Ability-based education

The Reformed Congregation of the Great Church of Debrecen, Immanuel Home and Developmental Education School is a multi-purpose, publicly managed public education institution. Beside the two independent institution units  (public education and social), we have other professional activities and services to offer (such as: outpatient care service, home assistance service, AAC lending).

The public education unit provides developmental education and care for severely disabled students between the ages of 6-23. We have altogether 36 students in classes each containing 6. Classes follow the institution’s own Rehabilitation Pedagogy Program, and its annual and weekly plans. Our professional team made personal development plans for each of our students, the execution of which is most importantly the responsibility of the form teacher.

Our school’s character is mainly defined firstly, by the directive on the education of the severely-disabled students (32/2012 EMMI 3^rd annex), and secondly, by the doctrines and the mentality of the Reformed Church of Hungary. We have 6 classes, each containing 6 students and a special education or conductive education teacher, as well as one special education assistant. As for movement development, our special education teachers rely on the professional help of movement development therapists (physiotherapists, massotherapists) using personal movement development plans, massage therapy, hydrotherapy as part of the outpatient care. Beside education and care, our goal is to improve our students’ quality of life, to provide knowledge and experience, a general well-being, as well as encouraging an active and self-expressing lifestyle. One of our most important goal is to enrich their communication, as well as to teach them how to be independent. Each of our students receives their education according to their personal development plan, based on prior tests and analyses.

Beside the compulsory twenty lessons, we offer many free-time activities to our severely disabled students. Our facultative classes are: dog therapy, special education swimming and choir. Each class has one Bible Class every week as well, but our institution offers many other community occasions too. Every week, our students and staff come together to praise God. We also consider it important to teach our traditions and holidays to our students (harvest, carnival, March 15^th), as well as to organize a variety of programs (health day, children’s day, etc.) to make our everyday life more colourful and diverse. Of course, we would not forget about religious holidays either: most importantly reformation. Our students are all welcome to pass the rite of confirmation along with all other youth of the congregation.