The Zurich elementary school has an ambitious goal: all children should be able to go to normal classes at the school, including those with an intellectual disability or cognitive impairment, as it is called today correctly. But how can we deal with cognitively Disadvantaged in adulthood? This question has been asked Matthias Gubler, Director of the tradition-rich teacher education Institute Unterstrass, “It is strange, if we integrate such people in the age of the child, as soon as you come out of school, in sheltered workshops stuck.”
Meanwhile, Gubler is for two years in a pilot phase. Two men and four women with cognitive impairment are in his Institute in the training along with regular students. The project has baptized Gubler “Ecolsiv”, as an abbreviation for the school, and inclusive.
With Nora Tosconi, a 35-year-old actress from the disabled theatre Hora is. If you have three years, you get at the end a diploma and as a class assistant can apply.
Mentally less flexible
Nora Tosconi is at the Moment in the Wollishofer Kindergarten moss in an internship. This Morning she came half an hour before the children, with a kindergarten teacher Denise Moser, the morning snack to prepare, slicing bread, carrot peel, wash the grapes. And now she is sitting on a children’s sofa and prepares for the first Interview, she wants to run with all the children in the class.
Nora has positioned the phone’s camera and wait excited for her first interview partner. As Maria, a girl from Cuba, comes, your, Nora, the Arm around the shoulder: “You don’t have to be nervous, we know each other a little.” Denise Moser observed, as your special student asks the girl how you feel girl up and smiling.
Nora Tosconi, although not mentally as fast, and sometimes you can’t find the right words immediately, but goes on to look at the girl. “Nora quickly finds a wire to the children,” notes Moser, “your social skills is a very large resource in the Kindergarten.”
is That you can learn in the Institute Unterstrass class assistant, for a “big gift,” says Nora Tosconi.
Meanwhile, Nora arrived at the final question: “do you Have a girlfriend in the Chindsgi?” “Yes, Zoe!”, it comes from the cannon shot, “Zoe loves me.” “And you, are you in love with you as well?” asks Nora. Mary is rubbing the hair off the face and laughs: “no, I love someone else.”
“A great gift”
That Nora Tosconi can learn in the Institute Unterstrass classes-assistant, is a “great gift”. She grew up next to the Institute and wished for as a child, to be there teacher. “I like children, because they still believe in miracles.” But parents and teachers said at the time that you could not manage, unfortunately. “And now I’m a student in the Institute Unterstrass, that makes me proud,” she says.
That she has a cognitive impairment, was with her when she came to the school. She was slower than the other, came to the training class in the small class, in different private schools. “I have myself through tortuous,” she says. The thoughts in your brain a few detours, explains Nora Tosconi their impairment, “the brain is organic.” After school, she came to the second labour market programmes for people with disabilities, Züriwerk, and St. Jakob Foundation.
Kindergarten suitable
To Nora Tosconi can work as a class assistant, she would have to be a kindergarten teacher is actually a help. Denise Moser looks for good opportunities, because there is in the Kindergarten a lot of assistance needed, such as on walks, when you Wear, when you wash hands or clean up.
The question is whether the children accept that people with Handicaps are actually as a teacher. As Matthias Gubler has a surprising answer: “For the children, the topic is unimportant.” He has noticed with his student Lucien Le already. In contrast to Nora Tosconi the disability is obvious to him physically.
Nora has positioned the phone’s camera, and asked your Interviewee.
Le introduced in a class, he invited the children to ask questions about his disability. But no one wanted to know something. “For larger children could change the” perspective Gubler. Therefore, he sees classes for the handicapped-Assisting more in Kindergarten than in high school.
In Kindergarten Moos in Wollishofen Nora Tosconi heard after a few days “living and learning community,” as Denise Moser says. You see, during the mid-morning snack, added to as a a girl with Princess crown, of course, her and eager to you tell.
Uncertain financial future of the project
A challenge to the program of study is for Matthias Gubler. The Affected visit need the classes with the regular students, but helps for their Learning. Other students are determined to work as Tutors for support. The Institute Unterstrass is also connected to an international network of universities on programs for cognitively Impaired to work in Dublin or in Salzburg.
The first two years of study have cost 150’000 Swiss francs. They come mainly from foundations. According to Gubler, the project for the near future is secured financially just.
Christian Hugi, President of the Zurich teachers Association, is well informed about “Ecolsiv” and is basically behind it. “In fact, it makes no sense to integrate people with trisomy 21 in the school and subsequently to have no connection solutions for you.”
danger of Overload
Hugi is also convinced that there are enough teachers who would work together with an impaired class assistance, and refers to the “Ecolsiv”project. Gubler has enough interested parties and interested parties who want to work with a “Ecolsiv”student. Hugi warns, however, that The quality of teaching should always be the first priority and not the Integration of the wizard.
scepticism there are also in the Swiss teachers ‘ Association. Compared to the “NZZ on Sunday” said head of the Central Secretariat Franziska Peter Hans: “We don’t have to look that we overload the teachers and the children.”
The acid test is about to Matthias Gubler for his project next summer. Then Lucien Le as the first “Ecolsiv will receive the”graduate with a diploma. He is and will later find his fellow students a job? Gubler is confident: “We will support you in any case.”
Created: 27.10.2019, 22:28 PM
