No matter how autonomous or disabled a child in daily life may be - his/ her soul is always healthy. It's about this soul to develop. The needs of one pupil help to develop the resources of another. Based on the Waldorf pedagogy our pupils may learn the same elements which are learned by children without handicaps. Each child grows with his body and soul, being enabled to develop its physical possibilities and to communicate. The social contacts in the group help to refine those. Already before school enrollment of the first-graders we request the cooperation with the parents because our work wouldn't make much sense without it.
Each class is arranged carefully. As a school for children with special needs we don't segregate, we form class communities. One pupil shall be example and help for another in different ways: socially, practically, in learning, in independence, calmness, endurance and presence... The concept of a class teacher enables a structured learning environment and a continuous, reliable and trustful social structure. Within the first eight years each class is lead by one class teacher who is coordinating the class team, carries responsibility for most concerns of the class and teaches most of the main subjects. Starting with the ninth class a change of is scheduled and subjects are increasingly taught in cross-class groups. Within the first eight years each class is lead by one class teacher who is coordinating the class team, carries responsibility for most concerns of the class and teaches most of the main subjects. Belonging to the class teams individual assistants who help single pupils within the day. There are also 12 to 14 young people in the school who help the classes with much commitment during their voluntary year.
Learning means in the first place to develop the senses, understand contexts, to understand oneself and the surrounding. To teach means helping to develop interest for the world, helping to develop the resources of body, soul and spirit, self-consciousness and strength of personality. The pupils are taught in a subject every morning which stays the same for four to six weeks. In this so-called main subject everything is taught that pupils need in order to love and know themselves and the world: Form drawing, writing, reading, mathematics, local history and geography, mineralogy, botany, zoology, anthropology, astronomy, physics, chemistry and others. In two classes we are showing a theatre play (Klassenspiel) with the whole class. In the lessons it's very important for us to train rhythms and art. After the main subject and a break we start other courses: English, handwork, Eurythmy, music and playing-gymnastics. Later on subjects as gardening, wood work, housekeeping/ home economics, religion, sports and art will be added.
Since ninth grade subjects of handcraft are most important. They are leading into the questions what profession each pupil will get. One of those subjects is Gardening in the school garden which is widened by a practical work in a forest and another one on a farm with the whole class. Another subject is housekeeping/ home economics. Within this subject the work in the school kitchen is done just as serving the selfmade food to the other pupils. In handwork pupils learn weaving in the senior classes. In addition to woodworks pupils learn to hammer copper and iron. In 10th to 12th grade the pupils are generally doing four individual internships of each two weeks as an orientation for professional life.
For pupils who are taught in the educational course intellectual disability have a special question after school time about what to do then. Sometimes it is needed to get more teachment to be prepared for worktime and work training. Therefore Johannes-Schule is offering a practical year in which pupils are getting closer to the educational goals. This practical year is open to pupils from other schools since their eleventh school year. The places are limited.
An important complement to our classes are our therapies which are given within school time. Besides the physiotherapy we offer several anthroposophic orientated therapies and single assistances: Therapeutic Eurythmy, Rhythmical Massage, Art therapy (drawing and plastical), music therapy, musical single assistances (singing and instruments) and speech therapy. In the so called therapy circle teachers and therapists work together. They are supported by two medical doctors. The therapies are medical certificated by a recipe of the common doctor and paid by the health insurances or privately. The school's financial association might help if requested.
As an all-day school pupils spend a big part of their childhood in it. Therefore we seek to offer a holistic and healthy education. Aside from the teaching and therapeutical work a beautiful surrounding: Light rooms with high quality and healthy materials, nicely coloured and a beautiful school area with a large garden and many possible ways of using the breaks: Movement, quiet games or retreat. A responsible way of treating environment is examplified; free areas are cultivated organically and electricity and warm water are mainly produced by ourselves. With the start of the school year 2019/20 we started our own school kitchen with mainly seasonal and local ingrediants, partly from our school garden which are daily, freshly prepared.