Molnár Anna

To be sincerely connected with children and to give them what they need is something that fills a gap which will be useful in the future and will make them happy. That is my goal in every minute I spend with children. I believe that healthy, balanced, and thoughtful people are able to build equal, understanding relationships and create synergies.

I think of myself as an eternal student with unquenchable curiosity, a researching spirit, and scientific elaboration. I am constantly developing, training myself. I am a molecular biologist and a fan of classical music. As a volunteer, I have been planning and organizing interactive programs, skills development sessions, and trainings which promote nature conservation and science for all ages since 2005. In 2017, I was elected among the “50 Young Hungarian Talents”.

Zátonyi Pál

At Budapest School, I really experienced what it feels like to work in a community where teachers work in true partnership with each other and with parents, and where they really work in the best interests of the children.

My childhood dream came true when, 20 years ago, I left my technical career and enrolled at the Teréz Brunszvik College of Education. As a young professional, I had the good fortune to learn from the only male head of a kindergarten in the country at that time how to raise children as partners, to raise interested, open-minded and healthy children. In the meantime, I studied at the Berzsenyi Dániel College in Szombathely, where I became a teacher of biology and environmental protection.

In organising learning processes, I put a lot of emphasis on experiments and experiential self-guided learning.

I find it important to train our body and to love nature. I try to do a lot of tinkering with the children, doing tangible projects where we consistently go through every process from idea to implementation with the team.

Dekmár Gréta

I have finished my studies at the Faculty of Primary and Pre-School Education at ELTE this year. Before graduating from high school, I spent 2.5 months in a summer camp for children with special educational needs, and children who are cumulatively disadvantaged or disabled. This opportunity had a huge impact on my life, as I decided to apply to university and obtain a degree as a result. During my university studies, I have gained experience in theatre pedagogy and fairy tale pedagogy. I enjoy working together with children as we create new things. I consider myself lucky to have joined Budapest School, since I can put my passion into practice, which genuinely makes me happy.

Hermán Dóra

Many of you are asking me: How did I still think of “founding a school”?

The answer is: like – I think many of you – I have dreamed of a place for my two children where they can learn and pursue their own interests and desires with awesome partners and attentive, inspiring companions.

We found each other with Budapest School, and look what has become of it: since September 2019, more than 50 families and 12 teachers have been working together at the BPS Campona micro-school to make our children happy now and as adults.

In my “previous life,” I was an English teacher, HR and organizational development manager – and while I loved all of my jobs, none of them motivated and inspired me as much as this school adventure. When it comes to children’s well-being, their learning opportunities, their environment, my energy reserves are endless.

My partner in life and school construction is my husband, Balázs Kállai, without whom – what do they always say? – this whole thing could not have happened. :)

Fülöp Krisztina

„Egy gyermek élete olyan, mint egy papírlap, melyen minden arra járó nyomot hagy.” (kínai közmondás)

A sárospataki Comenius Tanítóképző Főiskolán szereztem első diplomámat, angol műveltségi területen. Már ott megismerkedtem az alternatív pedagógiával.

22 évig a közoktatásban tanítottam ÉKP-s ( Zsolnai József nevével jegyzett Értékközvetítő- és Képességfejlesztő Program) osztályokban.

Gyermekeim is ilyen módszerrel tanultak. Hiszem, hogy a gyermekeknek lehetőséget kell biztosítani, hogy minél több területen kipróbálhassák magukat, érdeklődésük kialakulhasson. Ezt segítik elő az alternatív pedagógiák.

Egy interjúban hallottam először a Budapest Schoolról, nagyon megtetszett az, amit képvisel. 2020. áprilisa óta vagyok a BPS Campona tagja. Alsós matematika, nyelvtan, mentortanár vagyok, ahol teljes mértékben tudom kamatoztatni húsz éves tapasztalom.

Számomra fontos, hogy a tanításba bele tudjam csempészni a játékot, a jókedvet, a vidámságot.

Laski Linda

I'm a teacher in my heart and soul. For the past three years, I have worked at an alternative primary school in Germany. There, I got to know mixed age groups and project-based education. I loved my job very much and knew that if we moved home, I would like to continue where I left in Herdecke. I am very glad that it was possible at Budapest School.

Environmental engineer and engineering teacher. I graduated from Budapest University of Technology.

An enthusiastic supporter of environmental education: as a volunteer in my German place of residence, I regularly held forest and environmental education sessions for kindergarteners and primary school children. We made toys out of waste, immersed ourselves in the mysteries of waste recycling, dyed with natural ingredients, learned about environmentally friendly energy sources, experimented, and marveled at things in the world together.

The mother of a six-year-old boy. Thanks to my son, I have significantly expanded my knowledge in the field of electricity in recent years. I learned to build circuits, experiment with cables, and DIY.

Sidóné Pavlicsek Csilla

„Lehet, hogy elfelejtik, mit mondtál nekik, de soha nem fogják elfelejteni, hogy hogyan érezték magukat szavaidtól.”

Carl William Buehner

Már kislánykoromba tudtam, hogy tanítani szeretnék. Egy kicsi kitérővel mindig ez vezérelt. A Kecskeméti Tanítóképző Főiskolán szereztem meg diplomám, angol műveltségterületen. Ezután nagyon hamar el is helyezkedtem városom egyik legnépszerűbb iskolájában, ahol elsősorban kompetencia tagozaton (projektalapú oktatás) tanítottam. Az angol nyelv tanítása miatt iskolánk összes módszerébe lehetőségem volt belelátni, dolgozni benne.

