1993), "Trapped" (1991), and "Changes" (1998) students made connections to police brutality, the portrayal of Black civil rights leaders, or the representation of Black women as welfare queens; enduring challenges the Black community has and still faces.

The Legacy of Slavery: Racial Inequalities in the U.S.

13.01.2023 at the University of Passau

Within our seminar "The Legacy of Slavery: Racial Inequalities in the U.S." our teacher training students had the wonderful opportunity to cooperate with students from the W-seminar "America, how are you" from the Gymnasium Vilshofen. Students had prepared several topics in advance, which our teacher training students took up and presented. In a joint session, we discussed these topics ranging from current debates on abortion to voting rights or demographic changes thus representing the broad spectrum of systemic racism in the U.S. In an insightful session, our high school students were able to get a taste of university life, and our teacher candidates were able to get their first hands-on exposure to future teaching. Thank you for your visit and this exciting seminar session.

Workshop at the Gisela Gymnasium

07.12. 2022 at the Gisela Gymnasium

With our workshop „Structural Racism in the U.S.” we were invited to spend a day with the 12^th grade at the Gisela Gymnasium. In the three-part workshop, we examined U.S. history and how deeply rooted racist structures are, the effects of which can still be felt today. In the end, we exchanged our ideas and impressions in smaller discussion groups at a World Cafè. We had the most wonderful time with engaging and knowledgeable young ladies. We are very much looking forward to continuing this fruitful conversation!

First meeting with the GAPP-exchange group

13. 07. 2022 at the Gymnasium Vilshofen

After the student exchange between the Gymnasium Vilshofen and Lincoln-Sudbury Regional High School in Sudbury, Massachusetts, USA, had to be omitted due to the corona pandemic, 20 students from Germany can fly to the U.S. for the first time again this October. The student exchange was established in 2009 within the framework of the German American Partnership Program (GAPP) and offers students a three-week stay at the respective partner school and numerous insights into the host country. We are glad to have the opportunity to accompany the exchange: for the introductory course, we met with students and raised critical awareness of the new environment. Visiting historical places along the East coast such as Harvard University, critical questions regarding the legacy of slavery and longstanding racism become apparent. We are already looking forward to your experiences and observations next time we’ll meet in December after your return from the U.S. For the time being, we wish you an amazing and exciting journey!

More Information on the GAPP meeting at the Gymnasium Vilshofen

New cooperation with the Gisela schools in Passau-Niedernburg

For the 2022/23 school year, the project also welcomes the Gisela schools in Passau-Niedernburg as new cooperation partners. Currently, the planning for the cooperation is underway, first educational offers for the students are under discussion, including an interactive workshop on the topic of "Structural Racism in the US" for the upper secondary school. We are excited about the new partnership in the project network!

Practical exercise in cooperation with the Gymnasium Vilshofen "Structural racism in the U.S."

Course description:
The nationwide protests following the death of George Floyd in police custody in May 2020, have once again shone a spotlight on the long-standing racial divide in the U.S. The coronavirus pandemic affected disproportionately Black Americans and thus brought even more to light deeply embedded racial inequities. The category “race” and subsequently racism are not so much a thing of the past that has been overcome -as many liked to believe when Barack Obama became the first African American president- but are still an (in)visible guide that determines every strand of life.

This course seeks to initiate a discussion on structural racism in the U.S. It is designed exclusively for students of education and provides the unique opportunity to learn more about racism in the U.S. in tandem with a student from the corresponding W-Seminar “America, how are you?” at the Gymnasium Vilshofen.

The course is threefold: First, we will meet in person in May to examine structural racism and its effects in the U.S. Second, you choose one of the key topics listed below that were provided by students from the W-Seminar at the Gymnasium Vilshofen. Based on your choice you are paired with the corresponding student from the W-Seminar, to whom you individually provide pedagogical support and assistance in researching and preparing the required research paper. Our class will meet again in June via Zoom where you will introduce and discuss your students’ topic in regard to structural racism in the U.S. Reflecting on the topic you will write a critical review essay (about 2.000 words) that entails how the chosen topic aligns and exemplifies structural racism in the U.S. Respectively, your tandem student will present and discuss the chosen topic in school in June/July. You are required to attend this particular school lesson and actively engage in the discussion of the topic. Also, you will need to write a two-page protocol of this particular lesson. Third, we will all meet for a final workshop in cooperation with DiLab.

In sum, this course will not only provide you with deepened knowledge regarding structural racism in the U.S., several topics are now anchored in the school curriculum, but also enhance your pedagogical and didactical skills and thus train you for the rewarding experience of being a teacher.

11/25/2021 Cooperation with the Gymnasium Vilshofen

The senior classes of the Bavarian Gymnasium intend to extensively prepare the students for the Abitur and subsequent studies at university. For this educational objective, the close cooperation between schools and academia plays a vital role.

In this regard, the Gymnasium Vilshofen is now able to offer its students an important stepping stone within the subject of English: In the future, both the school’s W-seminar "America, How Are You?“ of the eleventh grade as well as the participants in the school’s North American exchange program have the opportunity of collaborating with the Professorship for American Studies at the University of Passau. Alongside a team led by Dr. Grit Grigoleit-Richter within the research project "A Critical Race and Intersectional Perspective on the U.S. American Welfare State“, the students get to explore how structural racism in the U.S. causes and exacerbates grand economic and social disparities within the country. Dr. Grigoleit-Richter and OStR Dr. Christian Große are delighted about the additional outreach: "With our cooperation we are able to carry the scholarly perception of the U.S. into the schools and make academia amenable. Vice versa, the students enrich the exchange and discourse at university with their questions and takes on our topics.“

After a first meet-and-greet with the school principal as well as the students, further meetings were arranged. Through this new network, the adolescents receive in-depth insights into the historical development and effective outcomes of racism in the U.S. as well as professional and methodological support for the term papers they are expected to compose next year. Another pleasant bonus is the school's indirect benefit from the project’s sponsoring by the Federal Ministry of Education and Research. Moreover, a former student of the school, Svenja Fricke, is on board as student research assistant. We are very much looking forward to an intensive and fruitful cooperation!