Eichsfeld: Fifth graders experience playful entry into the school year

Eichsfeld: Fifth graders experience playful entry into the school year

Eichsfeld. A new phase of life begins for the fifth graders of the "Lorenz Kellner" regular school "Lorenz Kellner". The beginning of the new school year is not only celebrated with new subjects, but also with exciting activities that should help the students to settle in faster. A special highlight are the getting to know each other that make the start of school an unforgettable experience.

In order to introduce the new students to school, a creative program was launched. As part of this getting to know each other, a puppet theater piece was presented that brings the young listeners closer to important social issues in an entertaining way. The "pleasing theater" from Erfurt was a guest and presented the performance "I want what you don't want" that took place in the auditorium and introduced the students to the topic of democracy.

democratic decisions in a playful way

The central theme of the play revolves around a family that lives in a new house and now has to decide who can get which room. Class teacher Heike Hensel describes: "The piece illustrated the children in an entertaining way how important it is to make common decisions and take different views into account." This type of mediation was not only instructive, but also exciting and spoken.

Hensel was particularly pleased about the interactive conclusion of the play, in which the children were actively involved in the decision -making process. "The pupils had the opportunity to take a stand and experience that opinions can change when convincing arguments are on the table," she reports enthusiastically.

The event was not only an entertaining change in everyday school life, but also a great opportunity to promote social skills. During the theater, the foundation stone was laid for a stronger feeling of community, which is particularly important because the new fifth graders have to find their way around in a completely new environment.

The reaction of the participants was consistently positive, which is also evident in the previous response that the "pleasing theater" could collect in other schools. The concept of combining education and entertainment clearly shows how effective such approaches can be to sensitize students to important topics.

a successful start to the school year

For the new fifth graders, this theater performance not only represented an exciting entry into the school year, but also a unique opportunity to get to know the classmates better. Heike Hensel emphasizes that the play gained a deeper understanding of democratic processes, which will benefit the students in the further school career. This experience could lay the foundation for a new and open cooperation in the classroom, which is based on respect and discussion.

In today's world, in which democracy is often questioned, it is of crucial importance to convey the importance of community decisions and diversity of opinion to children. Such projects contribute to the fact that the next generation learns and uses values such as tolerance and fairness, which ultimately also contributes to strengthening social cohesion.

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democracy education in everyday school life. The promotion of democratic values in schools is a central concern of educational policy in Germany.

In recent years, awareness of the importance of democracy education in schools has increased. The federal government and the federal states have launched numerous initiatives to bring young people closer to the basics of a functioning democracy. Programs like "Live democracy!" And "Initiative for Democracy and Tolerance" actively campaign for the promotion of participation and political education. These programs offer schools and support to actively integrate students in the decision -making processes of their living environment.

The influence of theater on education

The use of theater as a pedagogical means is not new, but has become increasingly important in recent years. Studies show that theater performances not only promote creative thinking, but also social skills. The play "I want what you don't want" is an example of how art and education can go hand in hand to create interactive learning experiences. Students can develop empathy through role -playing games and understand the perspectives of other people.

Another advantage of such theater events is the possibility of conveying topics in an appealing and accessible way. They open discourses and encourage students to think about social issues. In this way, the need for discussions and votes in the context of democracy is not only explained theoretically, but also made practically tangible.

Current statistics on democracy education

According to a survey by the German Youth Institute from 2022, 78 % of the young people surveyed stated that they had a better understanding of democracy through practical learning approaches such as workshops or theater projects. In addition, 65 % reported a positive development of their social skills through such events. These numbers underline the effectiveness of interactive approaches to promoting democratic values and social responsibility among students.

Overall, it can be seen that events such as those of the "pleasing theater" are not only entertaining, but also play an important role in the educational landscape by strengthening the democratic awareness of young people and actively involving them in the process of forming opinion.

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