Like Grundschule teachers, both Hauptschule and Realschule teachers cited family support and innate intelligence as two of the most important factors. In addition, the amount of interest a student has in school, their level of interest in a particular subject, and their willingness to put forth effort were all cited as important contributors. At the Gymnasium , teachers were more likely to speak of innate intelligence, the student's interest in the material, and their motivation to learn as factors, which play a large role in their level of ability and academic performance. The most academically able students attend Gymnasium , but teachers noted that those who were a little less talented but willing to work hard could also perform well in the Gymnasium and pass the Abitur . Then there are different work styles.
Some students are able to work in a concentrated way.
A third point is the question of motivation. Students who have a certain amount of enthusiasm about the material have an easier time performing well. Despite the fact that students must meet certain criteria for their performance to enroll in the Gymnasium or the Realschule , teachers and parents alike spoke of the increasing numbers of students being sent to these school forms against the recommendation of their teacher. This was generally said to add to the diversity in the range of performance at both of these school forms. Gymnasium teachers often pointed out that the weakest students would eventually transfer to a less demanding school form.