School cone association

Ligist elementary school: Why learning must be learned

Roswitha Hafen goes into the classroom as a workshop organizer.

(Bild: Juergen Fuchs)

Anxiety or excessive demands in the school system often begin at a young age. This is exactly where the Schultüte prevention team comes in and creates positive approaches to learning. In her workshop at Ligist elementary school, Roswitha Hafen uses walnuts and lavender oil.

It's 9.45 a.m. on a foggy Thursday morning and Roswitha Hafen is standing in the classroom of the 4A class at Ligist elementary school. "What did we do last time?" she asks the class. A boy in the front row eagerly raises his hand: "We learned by listening, looking and moving." The aim of the "Learning to learn" workshop is to show schoolchildren a positive approach to learning by finding out for themselves what helps them.

Marvie, Rosalie and Jana already know this pretty well. Their learning styles seem to be quite similar: "I read through everything, then I memorize it," says Jana. "I write everything down first, then I practice with my mom and dad," says Rosalie. Hafen calls these tricks a "toolbox" that she wants to pass on to the children.

Rosalie, Jana and Marvie (from left) from the 4aA class at Ligist elementary school.

(Bild: Juergen Fuchs)

And this should also be filled properly in the second unit. Hafen places a bowl of walnuts, a jug of water and a few cups on the table in front of him. "The brain is pretty cheeky," she explains. With a size of two to three percent of our body, it needs 20 percent of our food intake and as much as 40 percent of our oxygen. The children all come forward to get their hands on a "brain nut".

Scents can also stimulate learning.

(Bild: Juergen Fuchs)

Since 2013, the 52-year-old educator has invested a lot of time and love in supporting the youngest children with her "Prevention Team School Cone" association. With her six-strong multi-professional team, she primarily visits homes, nurseries and schools in Western Styria. Preventative work is particularly important to her: for example, if a child is already avoiding playing memory games at kindergarten age, this should be investigated.

Thomas Jaklitsch from the Voitsberg-Köflach Rotary Club and Roswitha Hafen, head of the "Prevention Team Schultüte" association.

(Bild: Juergen Fuchs)

Mathematics is at least as tricky. Positive experiences also count when it comes to early mathematical education. This endeavor also motivated the Rotary Club Voitsberg-Köflach to support the donation-financed association with 11,000 euros. "It was important to me because I had dyslexia and dyscalculia myself," says Thomas Jaklitsch, who has since taken over as Rotary President.

Back in the classroom, where it now smells of lemon, lavender and peppermint. This should also help the children to be stimulated while learning. Marvie has sprinkled some lemon scent on a piece of paper and Jana a few drops of lavender essential oil. "I also have a scented oil and a lavender scented candle at home," she says. Her plan for the next time she has to study for a test: Study from a self-written piece of paper, put the scented candle next to her and grab some walnuts to snack on.