ESC: Volunteer in a non-formal school in the Black Forest

Freie Schule Brigach was found in 2006. Now, about 30 children - age 6 to 14 - attend the school. Our school broadens and enriches the educational variety in the county of Schwarzwald-Baar. The educational concept meets the requirements of curriculums at state schools. We pay special attention to build up skills being requested in the curriculum. The concept of our school is not combined to any ideology or religious confession. In our educational focus is the individual child with his or her strenghts and skills. It is characteristic for our school to teach in open classes and the groups are mixed of age. Educational material support children to learn individually and within their own pace. Students experience democracy, which offers freedom and limits, individuality and community. The teachers role is to give input and advices, to support students on their own way of learning. The heart of our concept is the pupil's self-responsibility. Pupils are taught to work independently. Teachers are not an authority who knows everything, but someone who supports and accompanys the pupils in their process of learning. Volunteers will be supporting the kids during their studies and might do their own projects with the kids, such as gardening, cooking, doing excursions, depending on the volunteers creativitiy and interest. Our device is: "Become, who you are."