Information in English


Wellcome to the Internet Pages of our School Freie Schule LernZeitRäume!

Here you can find a summary of the Information presented on the web site in English.

The idea:

In January 2005 we, the founding members, teachers and parents of children of preschool-age, came together to initiate the project “LernZeitRäume e.V.”

We are united in the wish to create a school in which children:

• are allowed to conquer the world by learning

• are assisted in developing their creativity, accompanied by trusting adults

• are enabled to develop their personal potential by self-motivation and self-assurance

• find their individual time-space (ZeitRaum) to acquire the knowledge of the world, offered to them in a stimulating environment

Traditional and new elements:

We utilize the experiences of:

• Loris Malaguzzi and his Reggio Pedagogics: “Children have 100 languages …”

• Célestin Freinet and his French theory of education: “Watch the children playing and you'll realize that they are entirely fascinated by their own activity …”

• Peter Petersen and his Jenaplan Pedagogics: “Motion is the nourishment of the child's growing body; its prevention is a crime against a child's health …”

We connect them, for example, with:

• experiences from educational institutions in Finland

• European standards in learning foreign languages

• the concept of “Cooperative Learning” by Kathy and Norm Green

Structures:

• daily offer of sports and physical activities

• half-year enrolment in February as well as in September

• small groups with two teachers each

• mixed age groups after Peter Petersen

• lunch for all together

• specific offers for boys and girls

• playing and learning in spacious rooms, labs, workshops, and outdoors

• a variety of working methods, such as working according to a weekly plan and studio work, working in the school garden, and others

• individual support of each child

• a foreign language from preschool on

General principles:

We create a place for children to learn and live where they feel safe and sheltered, independent of ethnic, social or religious backgrounds, gender or handicap.

• We provide an atmosphere in which reliability and a positive learning climate create trustful relationships among all people involved.

• Cooperation with municipal educational institutions as well as with scientific institutions critically accompanying our work are part of our democratic identity.

• We want children to keep their natural curiosity, so that valuable learning processes can take place. For this, we are developing a sophisticated culture of feedback. Changing to any other school is possible at any time.

• We give children time and space to learn about and appreciate their own abilities and natural gifts as well as their limits.

• We cultivate intensive relationships between children and adults in a culture of appreciation and encouragement.

• In our school children learn, together with their pedagogical companions, to set themselves realistic goals and take responsibility for their own decisions.

• Participation in decision-making and the feeling of solidarity are supported in our school community, since we regard it as a small-scale democratic society.

“It's a funny thing with me”, Lotta said. “I can do such a lot!” She had just demonstrated to Jonas and Mia-Maria how good she was at whistling. No wonder, therefore, that she was satisfied with herself!
Astrid Lindgren: Lotta kann fast alles

“In one of the fields, there was a very special tree I loved; its silhouette against the sky appealed to me in a peculiar way. I still see it before me, and also the winding path leading up to it. That Nature existed besides the realm of the school was a deeply reassuring feeling.”
Oliver Sacks: Uncle Tungsten – memories of a chemical boyhood
(Onkel Wolfram – Erinnerungen)

Pillars:

• Primary school and secondary schools

• Educational centre for adults

• a primary school and secondary schools in which the children learn in mixed age groups

• an educational centre for adults where our pedagogics and its related fields are made transparent and understandable, serving as a centre for various activities and adressing all citizens in the community

We are glad to answer your questions.

Everyone wanting to support us and take an active part in our work is warmly welcome!