At the Kurpfalz boarding school, the promotion of students in STEM education is of great importance: We see it as our responsibility to support and encourage our students intensively both in science classes and in extracurricular projects, and to inspire them for STEM subjects in the small class setting.

Time for questions

At the Kurpfalz internat, we want to have more time for our students. Therefore, we teach according to the double-period principle, which allows us to address individual questions intensively during lessons, quickly resolve understanding issues, and inspire our students’ fascination for the natural sciences.

In addition to lessons, students have the opportunity to choose extracurricular activities in the scientific field. Here, for example, they can gain experience in the “Robotic” project, program their own systems in the “Microbit Project,” or implement their own ideas in the “Building and Constructing” project.

Joy of experimenting

At the gymnasium, our students can take the core subject of Natural Sciences and Technology (NwT) from grade 8 to grade 10. In addition to imparting subject-specific competencies, the focus is on the joy of experimenting and interdisciplinary work with a strong practical relevance. Those who choose the linguistic focus will select Spanish as their third foreign language instead of NwT starting in grade 8.

In secondary school, students have the opportunity to put theoretical knowledge into practice in the subject of technology and to experience how “their” project takes shape.

Some of the ideas developed and projects carried out in science classes can later be presented to a wide audience in the practice-oriented presentation school competition and in the “Youth Presents” competition.

Arouse interest

The Kurpfalz boarding school has modern scientific subject rooms and a large laboratory to make the content of the STEM subjects comprehensible and experiential. Furthermore, our classes regularly take field trips to extracurricular learning locations and attend lectures.

Through visits and contact with scientists and practitioners, the skills of our students are strengthened and their study and career aspirations are solidified. As part of the lecture series “Strong Role Models – Strong Children,” we also invite experts to the Kurpfalz Boarding School who are passionate about their work and motivate our students to give their best.

Recognizing and nurturing strengths

We provide individual counseling to our students regarding their subject choices for the Abitur. Our principal takes a lot of time to identify each student’s strengths and accordingly select their Abitur subjects. If students are interested in STEM subjects, they can take advanced courses in Biology, Chemistry, and Physics at the five-hour level in the upper school. Additionally, students can choose Geology as an elective in the upper school.

To strengthen competencies in the fields of information technology and presentation, we have developed our own concept: In the subject “Power Skills,” students learn to present confidently and competently with our support, while feeling safe and understood in the small group.

Thinking beyond graduation

At the Kurpfalz boarding school, we place particular emphasis on the development of a professional perspective. To give our students an impression of what awaits them in their studies or careers, internships (career orientation internships) and fixed components for study and career orientation are part of the school year program.

We place particular value on collaboration with strong partners in the region. We work together with BASF, Volksbank Heidelberg AZO Osterburken, Hochwarth IT Neckarbischofsheim, Talk ‘n Job Heidelberg, Gotta Brands, and the Federal Employment Agency. Furthermore, our students have the opportunity, with our support, to participate in competitions such as the Kangaroo Competition in Mathematics, the First Lego League Robotics Competition, the “Problem of the Month” Mathematics Competition, the “Days of Mathematics” competition, the “MeisterPOWER” competition organized by the Chamber of Crafts of Baden-Württemberg, or the Federal Computer Science Competition.

For more information about the STEM area, please contact our STEM coordinator, subject leader, and deputy headmistress, Ms. Sabine Sauerbier (teacher of mathematics and physics):

s.sauerbier@kurpfalz-internat.de.

Kurpfalz Boarding School receives the award as a “MINT-friendly school” and thus becomes part of the important network “Creating MINT Future!”

Since 2019, the Kurpfalz Boarding School has been continuously recognized as a “MINT-friendly school.”

In 2019, the Kurpfalz boarding school was awarded the title of

In addition to the comprehensive support for science-interested students in the small classes and the many extracurricular projects, the modern facilities of the science department in the new school building have also contributed to the selection as a “MINT-friendly school.” The entire team of Kurpfalz Internat is pleased with the praise from the high-profile jury.

Certificate MINT-friendly School KPI 2022 (2 MB)