Jenaplan (or Jena Plan) schools are based on a teaching concept conceived and founded by the German pedagogue Peter Petersen from 1923-1927. The term Jenaplan was coined by the London committee for preparing the 4th meeting of the ‘’New Education Fellowship’’ in Locarno in 1927. Petersen developed his concept at the University of Jena (hence the term), where he was the head of the Department of Education since 1923.
The basic ideas are: independent learning by doing, cooperation and communal life, shared responsibility by school children and parents. The basic forms of education according to the Jenaplan approach are:
The Jenaplan schools operate according to 20 basic principles, e.g.:
Jenaplan schools in Germany are, among others:
Jenaplan schools in the Netherlands are, among others:
Other Jenaplan schools are located in Austria and in South Tyrol, Italy.