“School is a wonderful place to learn, where so much happens”

Tips: What tips do you give students now that school is starting to get started to stay motivated throughout the fall?

Michaela Kaineder: Autumn is the time of a new beginning at school, which students like the most and cope with well: a fresh start, new opportunities, perhaps new classmates, new teachers. Consciously taking this momentum with you is good and important in order to get through difficult times well.

Tips: Do you also have practical learning tips at hand?

Michaela Kaineder: It is helpful to take a good look at the timetable right from the start: Which lessons can I look forward to? When do I have difficult school days? How do I organize my afternoons to fit in my hobbies and time to catch my breath? Starting out well organized also gives a feeling of security. Most of the time, we need people to learn with whom we can talk, to discuss, portion out and repeat content: a friend, older students, adults, learning coaches at school. Yes, and then you need to sit down and do it: concentrate on working and getting things done. There is no way around it. And then you go for a walk in the fresh air.

Tips: Why do you think it’s great to be able to go to school?

Michaela Kaineder: School is a place of relationships and encounters that often shape a person’s entire life – a very meaningful place. Children and young people learn not only subject-specific content here, but also skills that they need for a good life: How do we deal with each other? How do I deal with other opinions, with insults, with challenges? How do we celebrate mutual successes? How do I be happy for someone else? School is also a beautiful, large place of learning where an incredible amount happens. This requires not only competent staff from different specialist areas, but also courageous political decisions for the necessary resources and framework conditions.