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Productive Learning - Information for Young People

We have a fairly unusual school week. We spend three days at a practice placement and two days at school. The school year is divided differently, too - we have terms, not semesters. We go to different practice placements every term. We find our own placements by asking in shops, offices, businesses and institutions if we can have our practical experiences there for three months.
The best placement for me so far was in the travel agency. I did things there I never dreamed I'd be able to do. I had a really great boss, too. He made time for me and always explained everything to me properly. Of course we learn things in school, too - but in a different way. We all work on our own Topic. We decide what the topic will be with the teacher. Then we write about our topic and we talk about it with other students in our group or we do a presentation. It's exiting and sometimes we film it all on video. Nobody believes it when I tell them that only a year ago I had no interset at all in school.

		"I have learned so much more through Productive Learning, especially that learning can be fun."

What is Productive Learning?

>	You learn through practical experiences and in school. Both elements are connected and are not treated separately.
>	You are able to choose your area of practice yourself and also your own themes to a large degree.
>	You can find out which profession you are really interested in.
>	You are able to learn in a way which is most suitable for yourself and for the way you learn.
>	You are not being assessed exclusively by teachers but you will also learn to assess yourself and your performance and achievements.

A typical time table of a young person in Productive Learning consists of 30 to 32 hours per week:

-	17 hours Learning in Practice outside of school
-	5 hours Communication Group
-	2 hours German
-	2 hours English
-	2 hours Maths
-	2 hours Other Learning Areas

In each of two school years you will have three different placements. You will choose these places of practice yourself. You can choose them in craft workshops, offices, shops, radio stations or in television, at theatres and in many other areas of employment or of non-profit organisations (for example, in a firm that was set up by pupils themselves). The main point is that you are really interested in what you will do. You will "work" at this place, but mainly you will learn there the topics you need for understanding and for improving what you are doing.

	"What is the difference between a chemical and a natural dye?"

All learning tasks which you develop together with your educators ought to be connected to the activities that you carry out at your places of practice so in German, English and Maths. Within the domain of other 'Learning Areas' these are tasks about People and Culture, Society and Economy as well as Nature and Technology.

"When I had a place of practice with a tiler I noticed that I had to look into maths again and in particular into geometry. The tiler was able to convince me simply with practical arguments."

You are learning together with other pupils in groups but you can also carry out your own tasks by yourself with the aid of a computer, a library, and many other resources. You will find them in the learning workshop which is part of every Productive Learning project.

In the Communication Group you are sharing your experiences at the places of practice with other pupils, work on tasks related to your practice area, plan your future learning, talk about up-to-date and interesting topics and plan joint activities.

And what can a student achieve in Productive Learning?

	"I am more self-confident, have my own opinion and like to discuss things in a sensibel way. This has come about because the individual person really matters in Productive Learning."

You learn what importance the different topics have in 'real life'. It is equally important that you realise again that learning can be fun, that you are able to find out what your own abilities are, how they can be developed and what profession you would like to study for.

All achievements are jointly assessed by you, your educators and your mentors at the places of practice and then noted down in your certificate. This certificate is of equal value to those awarded in all other schools.

You get an "education report" three times a year which is part of a certificate and which details everything that has been achieved and what kind of experiences you have had. You also receive a certificate from the firms in which you were learning.

If you get the necessary number of points you are able to attain the secondary school graduation leaving certificate (9th and 10th form) and in Berlin also the secondary school leaving certificate called "mittlerer Schulabschluss" (for more information it is best to contact the schools or the IPLE).

Is everbody able to engage in Productive Learning?

Everybody who is willing to make a fresh start, who wants to engage in something different and new, and who wants to become active in real life can participate in Productive Learning. It is fairly irrelevant how you were assessed previously in school. If you want to become independent and if you want to take on responsibility for yourself, when you are ready to deal with yourself and when you don't want to be spoon-fed, then Productive Learning is just the right place for you.

All schools and institutions for young people which offer Productive Learning are listed in the menu bar:
Productive Learning in Berlin,
Productive Learning in Brandenburg,
Productive Learning in Sachsen-Anhalt,
Productive Learning in Sachsen,
Productive Learning in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern,
Productive Learning in Thüringen.

Please email us if you would like to receive more information.

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