BUTTING Academy: Creative and effective during school holidays

While others relaxed during school holidays, many pupils took part in the summer courses of the BUTTING Akademie gGmbH (the BUTTING Academy) this year. Through great shared experiences, the children learned a lot and gained experience. The main focus for everyone was on having fun.

In the non-profit part of its business, the BUTTING Academy supports life-long learning, mainly in cooperation with competent partners. The BUTTING Academy also offers courses for pupils of all ages on various topics during the school holidays.

Andrea Radtke, from Event Management at the BUTTING Academy, explains: "For us, holiday time is adventure time: whether it's Maths in Nature or work at the PC, our holiday courses put the main emphasis on fun and excitement. That way, you learn almost without noticing."

The aim of the BUTTING Academy is to provide children with a learning environment where they can experiment voluntarily and informally and can test their own skills. In addition, the conference premises of the BUTTING Academy, Knesebeck Castle, provide a valuable, quiet place for the learning phases.

The holiday programme is instructive and varied: from public speaking courses to help pupils prepare for giving talks and lectures, cookery classes in the castle kitchen, or information classes on police work right through to first-aid courses for primary school children.  Andrea Radtke says: "Our courses outside in the natural world are especially in demand, such as with Minna – Maths in Nature. During a discovery tour in the forest, basic experiences from the mathematical skills areas are gained by means of games and activities with natural materials."

Hermann Butting is convinced: "In future too, holiday programmes will be in demand that train children and young people to think creatively and encourage them to act, that promote social involvement and integration, that sharpen the senses for the environment and nature and are fun as well. Parents want their boys and girls not just to be safe. They expect them also to be able to continue their development in their leisure time, in line with their age. The BUTTING Academy will continue to design its holiday programme in this spirit in future."

BUTTING – Progress by Tradition