Private school or state school?

In most cases, deciding on an alternative school concept is tantamount to choosing a private school: the vast majority of schools that pursue an alternative approach are privately run. Conversely, that does not mean a private school must always be a Waldorf, Montessori or Jenaplan school: there are private schools whose pedagogical approach differs little from that of state‑run schools.

Private school only for a few?

A private school is not necessarily an elite school. In principle, all schools that are privately, i.e. non‑publicly, operated are called private schools. This includes, for example, Protestant and Catholic schools, which usually charge only a very small fee and are open to all pupils without admission requirements.

What are the differences between private and public?

Private schools are financed at least partly through school fees paid by parents. At Waldorf schools the fee is about €120 a month, while private boarding schools can cost more than €2,000 a month. This kind of financing gives schools greater freedom to determine their concept and teaching staff themselves: they can better respond to pupils’ needs and are freer to try new things. As a result, children who do not cope well in the conventional school system often have more success at a private school. Read more about private schools here.

Why an alternative school?

Over the past five to eight decades the public school system has changed dramatically: the authoritarian learning institutions of the past have become schools that actively engage with their pedagogical concept and the learning needs of pupils. Nevertheless, many parents disagree with the mainstream school system. Many criticise the 'levelling' of the public system, in which children must adapt to certain performance expectations and are hindered in their personal development. Others fear large classes

and unmotivated teachers who rigidly work through their curriculum instead of responding to the children’s interests. The decision to choose an alternative school should still be weighed carefully. Parents who enrol their child in such a school out of mere protest will quickly notice that alternative school concepts are often not just educational models but life concepts: a lot of commitment in everyday school life is expected from parents and pupils. This includes self‑determined learning as well as participation in school activities, projects and complex coordination processes.

Waldorf school – the teaching of anthroposophy

The origins of the Waldorf school:

The founder of Waldorf pedagogy was the esotericist Rudolf Steiner. Within his anthroposophical teachings Steiner had been concerned with questions of education and schooling since the beginning of the 20th century. In 1919 he became headmaster of the company school at the Waldorf‑Astoria cigarette factory in Stuttgart and there first implemented the school concept later known as Waldorf pedagogy. After all reform schools were closed during the National Socialist regime, new Waldorf schools increasingly appeared in Germany from the 1970s onwards. Today the Waldorf concept is one of the most popular reform educational approaches worldwide.

Educational principles of the Waldorf school:

The basis of the Waldorf school is the anthroposophical idea. According to Steiner, the human being is structured into spirit, soul and body. In the sense of holistic education, all these areas must be promoted equally. Therefore, in addition to the classical subjects, great emphasis is placed on the development of artistic and craft skills. The school year follows a fixed rhythm with recurring rituals, frequent school celebrations and presentations of self‑designed teaching materials.

Waldorf school in practice:

At a Waldorf school there is no conventional curriculum and no grading. Instead it is the teachers’ task to assess each child’s personality and learning development and to support them accordingly. The school day is divided into so‑called epoch lessons, which cover a particular subject for several weeks, and specialist lessons where foreign languages, art and movement are taught. Textbooks are generally not used at Waldorf schools: children create their own teaching materials during epoch lessons and use these to document their learning progress. Find out more about the Waldorf school here.

The Montessori school relies on the natural urge to learn

The origins of the Montessori school:

Montessori is not a pure school concept but an extensive pedagogical approach that covers development from early childhood to young adulthood. Montessori pedagogy was developed in the early 20th century by the Italian physician Maria Montessori. In her hospital work she repeatedly observed that children from impoverished families often grew up without intellectual stimulation. In 1907 she therefore founded her first Children’s House in a poor district of Rome with the aim of providing all children with educational and development opportunities. Within a few years Montessori children’s houses and later Montessori schools also appeared in Germany.

Educational principles of the Montessori school:

The principles of Montessori pedagogy are based on the assumption that every person has an innate curiosity and an inner drive to explore. The freer and more self‑determined a child can learn, the greater their motivation. Children learn together across age groups and at their own pace: teachers provide stimuli on various topics so that children work out content for themselves and support one another.

Montessori school in practice:

Montessori kindergartens and schools work with special, selected materials intended to stimulate children’s learning. Order plays a big role in the classroom because it should give children inner calm and structure. Instead of frontal teaching, teachers provide stimuli and otherwise remain in the background while children work independently in groups. Parents also participate actively in school life and contribute to projects and school celebrations. Read more about Montessori pedagogy and everyday life at a Montessori school here.

Jenaplan school: learning from differences

The origins of the Jenaplan school:

The Jenaplan concept was developed in 1927 by the German educationalist Peter Petersen, who held a chair at the University of Jena and at the same time was head of its university school. Petersen presented his concept of free, self‑determined learning to the committee for the New Education Fellowship conference in 1927, which coined the name 'Jenaplan'. Some of the schools run according to the Jenaplan concept today call themselves Peter‑Petersen schools after the founder of the concept.

Educational principles of the Jenaplan school:

The Jenaplan concept focuses on independent learning and working as well as communal life at school and mutual responsibility. Petersen rejected year groups because he believed they restrict pupils’ interaction with one another. At Jenaplan schools pupils learn in mixed‑age base groups. Instead of 45‑minute lessons there is a weekly work plan within which teaching and learning are tailored to the individual.

Jenaplan school in practice:

There are roughly 50 Jenaplan schools throughout Germany. Most of them are primary schools, but you can also obtain a school leaving qualification at a Jenaplan school. The school day is characterised by group teaching and project work. Regular school celebrations are intended to strengthen the school community and provide insight into others’ work. Here you can learn more about what Jenaplan schools are about.

Sudbury school: everyone learns as they wish

The origins of the Sudbury school:

All Sudbury schools follow more or less the model of the original Sudbury Valley School, which a group of educators founded in 1968 in the US state of Massachusetts. The Sudbury Valley School was modelled on the reform school Summerhill, which opened in 1921 as one of the first democratic schools in Great Britain.

Educational principles of the Sudbury school:

The Sudbury school aims to enable children to learn completely self‑directedly, free from obligations and constraints. At a Sudbury school children decide from the outset what they learn, when and with whom. Playing, reading and creative work are just as possible as project courses. There is no curriculum, no classes and no fixed lesson times. Instead, children mix across ages to occupy themselves and learn together.

Sudbury school in practice:

There are no fixed lesson times and usually no set start to the school day. At most Sudbury schools all children are expected to be at school by a certain time, around 10:00, and remain there for at least five hours. Student assemblies play an important role, where school rules, courses and other offerings are decided democratically. The rest of the time children play or learn independently, together with teachers or other children. There are no assessment records or written exams, so pupils who wish to gain a school leaving qualification must take the examinations externally at another school. Read more about the Sudbury school concept here.

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Empty classroom with whiteboard © Rido - stock.adobe.com