Sharing a common meal has always promoted social cohesion. It builds confidence and trust in a way that few other activities can. Learn how cultural scientists explain today’s eating habits and how eating meals together is associated with better school performance and wellbeing.

Today, modern media education is a subject that concerns us all: parents, teachers and students. To ensure that productivity doesn't get lost in the vastness of digital possibilities and that competent media use becomes a successful experience for everyone involved, we have interviewed various experts and compiled valuable inspirations for this issue.

"Nothing is more contagious than teachers who are enthusiastic about their subjects and who are able to really get students involved," said Dr Petra Arndt from the TransferCentre for Neurosciences and Learning in Ulm. Find out everything about the "learning turbo" enthusiasm and that, in addition to interest, mistakes are also part of the joyful learning experience.

"I like to play indoors better 'cause that's where all the electrical outlets are"- This was the answer given by a nine-year-old when asked by environmental journalist Richard Louv where he spent his free time. In this issue, we would like to encourage readers of all ages to "get out into the wild!" and to show what role education can play in this.

School is finished and you have qualifications under your belt. But what happens next? Students are weighing up future life choices for themselves earlier and more often. Read our special feature on the multitude of options once school is over: Phorms alumni offer advice, everything you need to know about applying and going to university, four pathways to training, time out after school or unusual careers.

The challenges and opportunities of intercultural education: The need for children and adolescents to constructively and successfully negotiate a society shaped by cultural diversity means that intercultural education in day-to-day schooling is more important than ever. But how do school children acquire the ability to recognise and appreciate cultural differences and similarities? In this issue we get to the bottom of these questions

How can teachers and parents help children to accept challenges instead of feeling overwhelmed by them? What does it mean to give the “right” praise? And how do you cope with setbacks and learn from mistakes? These questions are answered by the renowned professor Carol Dweck with her concept of "Growth" and "Fixed Mindset". This education concept is the subject of contentious debate and featured in our key topic

With the immersion method, children pick up languages automatically - without the stress of vocabulary lists. But what exactly does it mean to learn a language immersively? Learn all about this method of teaching a second language in our key topic

Reach out arm, smile, click: another selfie! Add a filter and some Hashtags before it is posted on Facebook, Instagram and co - It's impossible to imagine young people's lives without social media. Read our special feature on social media, data privacy, cyberbullying and media education

Students who attend a Phorms School learn German and English from the first year. This is the best possible start towards the German Abitur and an international programme. And Phorms secondary schools allow their students to do both. Here we present the advantages of this system and ask how students can best master this challenging stage of their education

Off the sofa and into the big, wide world. From the USA to Costa Rica and from Cambodia to Spain - those who discover a foreign country without their parents for the first time learn a lesson for life

Not everyone has to be a genius, but politicians complain that too few young people are entering the field of science and technology. But what should we do to attract children and young people to these subjects? Read our special feature on MINT and how to get children interested in maths, IT, science and technology