“You Are the Coyote,” She Remarked As We Said
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Other Education: The Journal of Educational Alternatives ISSN 2049-2162 Volume 4 (2015), Issue 2 · pp. 107-118 OTHER CONTRIBUTIONS Free Alternative Schools in Germany Matthias Hofmann, Dipl. Paed., Berlin “As a movement for radical reform organised by Leo N. Tolstoi (1828– 1910). of school practice [the alternative On his estate he taught the children of the school movement] plays an servants. Participation for the children was important role in the Federal voluntary. They were offered a meal Republic of Germany [FRG: West (something not to be underestimated as an Germany]. This role is by far not incentive to attend school at the time). A fully played out yet. For Free boy who came every day and simply lay Alternative Schools it is not only down at the furnace to rest was left to about changing individual himself by Tolstoi. After a few months this elements of school practice. It is child was able to write (apparently simply rather about designing school as a by passive observation). This for Tolstoi whole anew with a view to address confirmed that there are many different changing educational and social ways to learn something. challenges. Exactly for this reason Further alternative school projects they are also of utmost importance were established in Spain by Francisco for the development of the entire Ferrer (1859–1909) and his Escuola school system” (Maas, in Borchert Moderna, or also the school of A.S. Neill & Maas, 1998, p. 17, all (1893–1970) called “Summerhill,” in translations by author). Suffolk, England. When the first free schools were Abstract founded in Germany in the 1970s the texts In this essay the roots of Free Alternative of A. S. Neill, George Dennison (1925– Schools (FAS) are depicted and their 1987) and Francisco Ferrer had been history in Germany over the last 40 years circulated widely as bootleg copies within is sketched. The educational concepts of circles of the political movement the schools are presented and a critical following the student’s revolt in 1968. appraisal of their current situation is Less attention however was given to the included. first radical school projects during the Weimar Republic. Early days It is possible that this potential The first project that retrospectively can be historical reference was largely neglected seen as a free alternative to school was because of the eradication of the entire 107 OTHER CONTRIBUTIONS Free Alternative Schools in Germany libertarian-alternative school reform a) Historical references are found in the movement during the time of fascist rule Reform- und Versuchsschul- in Germany. Only a few radical left wing bewegung (reform and model school teachers like Minna Specht returned from movement). In land reform schools, exile after 1945 and got involved in the Jenaplan and Montessori schools it establishment of democratic forms of was assumed that education “from schooling in West Germany. Another the position of the child” needs to be reason could be that the proposition of the holistic, including “heads, hearts and term “reform pedagogy” by Hermann hands” (Maas, 1998, p. 15). Target Nohl (1963) assembled a “movement” of a groups for these schools were peculiarly wide spectrum ranging from the children and adolescents, in left wing radical Karl Marx School in particular also from a working class Berlin-Neukölln to school concepts with background. clearly racist basic positions. b) Political struggles against capitalism and the state’s structures throughout First establishment of schools the 1960s led to the development of The first Free Alternative Schools (FAS) potentially critically minded people. in the FRG were founded at the beginning From within these (often student’s) of the 1970s. The oldest schools are the circles the anti- authoritarian Freie Schule Frankfurt and the Kinderlaeden originated. A centre of Glockseeschule Hannover. Since their the Kinderlaeden movement was early days FAS represents a diverse Berlin. In the Kinderlaeden anti- movement. In different towns the autoritarian lifestyles were practiced beginnings varied a lot: (with reference e. g., to Summerhill school). The target groups of Since 1974 the Freie Schule Kinderlaeden were children before Frankfurt had to fight a legal official school age (i. e., children battle over 12 years for its right under the age of six). to exist and to get the state’s c) The third point of reference for the recognition. This fate—years of establishment of FAS was the free running a school without state school movement in the US. In big funding and under pressure of cities in the US, schools had been illegality—was shared by many founded in which particularly other schools in the FRG, e. g., children and adolescents of lower in Würzburg, Kassel and social classes were catered for. An Bremen. (Maas, 1998, p. 16) essential element for these schools was the voluntary attendance of