About the school
Basic facts
- Private first-stage elementary school with a long and successful tradition (since 1991).
- Its own, unique Duhovka - Škola Hrou curriculum, based on children's natural curiosity, desire to learn, playfulness, creativity, spontaneity and innate nature, inspired by the approach of Maria Montessori.
- Relatively small classes (at most 18 children per class), and a total capacity of 100 children (with a planned target of at most 180 in the future). This allows the children to get to know each other individually, and to work, develop and learn together.
- Spacious garden.
Approach
- There are no bells for classes , - their length and content are decided by the teachers. Children and teachers are all on first-name terms, and in Czech the friendly, informal "ty" style is used. continue
- We give verbal evaluations for all grades and subjects. These cover the children's efforts, abilities and skills, and their progress in relation to the preceding period. Children are not compared against each other.
- We use a wide variety of teaching methods – groups, special topics, individual activities, discussions, looking for alternative solutions, critical thinking... Teaching always proceeds step by step. Children are given the freedom to be creative, to apply their own logical processes, to bring up topics and achieve an understanding of them. Our approach emphasizes purpose, understanding and each child's own interpretation. The traditional "teacher at front" approach is used only rarely. The same applies to textbooks and student workbooks. Teachers prepare their own worksheets for the children based on the topics the class is currently studying and each child's abilities.
- We prefer imagination, thinking outside the box, purpose and usefulness to drilling, correction, speed, and rote learning.
- We emphasize development of the art of communication - we play act with the children, hold discussions on current social themes or on topics that children bring up. We engage the children in school presentations, such as exhibitions, Open Days etc. Through this, they learn to formulate and to openly present their thoughts, ideas and opinions, to express their disagreement, and also to listen to others.
- The sources of information we use are encyclopedias, a wide range of teaching texts approved by the Ministry of Education, a fiction library, the internet, and also the personal experiences of the children, their teachers and parents.
- We see mistakes simply as a learning opportunity. The children learn that everyone makes mistakes, teachers too, and that it's natural to point them out to each other, and look into the reasons for them.
- We respect each child's personalityas a unique being, uncover his/her strengths and highlight them, showing them to the others. We value children's efforts and determination, and the originality of their approaches to problem solving. We teach them to distinguish between real laughter and ridicule, and we're not afraid to laugh at the funny side of situations. It's a good feeling when someone says something funny and along with the children we can laugh at ourselves.
- Our teaching approach not only on minds and bodies, but on feelings too. At the morning sharing session, we first find out how the children are feeling that day. If they're hungry, sad or tired, if something hurts or they're concerned about something, we look for ways to transform those feelings into more positive ones, so we can establish a good mood for later activities. We observe how the children behave towards each other, and to create an atmosphere of mutual appreciation we have "compliments time". At school assemblies or in class we each express our gratitude and appreciation for situations where someone was kind to us, helped us, advised us or stood up for us.
- We offer a unique working environment, whose principles are honesty, openness, friendliness, cooperation, human warmth, humor, consideration, respect and understanding.
Results
- Above-average academic results in comparative testing performed by the organizations SCIO and KALIBRO
- Outstanding success rate in sending students on to academic middle-high schools and selective schools
- Children can transfer to standard elementary schools at the end of each school year.
- The teaching staff at Škola Hrou form a unique community of people who work with love, understanding, consideration and respect for the individual qualities of children's personalities.
- Many are also friends outside school, and stay in contact with us even if they leave. In the History section you can read some of their reminiscences, assessments and messages to the school.
Services
- Meals – optionally including snacks in the form of a buffet. A choice of two possible dishes for lunch, one of which is usually a vegetarian option. We have our own kitchen and lunchroom in the school building. Tasty meals are prepared by our friendly chefs Pepa and Ivana continue
- After-school center – offering its own special program for children, running straight from the end of their classes through to 5.30 p.m. The after-school center brings together children from all grades, and is set up so that children can always choose either to take part in the organized program or to do one of the range of activities on offer, where they feel like they're "just playing".
- Clubs – arts and crafts (we run a studio with courses in arts and crafts, ceramics, weaving, art history), music (flute, piano) and sports - physical activities (sports clubs, dance, ballet).
- Special needs teacher - support for children with special educational needs. The teacher works with children individually as part of both the school's teaching program and the after-school program.
- Counseling, consultation, diagnostic assessment – school psychologist and therapist
![[design/2009/ilustrace.jpg]](http://www.skola-hrou.cz/content/images/design/2009/ilustrace.jpg)