Sixteen school years, one farmstead.
The WALDHEIM Lernhaus was founded in 2010 — by two reform pedagogues who had talked about it for a long while at a Munich school and then actually went and did it.
Theresa Musterfrau, Headmistress.
Theresa Musterfrau co-founded the Lernhaus in 2010 with Hannah Musterfrau. Twelve years at a Munich reform school before that; teaching qualification in Würzburg, pedagogy specialisation in Reggio Emilia (Italy) and at FU Musterort.
„We both felt that we couldn't really do Reggio with 28 children per class in a city school. It needed to be smaller, rural, with real animals and a forest behind the building. The Hofgut Waldheim came up for sale in 2009 — for us, that was luck."
We do not do gut-feeling pedagogy. We look at every child individually, write it down, talk about it in the team, change what doesn't work. That is craft."
A short history.
Theresa Musterfrau and Hannah Musterfrau see the Hofgut Waldheim for sale — an old farmhouse with workshop and 4 ha of forest.
School founded with two learning groups, 18 children, four staff. State approval as supplementary school granted.
Expanded to four learning groups, 60 children. First leaving cohort transitions to mainstream schools without breaks.
16th school year. Twelve permanent staff. Workshop renovation planned for 2027. Supporting association has 84 active members.
Twelve people at the farmstead.
Four teachers, two pedagogical staff, two administrators, two in housekeeping, one caretaker, one gardener. A selection here.
Theresa Musterfrau
Reggio pedagogue, primary teaching, lead of the Hedgehogs group.
Hannah Musterfrau
Maths-focused teaching qualification, lead of the Squirrels group.
Andreas Mustermann
Natural-science teaching, certified forest pedagogue, lead of the Foxes.
Maja Musterfrau
Social pedagogy in Passau, accompanies workshop days and project weeks.
Florian Mustermann
Master carpenter, looks after the workshop and craft days. Three days a week.
Ulrike Musterfrau
Has been cooking lunch since 2014. Co-built the school garden in its early years.
„We are an association. Which means: whoever is here, belongs — and whoever belongs, stays connected even after year four."
— Markus Engl · Treasurer, parent since 2017