This is How We Learn

We start with the strengths of the pupils and thus promote a systematic development of knowledge and competences. Short instruction phases alternate with phases of self-organised learning. We give the students plenty of time to practice and be creative. They organise their own learning paths and provide individual proof of learning. The Learning Guides support this process and motivate students to see mistakes as opportunities to learn. We use Learning Counters and Station Work.

We treat each other with respect, trust each other and are ready to share our knowledge, our experience and our competences with each other. Our learning forms are cooperative. The social community includes all those who live and work together at our Klax School: Students, educators, parents, kitchen staff and caretakers. They are all responsible for the community. That is why we speak of Learning Families. They are mixed in age. There are also manageable reference groups. In our value principle, binding rules for living together are described in an understandable way.

Our pedagogues see themselves as Learning Guides, as pioneers of learning processes. They create a good learning atmosphere, a stimulating learning environment, provide suitable materials and advise the pupils on their choice of learning steps. The learning guides make clear target agreements and are always transparent with regard to their performance expectations. As committed experts, they are role models for adolescents. They know how to get children and young people excited about a subject. They are highly motivated and always up to date. Their competence: to observe learning processes closely and to promote the strengths and interests of each pupil.

Successful learning requires a stimulating environment that takes into account that everyone learns differently. We take this into account with our learning studios and classrooms with different learning areas, many materials and challenging and varied tasks. A friendly, positive and solution-oriented atmosphere in the social community is also part of this. Students can feel confident that we encourage critical thinking and a willingness to take risks.

We work according to the principle of "self-organised learning". The pupils gradually assume responsibility for their own learning on their individualised learning paths. They provide individual proof of learning and receive appreciative feedback for learning reflection. The pedagogues always tie in with the strengths and interests of the learners.

Our motto: "From Consumer to Active Producer!" Our guiding principles:

• We know that digital technology is part of our world.

• We are curious, critical and creative in our thinking. That's why we also use digital technology.

• Digital technology is a tool, not an end in itself. We use it to achieve our goals.

• Digital technology never replaces the social relationship between people.

• We never use digital technology for passive consumption.

• Digital technology makes us creative and productive.

• We don't have a computer room, but we work with digital tools every day.

We pay attention to optimal class sizes and age-mixed learning families. All tasks are available in different levels of difficulty. Quick learners receive additional offers. We provide sustainable support for children in need of support. In this way, we do justice to different "learning types" and speeds. Our pedagogical specialists do not see themselves as knowledge guardians in the outdated sense, but as modern Learning Guides. They see their pupils as Learning Partners and agree individual step plans with them and make clear, verifiable learning goal agreements.

Experience is more important to us than explanation. We are convinced that the pupils learn more sustainably by trying out, researching and exploring themselves than by simply learning by heart. This is why Klax Schule regularly conducts interdisciplinary practical projects in which students independently develop questions and their own hypotheses. Each answer gives rise to a new question. Mistakes are learning opportunities. Curiosity is our fuel.
 

The Logbook and the Portfolio help our students to organise their individual learning paths. The Logbook is their daily planning and organisational aid, the Portfolio a collection of selected documents in order to consciously follow their own developing knowledge and acquisition of skills. Both are tried and tested tools for learning self-determined and self-confident learning.

We practice interdisciplinary learning according to the principle of networked knowledge. For this purpose, our pedagogical specialists develop challenging and varied tasks with many practical exercises and playful elements. Independent learning phases in the learning studio are held together by common phases and rituals such as morning circle or tutorial and final circle, common meals and student conferences.