Community

Students have to learn to be part of their community. This includes both getting to know the neighborhood and helping out at nearby institutions. Field trips to points of interest in the neighborhood are an active way to reach a closer relationship with people around you. It can be as easy as setting up visits to the local fire station or the public library, seeing how a supermarket is managed or going for a nature walk around the block. Services even young students can accomplish may include singing songs at a pension home or reading to sick children in a hospital. When older, students should get involved in understanding the democratic structures existing in their neighborhood by getting to know their city representative or setting up role plays of political discussions that are actually happening at the time; for example a discussion about planting trees or creating a bike path on a popular street. The students should prepare the different positions and convincing arguments and then can compare the outcome of their role play with the actual outcome in real life when they come home from school. In addition, community members can get involved in the school life by donating their time or knowledge or helping out with material the school needs to set up specific projects.