"On good days..." the doors open at Rahlstedt Gymnasium!

A day full of encounters and colorful discoveries 

On November 22, GyRa opened its doors between 10 and 1 p.m. – and already upon entering this special buzz hung in the air.

In the atrium curious children’s voices mingled with the anticipation of their parents, while a partition wall, guides and a small QR code charmingly pointed the way.

The upper school provided coffee, juice, homemade cakes and crispy cookies to make guests feel welcome all around. Lovingly decorated tables invited guests to arrive and linger. 

On the stage our student representative opened the day, before the choir created a goosebumps moment with “An guten Tagen” (singer: Johannes Oerding, 2019) – a song that fit perfectly with this warm mood. Those who wanted could even take a peek behind the scenes of choir rehearsals. 

 

Learning by doing – colorful, lively, approachable 

In all subject areas GyRa showed its creative side: 

Art presented a variety of works from different grades, from painting, sculpture to photography, while children could print on tote bags or paper, or have themselves makeup applied.

In the small music room the children could try string instruments and guitars and the parents could inform themselves about the school’s music practice offerings. In the large music room the all-day band and the ensemble from Grade 5 gave insights into their rehearsal work.

Religion invited to a cheerful Kahoot, Mathematics offered puzzle stations, chess and digital insights into “bettermarks”.

In the all-day program there were games, billiards, foosball and painting activities and also the self-regulated learning (SRL) as well as the supervision of the 5th grades presented themselves lovingly. 

Biology surprised with bone models, exciting experiments and real Moving Leaves as well as stick insects – a highlight for many young visitors.

French, Spanish and the Internationality profile created a colorful room full of flags, puzzles and guidance. Computer science attracted with AI projects, 3D printing and small detective tasks, flanked by robotics in the hallway. 

Also Geography, Philosophy, Latin, Chemistry, Physics and German opened their doors: with stone and globe stations, a small think-pavilion, Roman bread and games, fire effects, magnet experiments and poetry puzzles.

Career guidance playfully highlighted its focuses.

In the cafeteria UNESCO topics were presented and there was lots of helpful information about the transition from primary school.

Meanwhile, self-made seed bombs emerged and the diverse GyRa merchandise found many fans. 

Anyone hungry could even purchase a hot dog or small snacks to eat.

 

Movement, music and amazed faces 
In the gym a vibrant world of movement unfolded: trampoline, climbing, table tennis, DJ music, first aid to try out and the stand of “Healthy and Active School”.

Around midday the theater performance in the main building enthralled, hidden in a classroom, as did the acrobatics show by the 6th grade in the gym – moments that left many visitors with shining eyes. 

 

And so the day of the open door ended, which showed how lively, welcoming and versatile learning at GyRa can be – one of those truly good days that will hopefully echo for a long time. 

Contribution by Annica Lübbert 

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