Kleines privates Lehrinstitut Derksen

Kleines privates Lehrinstitut Derksen is a private, state-recognized Gymnasium (academic secondary school) in Munich-Großhadern, Germany. It was founded in September 1959 by Dieter and Barberina Derksen, who had begun teaching small groups of children privately in their living room from the mid-1950s out of dissatisfaction with the schooling available at the time. The school describes itself as "a school of a special kind" and deliberately remains one of the smallest Gymnasien in Bavaria, with around 240 pupils and average class sizes of about 19 (maximum 22). It is run in free, non-profit ownership (in freier und gemeinnütziger Trägerschaft) and its leaving certificates are equivalent to those of public schools. The school combines rigorous teaching along the Bavarian Gymnasium curriculum with a distinctive profile in musisch-ästhetische Bildung (music and aesthetic education), politische Bildung (political education) and soziales Lernen (social learning). Its inclusive approach is a defining feature: for decades it has integrated pupils with a wide range of disabilities — sensory, physical, psychological and multiple — as well as pupils with chronic or incurable illnesses into regular Gymnasium classes, supported by four special-needs teachers, a social-pedagogy specialist and participants in the Freiwilliges Soziales Jahr or Bundesfreiwilligendienst. Academically the school offers a language branch and a science-and-technology branch. English is the first foreign language for all pupils; the second is Latin or French, and pupils in the language branch take Spanish as a third foreign language. The school maintains exchange partnerships, including with Dieppe in France and formerly with Moscow, and offers optional Russian and Chinese courses. It owns a Schullandheim (school country home), the Schröckerbichlhof near Thiersee west of Kufstein, which each class visits for about a week each year. Because the school does not yet have its own sports hall (one is planned), physical education currently takes place at TSV Neuried. Governance has remained closely tied to the founding family. After Dieter Derksen's death in 1984, leadership was shared between Richard Ruland (school head), Barberina Derksen (pedagogical director) and Jan Derksen (managing director). Jan Derksen is still the Geschäftsführer. The headship has passed through several hands — Klaus Wenzel, Carmen Mendez, Hans-Joachim Bötel, Thilo Herberholz, Clemens Wirthwein and, as of 2024, Monika Aman. The current school building in Pfingstrosenstraße 73, designed by Zurich architect Justus Dahinden, was occupied in 1989. Tuition in 2022/23 was 720 euros per month plus a one-off 300-euro admission fee, with a requested 2,000-euro donation to the school's foundation; reductions or waivers are possible under certain conditions. Notable former pupils include actress Sandra Koltai, composer and bandleader Claus Redl and actor Martin Feifel.

The origins of the Kleines privates Lehrinstitut Derksen lie in the mid-1950s, when Dieter and Barberina Derksen, dissatisfied with the schooling then available, began teaching a small number of children privately in their own living room. The number of pupils grew quickly and the living room soon became too small. In September 1959 the couple therefore founded the Kleines privates Lehrinstitut Derksen, initially as a state-approved (staatlich genehmigtes) private Gymnasium. Ten years later, in 1969, the school received full state recognition (staatliche Anerkennung), making its certificates equivalent to those of public schools. Dieter Derksen died in 1984. From then on the school was led by three people: Richard Ruland took over as head of school (Schulleitung), Barberina Derksen became pedagogical director, and Jan Derksen, the couple's eldest son, took on the role of managing director (Geschäftsführung). In 1989 the school moved into a new building at Pfingstrosenstraße 73 in Munich-Großhadern, designed by the Zurich architect Justus Dahinden. Klaus Wenzel, a teacher at the school since 1975, became head after Richard Ruland's death in December 1994. Following Wenzel's retirement in summer 2008, Carmen Mendez became headmistress. She handed the office to Hans-Joachim Bötel in summer 2013; he led the school until July 2017. His successors were Thilo Herberholz until July 2020 and then Clemens Wirthwein. As of 2024, Monika Aman is the headmistress. Jan Derksen remains managing director. Over the decades the school developed its distinctive profile. It has long integrated pupils with very different kinds of disability — sensory, physical, psychological and multiple — as well as pupils with chronic or incurable illnesses into regular Gymnasium classes, provided they can meet the intellectual demands of the Gymnasium. Support is provided by participants in the Freiwilliges Soziales Jahr or Bundesfreiwilligendienst, four special-needs teachers and a social-pedagogy specialist. The school also emphasizes music and aesthetic education, political education and social learning, and maintains a student parliament (Schülerparlament) through which a large share of pupils participate in democratic decision-making. It owns a Schullandheim, the Schröckerbichlhof near Thiersee west of Kufstein, and runs exchange programmes, including with Dieppe in France and formerly with Moscow. A 170-page school chronicle was produced for the school's 60th anniversary. In 2024 the school marked its 67th year with a new image film, describing itself as "an uncomfortable — joyful place since 67 years."

• 2024

  Monika Aman is headmistress; the school marks its 67th year with a new image film.

• 2020

  Thilo Herberholz leaves in July; Clemens Wirthwein becomes head.

• 2017

  Hans-Joachim Bötel leaves in July; Thilo Herberholz becomes head.

• 2013

  Carmen Mendez hands over to Hans-Joachim Bötel in summer.

• 2008

  Klaus Wenzel retires in summer; Carmen Mendez becomes headmistress.

• 1994

  Richard Ruland dies in December; Klaus Wenzel, a teacher since 1975, becomes head of school.

• 1989

  The school moves into its new building at Pfingstrosenstraße 73 in Munich-Großhadern, designed by Justus Dahinden.

• 1984

  Dieter Derksen dies; leadership is shared by Richard Ruland (school head), Barberina Derksen (pedagogical director) and Jan Derksen (managing director).

• 1969

  The school receives full state recognition (staatliche Anerkennung).

• 1959

  Dieter and Barberina Derksen found the Kleines privates Lehrinstitut Derksen in September as a state-approved private Gymnasium.

A deliberately small, family-atmosphere private Gymnasium in Munich with a distinctive inclusive, musisch-ästhetische and politically formative profile.

• Gymnasium education, language branch

  English as first foreign language, Latin or French as second, Spanish as third; leads to the Abitur.

• Gymnasium education, science and technology branch

  English as first foreign language, Latin or French as second; leads to the Abitur.

• Inclusive education

  Integration of pupils with sensory, physical, psychological and multiple disabilities into regular Gymnasium classes.

• Schullandheim stays at Schröckerbichlhof

  Each class spends about a week each year at the school's own country home near Thiersee; the 5th grade goes twice.

• Student exchange programmes

  Exchange with Dieppe, France (9th grade, modern-language branch) and formerly with Moscow, Russia (8th grade, currently suspended).

1. 1Kleines privates Lehrinstitut Derksen – official websitederksen-gym.de
2. 2Über uns – Derksen Gymnasium Münchenderksen-gym.de
3. 3SMV und Schülerzeitung – Derksen Gymnasium Münchenderksen-gym.de
4. 4Schulhistorie – Derksen Gymnasium Münchenderksen-gym.de
5. 5Kleines privates Lehrinstitut Derksen – Wikipedia (German)de.wikipedia.org
6. 6Kleines privates Lehrinstitut Derksen – Wikidatawikidata.org