The business idea of Freinetskolan Mimer
Freinetskolan Mimer in Norrtälje, Sweden, provides conditions for the best possible
education and development for children 1-16 years of age through pedagogical work
according to the ideas of Celestin Freinet, in a familiar, small-scale organisation
and with the participation of children, parents and staff in the decision making
processes.
Organisation
Freinetskolan Mimer has about 160 schoolchildren and 25-30 children in the day care
centre. The staff consist about 25 people. Every year we accept 20 new children
in the school. About a third of them come from our day care centre. We accept children
from the entire municipality of Norrtälje and the children are entitled to transportation
according to the municipality’s rules for school bussing. The school is free of
charge. For the day care centre and the after school recreation centre we have our
own tariff. The queue to Freinetskolan Mimer is at the moment more than 900 children
of all ages.
Mimer is situated on Utvägen 25 in the city of Norrtälje. The premises are situated
in a quiet area surrounded with villas and terrace-houses and a forest right behind
the school. There are big green areas for recreation and sports in the nearest surroundings.
Norrtälje city is within walking distance and it is possible to reach Mimer by bus
650 from the centre, where you can easily go by bus to Stockholm, Uppsala and other
parts of Norrtälje.
Mimer works according to the pedagogy of Celestin Freinet.
We work in four teams:
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Day care
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F-5
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6-9
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Norna
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1-5 years olds
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preschool-5th grade
6-11 years of age
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6th-9th grade
12-16 years of age
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kitchen,
admin,
cleaning
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25-30 children
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-80 children
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-80 children
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5 staff
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7 staff
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7 staff
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4 staff
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Our cooks make lunches for the children in our own kitchen. We also deliver lunches
to other schools.
The history of Mimer
Freinetskolan Mimer was started in 1997 by a group of enthusiastic parents. They
wanted to create a school built on participation and an education based on the ideas
of Celestin Freinet. They applied to the department of education and the application
was granted. The first period was one of joy, work and turbulence. The school started
without any start up funds from the municipality and the organisation had to be
built during a longer period. In 1999 Mimer day care centre was started, for children
1-5 years of age. During the first year the school was situated at Brännäsgården.
These premises were soon to small. Mimer moved to a new location which was former
old home of mentally handicapped, Sjövikshemmet, where you can find us now. The
school kept on growing, owing to more children and more staff. Freinetskolan Mimer
is today a well established school with a very good reputation.
The organisation was named Mimer during the first year after a contest among children
and parents. Mimer was the ogre in the Viking mythology that own the well of wisdom.
Allfather Odin removed one of his eyes and placed it in Mimer´s well so that he
could see everything that happened in the world and thereby be a wise man. The well
of Mimer was situated at the foot of the big world-tree Yggdrasil.
Governing
Freinetskolan Mimer is a cooperative of parents and staff. The cooperative is open
for all parents with children in preschool or school and all staff working at Mimer.
The entrance fee is SEK 300 that you can reclaim at withdrawal. The cooperative
also charges a yearly fee, at the moment SEK 350. the board of Mimer is elected
by all members every year in October. The board is responsible for the daily activities
and the pedagogical content. Every team has a team leader and an economist.
The department of education is supervising authority for the preschool and school
while the municipality of Norrtälje verses the day care centre and the after school
recreation. Mimer is a member of the association of teachers, working with the pedagogy
of Celestin Freinet.
Results
Every year, Freinetskolan Mimer presents a statement of quality and results to the
department of education and to the municipality of Norrtälje. This year’s statement
shows that the staff of Mimer is a very important resource, owing to their competence,
commitment and high level of education. The staff is very creative and innovative
and engage themselves in educational development. So far, it has been easy for Mimer
to recruit good personnel. The small size of Mimer makes it more difficult in areas
where we can’t offer complete positions, for instant languages. Mimer recruits generalists
rather then persons with single subject knowledge. Mimer is active in the educational
example, receiving educational visits from other school, even from other countries.
2002 was the start of Mimer educational society, Norna Utbildning AB.
Mimer´s capacity to reach the curriculum standards is quite good, among the best
in the municipality.
The statement of quality and results pinpoints an important area of development:
the premises indoors and outdoors. The board will continue during this year to improve
the area by planning the use and reconstruction of these areas with help of an architect
and in the cooperation with children, parents and staff.
Mimer accepts children throughout all the years of compulsory school. Some children
start at Mimer lacking important knowledge or with distrust towards school. Structure
and order are required. Mimer´s system of assessment and feedback to children and
parents is extensive. During this last year it has been further developed with guarantees
to parents and children written agreements, collegial feedback, development schedules
etc.
The principal’s work includes 20% educational research to reinforce Mimer´s educational
development and competitiveness. During this year the research is given to ways
to work to develop children’s thinking, i.e. Socratic dialogues and to a project
on assessment and grades together with the freinet schools in Sweden.
Every child is a winner
Every child from Mimer will contribute to a positive future for society
Every child wants to grow up and feel hope, desire and
a willingness
Every child sees where life is heading through Mimer´s contacts with the surrounding
world
Here everyone is different
Every person builds their own future through meeting others
Life is happening now
Every person feels that the daily work at Mimer is full of meaning, laughter and
joy
Good ideas spread
Our pedagogical development is a contribution to the progress of society
The work of the hand is as important as the work of the intellect for the child’s
development.
School and day care of today creates the society of tomorrow.
At Freinetskolan Mimer we have a vision of education
- All children can be winners.
- All children need to meet grown-ups who like children.
- Intellect, knowledge and education are developed in the cooperation with others
through children’s fumbling efforts and their own experimenting in nature and society.
- Knowledge is developed in the cooperation with others through mutual reflection
and dialogue.
- The child is developed through clear guidance by pedagogues with greater experience
and knowledge.
- Creativity, production and desire to learn are developed where joy, laughter and
challenges exists.
- Democratic human beings are developed through the opportunity for children to have
influence and be in control over their own learning.
- Children needs structure and order in their work and in social interaction.
- Only a school without bullying and harassment can create happy human beings.
- The best environment for development is created when children, parents and personnel
are working towards the same goal.
This is why Mimer is a free school and day care centre with familiar feeling for
children and youth from one to sixteen years of age. Mimer is small enough for everybody
to know each other's names. Everyone meets each other, regardless of age. Children
and youngsters together learn to assess and improve their social atmosphere in Freinetskolan
Mimer.
Freinetskolan Mimer is situated in bright, well equipped and inspiring premises,
workshops and patios, where the children can work with creative and intellectual
activities. Material and tools are those used in daily adult life. Reflection and
rest have their given places. The scent of newly baked bread inspires creativity.
The pedagogy of Celestin Freinet gives a clear structure through which children’s
skills are trained. All children and youngsters can observe and follow their own
development through different kinds of assessment systems. With growing age increases
the element of thematic work and the child’s responsibility for their own work.
During their last year, the youngsters use their knowledge and abilities in several
interdisciplinary projects.
At Mimer, devoted, insightful and well educated pedagogues work to help every child
develop in their own way.
The future is created now. At Mimer. Do you share our vision of education?
Welcome as joint owner!
Freinetskolan Mimer is a cooperative of parents and staff in Norrtälje, Sweden with
compulsory school and day care centre as well as after school recreation centre.
We’d like to hear from you!
Articles about pedagogy
A Modern Reading of Dewey Together with Freinet and Adler by Ann S Pihlgren, principle
of Freinetskolan Mimer.
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