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Claudia Hartmann has been working as a kindergarten teacher since August – without a diploma. A crash course only helped her to a limited extent.
At 43, she dared to make a fresh start. Claudia Hartmann, a trained decoration designer and playgroup leader, entered the teaching profession. To do this, last summer she attended the “Starter Kit” at the Schwyz University of Education, a five-day crash course.
Above all, she wanted to get to know the 21 curriculum, she said at the time. Because: “In the playgroup the focus is on play, in the kindergarten you have an educational mission. These are two different beasts.”
Legend:
Claudia Hartmann teaches in the zoo kindergarten in Goldau.
zvg/Goldau Zoo
Now, six months later, Claudia Hartmann sums up: “Curriculum 21 is very present. And very extensive.” Implementation is currently still “a big challenge”.
Hartmann’s learning environment also plays a role: she does not teach in a conventional classroom, but in the zoo kindergarten in Goldau.
Translated into her everyday life, this means: She doesn’t just teach the little ones how to hold a pencil correctly in their hand. It also helps you put on your jacket outside. Or folding up the hood when it rains.
Even if the children spend a lot of time outdoors, the learning goals remain the same. For example, at the end of the year the girls and boys should be able to write their names. Hartmann says: “We do this in a playful way, for example when designing a worksheet. Or they write their name based on a template.”
She underestimated the administrative effort
The fact that she teaches without a diploma is hardly an issue. The team of teachers at the responsible school in Lauerz welcomed her with open arms. “It wasn’t a problem for anyone that I was a career changer.”
Legend:
Claudia Hartmann took the tip from the “Starter Kit” to buy lots of dice to heart. “They are used practically every day.”
SRF/David Kunz
Despite the lack of pedagogical training, Hartmann feels prepared for the job. “With the ‘Starter Kit’ I was able to get a good overview of how the school in the canton of Schwyz is structured. The exchange with people who are in the same boat was also valuable.” However, she wasn’t able to take anything from the compact course directly.
Team meetings, further training or meetings with parents: this and that are already happening on the side.
Claudia Hartmann is therefore grateful to be able to count on her work partner. «Team teaching is a good option. You’re not alone. Someone is still thinking and planning.”
She somewhat underestimated the administrative effort. “Team meetings, further training or meetings with parents: this and that are already happening on the side.”
Survey shows: teaching staff is under a lot of strain
A recent survey in the canton of Schwyz showed that 64 percent of teachers feel heavily burdened. What they have to bear most is administrative duties, the implementation of school reforms and the heterogeneity within the class.
Claudia Hartmann still feels far from burnt out after just six months. “But for long-time teachers, I can imagine that this is a big issue.”
Legend:
The kindergarten children spend four out of five days in the zoo.
zvg/Goldau Zoo
Such failures would result in a “rat tail”. “People are missing and others have to step in, even though they have enough to do themselves.” The fact that a team always has to find itself fresh can be difficult.
But Hartmann doesn’t want to let that deter him. She is motivated – and could well imagine teaching at the zoo in the long term. It was “casual” to see what “Gümp” the little ones had already done in such a short time. “And how much they absorb from what we deliver.”