Scan Magazine | Special Theme | Danish Education Special – Efterskoler
Providing the time and space needed for achievement Tolne Efterskole, based in the northern part of Jutland, has created an environment where practical skills, personal development and new friendships are at the forefront of what they do. The school was specifically created for students with special needs and attracts students from across Denmark.
Anne-Mette Reeckmann explains. Every afternoon, the students are taught about day-to-day life, from the practicalities of cooking to socialising with others.
By Josefine Older Steffensen | Photos: Tolne Efterskole
Every Wednesday afternoon the students play sports, while Friday afternoons are dedicated to a subject of the student’s choosing including, but not limited to, self-defense, English, creative maths, and DIY. The weekends and any free time is often spent by the fire in the living room or at one of the four activities offered every evening.
“What’s important is to learn and to be together with each other in a community where the individual has plenty of space to develop academically, personally and socially at their own pace,” explains Anne-Mette Reeckmann, principal at Tolne Efterskole. “We want the students to achieve as much as they can, so that they ultimately want to continue to learn and be active in society.” There are 11 different kinds of workshops for the students to choose between, where the teaching is made to suit each student. The workshops often take place in small groups of four to eight students, meaning that there is plenty of time for each student. The workshops cover a wide range of interests and are offered within construction and installation, en70 | Issue 106 | November 2017
gines and metal, drama and movement, music, IT and media, arts and crafts, kitchen, farming and horse riding, nature, sports, and janitor and gardener. Learning by doing is an interactive way of gaining academic knowledge and, for many, it is much more fun. The workshops run for half a year, giving the opportunity to get stuck into a variety of subjects.
The community “The school becomes home to our students, and they can stay here for one, two or three years. Most choose to stay for more than a year. The youngest students share a room with someone else in the main building, while the older students live in houses surrounding the school,”
“The evening activities, the education and the entire school give the students the opportunity to feel part of a community where they have to take responsibility for themselves and the people around them. Teaching them to play an active role is a fundamental aspect of what we do at Tolne Efterskole,” concludes Anne-Mette Reeckmann. Web: www.tolneefterskole.dk