THE BREAK SYNDROME - My Entry to "Memories of my School Days Challenge"

In my time at the grammar school in the 80s of the last century there were strict rules for breaks. For example, all younger students (lower school, middle school) had to go out into the schoolyard during the big break in all weather conditions - presumably assuming that the fresh air supply would still make a difference in the development of the young brains. The older students (upper school) were allowed to stay in the school building - they were presumably given the reasoning of an adult, who basically takes care of his health.
When a milk bar was set up in the school, the break rule had to be relaxed a little, after all, the younger pupils should not be prevented from shopping or eating healthy food.
Even then I was very interested in the scientific study of human behavior and so it was to my advantage that as a senior pupil I was allowed to move freely both inside the school and outside on the playground - I was able to devote myself unhindered to my detailed studies of the problem I had mentioned at the beginning. I recognized distinct behavioral symptoms in teachers and students regarding the Break Syndrome, which I am now publishing for the first time on the occasion of the "Memories of my School Days Challenge" by @steemitblog.

The Break Syndrome

1. Teacher Behavior

As soon as the acoustic signal for the big break sounds, four types can be identified in the teaching staff.

1.1 The Busy Ones

The busy persons are those teachers who make every effort to carry out a large part of their supervisory duties in the appropriate ladies' or gents' toilet and, if necessary, spend any remaining minutes of the break in the telephone box in front of the school building.
Other colleagues in this category insist on their hearing loss based on classroom noise as soon as the break signal rings. They do not react to it and thus avoid the annoying confrontation with the student body.

1.2 The Sportsmen

The athletic, usually somewhat younger teachers are those who hurry through the corridors at jogging speed during the big break. They always have their eyes on an undefined target at a height of about 2.5 m, which relieves them of the tiresome task of even noticing the remaining students still in the building.

1.3 The Timid

These somewhat shy teachers step indecisively from one foot to the other during their supervision during the big break. With an artificial, vague smile on their pale faces, they wait tense for the relieving bell signal, which finally signals the end of the big break. They are usually standing in the middle of a huge crowd of students and have no idea how to get them out of the building.

1.4 The Determined

When students meet these resolute colleagues, they prefer to stroll leisurely out into the schoolyard, knowing from experience that they cannot beat the ironic but very specific sayings of the respective teacher.

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2. Student Behavior

At this point I can now turn to the wide field of the student body. During the short recovery periods of the stressful everyday life at school, the students show the following behavior patterns.

2.1 The Hungry

No sooner has the bell rung for a break than the hungry students run at breakneck speed to the milk bar to get the hottest cocoa and freshest rolls. They proudly carry these trophies in front of them as they disappear more or less quickly into the schoolyard.

2.2 The Humorous Ones

The aim of these funny students is primarily to trick the teachers supervising the building. To do this, they invent all kinds of natural and unnatural camouflage possibilities to hide from the teachers (mainly 1.2 and 1.3) for as long as possible.

2.3 The Sufferers

These are the students who are ailing at any time of the year, wearing hats and scarves, sitting on the radiators in various classrooms. If they are discovered, they complain incessantly about the terrible North German climate, which apparently searches for new victims outside in the schoolyard. So they only want to protect themselves and others by avoiding a serious cold.

2.4 The Queuing Ones

These students know how to keep themselves busy during the endlessly extended breaks: they line up again and again at the end of the long queue in front of the milk bar. They imply to the supervising teachers a planned purchase and avoid being kicked out.

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At this point my research results are exhausted. I hope I was able to bring a smile to the readers of #weeklychallenge01 - I enjoyed picking out my old typescript typed "studies" and now presenting them to an international readership.

Picture: CC0-License on Pixabay

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09.04.2020

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