A school day
Index
• No day is the same
• Activities
• Boredom
• Circles
• Chores
Students arrive at their own time in the morning, check themselves in and start their day at De Ruimte. Every student’s school day is unique.
No day is the same
The students indicate what they want to learn. Through recurrent activities a weekly program arises for students to join in. Everyone works from his/her own inspiration and enthusiasm. One can not predict the outcome of a day. The daily routine proves to be one of lively activity, without turning into chaos.
Activities
Students do whatever anything imaginable: they read books to one another, they work on their computer together, they climb trees, bake bread, they draw and paint, work on math or write an essay.
Some students make plans to make money, or write a script for a musical. Some do scientific experiments, calculate the size of the sun or find information on the internet. They play Dungeons and Dragons or are outside playing soccer.
Part of the students go to Math classes, or English or Biology. For some their agenda is filled, others do not even have an agenda; they decide in the moment how to spend their time.
All over the place you see people in conversation; laughing, discussing, socialising. Enthusiastic noises are heard in the gamers corner.
Boredom
It may happen that students get bored and do not really know what to do. That is not something we try to prevent. It is never an easy time, but at De Ruimte we see boredom as an important time for you to find out what is important to you and how you actually want to use your time.
I sometimes get bored at school. It’s annoying but in the end I always come up with something. I look for things to do. Usually I go see which friends have nothing to do and then we find out what we can do together. Recently, out of boredom, certain topics came up that I find interesting, such as sonar technology. I started looking on the internet and that’s how I learned more about it. I’m never afraid of being bored. I’m always looking for ways to make it disappear, I think that inspires creativity.
Olivier van Asperen, student
Circles
Many students have a role in one or more circles in the school. Members of the Animal Circle start their day in the animal quarters taking care of the animals, Secretaries of the School Circle publish the agenda for the next meeting on the board, so students know what will be decided on at the next meeting. If you are one of the runners for the Mediation Circle you go around finding people that have to be in the Mediation Room at noon. Co-workers of the Lunch Cafe go to the supermarket at 10 am and spend the rest of the morning cooking. The smells they produce lure the hungry ones to kitchen at lunch time.
Chores
All students have their chores. Either you run the reception from 10-11 am on Tuesday or you fold the laundry, or you check the attendance list, or you help cleaning up inside or outside the building.
At the end of the day everybody clears away his own things before signing out.
Check out: ‘Een student kan de was doen’.
I like the social aspect of this place the most. You just know that you are going to have crazy conversations. And that there is space to be with your friends all day long. What I really like is the relaxed atmosphere here at school. Nice that there is always opportunity for spontaneous actions. For example: today Daniël and I are working on a poster for History exams, meanwhile we are jamming with Maarten and chatting and designing logos for Helmer’s company. Or recently, when Anniek, Suzanna and I had worked three hours in a row studying. Then to blow off steam we had a Just Dance battle with the three of us, that was crazy!
Sophia Dijkstra, student