ERZIEHER IN OUR ELEMENTARY SCHOOL
The acquisition of a language through immersion (diving into a language) needs time. At our full-time school we have this time to listen and respond to the children individually and more flexible throughout the school day.
Teacher and Erzieher work together as a team in the class and see the children from different perspectives.
ð Example: Language activities- & study time can be shaped & planned together
There, topics from lessons can be
- reprocessed
- repeated
- worked on additionally
Example: Science Topic Geographic Direction = language activity time: treasure hunt with a compass
Mathematics: Addition = language activity time: Macke (fun dice game)
The holistic and best suitable development of the children is in the foreground. A big part in this is the development of the motor skills, because one cannot learn without exercise and movement.
Therefore the whole day is structured between phases of concentration and relaxation. This allows the children to find their own pace and they learn how to manage the daily routine. The Erzieher see the children from different perspectives throughout the day (lessons, breaks, meals, etc.).
The child is embraced the way it is and is stimulated from where its individual development is right now.
What do the children ‚learn‘? It is important to be close to the child and to understand the child’s reality and its own perception of the world. Throughout the day we have time to do that.
Learning also means: to not be able to do everything right away, but practice constantly, taking small steps. Our job is to teach the kids:
=> to acknowledge mistakes as chance to learn
=> to endure frustration, try again myself if I do not succeed right away
=> to independently search for problem solutions (e.g.: thereby learning which learning type I
am as a person: auditory, visual, kinesthetic…)
Things the children are interested in are as well our focus.
Planned activities are based on the age as well as the ability to concentrate and other things.
As they also go by the children’s interest and therefore their motivation, we play for example games that support the acquisition of reading and writing skills. The games help the children to get additionally acquainted with it.
ð Activities are also planned according to seasons or special occasions. Example: the historical and social background of Halloween with stories, riddles, music or pumpkin carving. Competences, such as personal & interpersonal skills, resp. emotional and cognitive skills, as well as experiencing different materials are developed through different activities. That includes Time to rest (e.g. autogenous training like massage stories) and nonsense activities. Free-play with classmates & children from all ages are very important as well. There they have to interact with others, make their own decisions and deal with the consequences deriving from their own decisions.
ð Activities in mixed age groups are happening during the club time, as well as during breaks.
Special Instructions (e.g. strangers) are part of the language activities (often through role plays).
All this involves chaos. Things fall down and kids get confused before they understand things. But this being allowed to try things and learning to take responsibility for oneself is what we understand as creating a school as a place to grow in and become a caring person. Children should be allowed to try things and experiment in the protected environment of our school. That includes clear structures and boundaries, through which the children can orientate themselves.
All this is a (learning/raising-)PROCESS, that needs time. It can only work if we work together. On one hand we as experts for pedagogy, on the other hand you, as experts for your children.
Erziehung ist Prozess und Resultat einer Einwirkung eines Menschen auf einen anderen, mit dem Ziel bei dem zu Erziehenden eine Auseinandersetzung mit sich selbst, mit anderen und mit der Umwelt zu erwirken. Diese Einwirkung ist bewusst, planmäßig, organisiert und zielstrebig. Sie findet immer unter konkreten Bedingungen statt.