Alternative and inclusive school in the heart of nature
The project
"This project is a childhood dream, the kind you formulate when you're around 7-8 years old, when you tell yourself that anything is possible and that things could be different at school. After the ups and downs of life, this dream of creating a school in line with everyone's needs resurfaced. So I grabbed my backpack and set off to discover alternative schools from Brittany to Alsace, from Ile de France to Auvergne and Rhône-Alpes.
I'm joined on my path by Anne-Hélène, who also has a project to create a structure to welcome everyone in all their diversity. It was obvious: we decided to pool our skills and ideas and create links between our two projects.
That's how Graines de Joie was born." - Céline
Graines de Joie opened its doors in Châteaugiron in May 2024. Since the start of the school year in September 2024, it has welcomed a small group of ten children, each of whom progresses at his or her own pace, in daily contact with nature.
Our mission: to draw inspiration from alternative educational practices while respecting the needs of each child.
Our credo: to prepare children to become engaged and empathetic citizens of tomorrow's world.
An inclusive school
Graines de Joie is a private secular school for children aged 3 to 11, divided into two multi-level classes.
It's also a place of inclusion, open to children with disabilities as a complement to their educational and/or paramedical support.
Inclusion is a strength and a pillar for the development of all children.
A school in the heart of nature
The school is located in the heart of nature, in the Yaigne valley.
A 200m2 house and a 2,000m2 outdoor area provide an environment in which children can learn and grow in a soothing, natural and rejuvenating environment.
Children become the protagonists of their own discoveries. They manipulate, experiment and learn through contact with living things.
The house and grounds still need to be refurbished, for which Graines de Joie is seeking funding. The Graines de joie team is working with Folk paysages, landscape architects specializing in schoolyard landscaping (bubble garden, sensory garden, rain garden, school meadow, etc.).
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Pedagogical project
The pedagogies used vary according to individual needs (cooperation, project methodology, Freinet, nature-based pedagogy....).
Contact with nature is daily, as part of the activities offered throughout the day.
One day a week, children attend classes outside the premises.
And this year, two complementary activities are on offer:
- swimming pool (swimming lessons to obtain the "Savoir nager" pass at the end of cycle 3, 2 terms)
- sophrology (1 term) with sophrologist Morgane.
These pedagogical choices will aim to :
- Develop a sense of community, mutual aid and respect for others
- Promoting autonomy
- Motivation and self-confidence
- Create collective learning situations where the older children can also act as teachers and transmitters.
We just need to create the right conditions by building a secure, caring and rewarding environment that listens to the child's pace and needs, so that he or she can develop them.
