Margret Rasfeld

As a committed teacher, courageous principal and passionate school reformer, Margret has constantly pushed the boundaries of the German school system. In one example, she encouraged her pupils to run a refugee café and started an award-winning school garden initiative. She used her biology and chemistry subjects to raise pupils’ awareness of global environmental challenges as early as the 1970s. In the 1980s, Margret initiated projects such as sustainability dialogues and cultural learning.

In 1996, she developed an innovative educational concept with a focus on inclusion, student-centredness, and interdisciplinary learning. Her concept brought to life a new school in Essen , which Margret headed for 10 years. She quickly gained nationwide recognition. In 2007, she founded the Evangelische Schule Berlin Zentrum (ESBZ), which became a role model for the urgently needed transformation of the education system.

To support schools nationwide in this transformation, Margret founded the ‘Schule im Aufbruch’ initiative together with Gerald Hüther and Stephan Breidenbach in 2012.

Schule im Aufbruch (SiA) has set the goal of supporting as many schools as possible across Germany in introducing a new, sustainable learning culture. By developing and implementing creative learning formats, the initiative enables children and young people to acquire relevant skills to make our society more sustainable and fair. Through individualized transformation support, schools are helped to develop into democratic and holistic educational institutions of the 21st century.

All schools in Germany see the individual development of children and young people’s potential as their core task. The educational process takes place in learning landscapes and is characterized by self-determination, being active, participatory, and applying a sense of reality. The learning experience takes place in a community in which diversity and participation are a matter of course.

The ‘FREI DAY’ programme focuses on developing creativity, holistic thinking, and a sense of responsibility. Pupils devote at least four hours a week to topics of their own choice for the future, which are based on the 17 sustainability goals of the United Nations. They develop innovative solutions and implement them directly within their communities. Schule im Aufbruch supports schools with materials, workshops, and network meetings during the introduction and implementation of the new learning format.

With its transformational support, the initiative offers schools the opportunity to realize their own vision of a future-oriented educational institution. During the two-year support program, school management and teachers acquire the tools, structures, and skills that are helpful and necessary to introduce innovative learning formats, an appreciative team culture, and democratic decision-making processes. Step by step, schools can realize their vision of a new school and learning culture.

The Schule im Aufbruch network brings together schools, teachers, and other stakeholders within the education system who seek and offer courage, role models, exchange, and community. The network enables all members to shape the school of the future with a united voice.