Irrespective of personal motives of the lessons (Maas, 1998, p. 16). founders there are three main strands of motivation and conceptual references that These three strands—which can be played a role for the alternative school summarized as reform and model schools, movement. anti-authoritarian Kinderlaeden and voluntary attendance of lessons—provided 108 Matthias Hofmann the basis for the first Free Alternative up to the German Abitur (numbers taken Schools (FAS) in the FRG. from 2012). It took until the end of the 1970s for Normally parents pay a school fee this development to gain some attention in according to their income level. This is the public sphere at a time when the meant to allow also children from families debates of school reform were no longer of lower income strata to attend the dominated by the topic of comprehensive schools. In principle every school fee is an schooling. A first national meeting of FAS obstacle to all inclusive participation. Only (and start-up groups) was organised in if FAS were funded exactly in the same 1978. New input came from the side of the manner as state schools would it be ecological and the peace movement. possible to assess their strengths and Elements of ecological education and weaknesses in a fair comparison. intercultural learning played a role in the What the member schools of BFAS further development of the alternative have in common is the wide ranging schools. By 1988 there were already 18 participation of students in all aspects of such schools in the FRG. This school organisation, group activities, and development also led to the establishment decision making. Students are involved in of a national umbrella organisation: the everyday tasks within the schools, Bundesverband der Freien tidying, cleaning, but also offering Alternativschulen (BFAS). learning projects, and a variety of extra “While in the old FRG the ‘Free- activities often planned and carried out as School-Founding-Euphoria’ of the 1980s mixed age activities. ebbed significantly during the 1990s there FAS rarely limit themselves to one was new drive and hope coming for the particular “educational line.” The school alternative school movement from the East concepts hardly ever provide such a “pure with the unification of Germany” (Maas, doctrine.” Instead there is a creative 1998, p. 17). At the end of the 1990s there eclectic reference to diverse educators and were 36 FAS operating in Germany as a model schools and in this manner a whole (East and West reunified) with a concept is designed that can take care of total of 1600 students. the individuality of children and of changing social conditions. Alternative schools today There is however a risk that a kind of There are now nearly 100 Free Alternative educational arbitrariness creeps in that Schools and start-up groups as members of allows schools to act differently on a BFAS. The vast majority of these schools random basis, changing from day to day. operate as independent schools, some are Strong personalities often find great scope run by local authorities. As of September for their ideas within alternative schools. 2012, there were 5000 students registered As long as such influence is exerted in the within FAS. The schools offer a full day context of a school’s concept and to the programme, with 20 of the schools also benefit of the children it is normally a gain running a day-nursery. Forty-eight of the for everyone involved. schools include primary and secondary Where personal (biographic, religious- school level, and one of the schools leads esoteric, ideologic or other) attitudes of 109 OTHER CONTRIBUTIONS Free Alternative Schools in Germany teachers in alternative schools become The present and future problems dominant factors an essential point is of society (environmental lacking: FAS are there for the children and problems, wars, poverty, etc.) adolescents to allow them their own can only be solved experiences and to enable them to develop democratically by individuals their own attitudes. A central idea in this who are able to live according to context is the concept of self-regulation, or the principles of personal autonomy. responsibility and democracy. This concept needs to be understood Alternative schools seek to offer via its counterpart: control. In the state’s children, teachers and parents the schools there are quite detailed regulations opportunity to practice self- that have to be followed, so that teachers regulation and democracy again experience their situation as being and again in everyday life. This controlling. The concept of self-regulation is the most important political in FAS is meant to apply to all actors. dimension of alternative schools. Nevertheless it is particularly important Alternative schools are schools for the children. in which childhood is understood For teachers this means to reflect on as an equally respected phase of their own practice and avoid unconscious life with the rights of self- transferences.