Teachers in Germany Sound the Alarm: Children Unable to Hold a Pencil, Tie Their Shoes...

A five-page resolution prepared by 1,100 teachers affiliated with the Education and Science Union (GEW) in the state of Hesse states that “the basic prerequisites for children to successfully participate in their first school lessons are increasingly lacking.”

The deficiencies listed by teachers extend to the simplest skills of daily life. Many children reportedly struggle with a lack of willingness to make an effort, poor concentration, difficulty coping with frustration, and significant problems in discussing disagreements fairly and reconciling afterward. Listening, thinking, and asking questions are also said to have weakened.

The letter notes that many children cannot hold a pencil correctly, have difficulty with fine motor tasks such as cutting and gluing with scissors, cannot sit upright for extended periods, and are unable to tie their shoelaces. Even the most basic skills—such as being organized, accepting and following rules, and going to the toilet independently—are described as significantly lacking.

Source: Avrupadan