A projekt alapú oktatás mindig is közel állt a szívemhez. Nagyon szerettem ezeket a lehetőségeket, mert ilyenkor alkottuk a legcsodálatosabb és legmaradandóbb dolgokat közösen a gyerekekkel.

Ez vezérelt, amikor 13 év után úgy döntöttem, hogy a Budapest School-hoz csatlakozom. Úgy érzem, itt ismét önmagam lehetek, és azt adhatom a gyerekeknek, amire igazán szükségük van a mai világban.

Zalka Sára

Gyógypedagógiai koordinátorként veszek részt az iskola és óvoda életében. Gyógypedagógusként végeztem, majd a neveléstudomány mesterszakon folytattam tanulmányaimat.

A pedagógiával és gyógypedagógiával különböző színtereken és helyzetekben ismerkedtem az elmúlt években, itthon és külföldön egyaránt. Önkénteskedtem és dolgoztam tanodában, gyermekpszichiátrián, részt vettem hátrányos helyzetű diákok táboroztatásában és tanítottam kórházsuliban is. Az összes helyen az fogalmazódott meg bennem, hogy egy jól megtervezett tanulási helyzet minden esetben örömteli és felszabadító élményt jelent a gyerekek számára, aminek során megélhetik saját potenciáljukat.

Számomra ez leginkább egy integráló iskolában tud megvalósulni, ahol ezek a tanulási helyzetek mindig mást és mást jelentenek a gyerekek és tanárok számára is. Gyógypedagógusként ezért nagy örömöt jelent nekem, hogy egy olyan közegben dolgozhatok, ahol az egyéni bánásmód nem azt jelenti, hogy mindenki ugyanazt a támogatást kapja, hanem azt, hogy mindenki a számára legmegfelelőbbet. Ezzel együtt ugyanannyira fontosnak tartom az adott integráló közösség támogatását és jóllétének fenntartását, mint az egyéni utak megsegítését.

Szabó Enikő Csenge

It was a long way to the gates of Budapest School Campona. I started my studies in the fields of law, but I have graduated in communication. Currently, I am spending my last semester as a student of an art therapist training course. I have always been a seeker of my own truth and trying hard to find a supporting and balanced ambience that is always ready for renewal.

In 2018 a new era has begun in my life; I walked the Camino and it has changed me forever. I understood that I need to follow my inner voice which leads me on my way. It felt like I have finally found the missing pieces of the puzzle of my life; my previous training at the Csillaghegyi Szamóca Gyermekház, the years of coordination of artisan workshops and working in children’s camps all started to make sense. Finally, I have arrived in the wonderful world of children in BPS Campona.

I would like to give my students the possibility to discover the world and themselves through various art forms.

Bagó Sarolta

Why teaching? As far as I remember, I was just looking for a profession that can accommodate my interest in both literature and psychology – us, humans. It was only later that I discovered, working on a small farm in Germany, that I am curious of much more: I even grew to like chemistry, which I never did at school. As I was teaching a great variety of subjects to my two pupils with special needs, I was learning myself every day. We all took part in defining our projects and walked new grounds, from painting to easy STEM experiments.

This is the approach I would like to return to after a detour in London. My time in the UK made it very clear, that I need to have a free, creative space and a personal relationship, a real partnership with my pupils. These conditions are essential to being authentic, to being able to give and take whilst working together. My aim is, both as a mentor and a teacher, to create these basics of an ideal learning environment. I believe that this helps the kids get closer to themselves, each other, and the world around them – and have fun, of course. 😊

Ormai Tímea

Kacskaringós út vezetett odáig, hogy a Budapest School tanári csapatának tagja lettem. A pszichológia és az oktatás mindig is közel álltak hozzám, így felsőfokú tanulmányaimat először a felnőttképzés, majd a HR területén végeztem. Ezzel párhuzamosan vállaltam gyermekfelügyeletet, ami aztán sokkal többnek bizonyult egyszerű diákmunkánál: ráébresztett arra, mennyi mindent tudok adni a gyerekeknek úgy, hogy közben én is töltődöm általuk. Végül néhány év felnőtteket célzó digitális tananyagfejlesztés után fogalmazódott meg bennem az igény a váltásra, arra, hogy azzal foglalkozzak, ami inspirál - gyerekekkel. Az új céljaimhoz persze először tanulnom kellett, ennek helyszínéül pedig az USA-t választottam. Most pedig kész vagyok arra, hogy a gyerekekkel együtt tanuljak, fejlődjek, és szerezzek minél értékesebb tapasztalatokat, mert hiszem, hogy ez a partnerség a növekedés mozgatórugója.

Fecske Dóra

Hiába felnőttem már, de néha úgy érzem, hogy egy részem még gyerek maradt. Talán ezért is értem meg a szót könnyen a gyerekekkel, és találjuk meg hamar a közös hangot.

Óvodapedagógusként végeztem és jelenleg síoktatóként dolgozom. Kiskoromtól fogva a sport fontos szerepet játszott az életemben, és ezeknek a szeretetét fontosnak tartom tovább adni másoknak is. Szeretném, ha minél több sportot megismernének, kipróbálnának és megszeretnének a gyerekek.

Később saját vállalkozásba is kezdtem és kreatív kézműves foglalkozásokat tartottam gyerekeknek. Az alkotás egy csodálatos dolog és ha ezt mi magunk tesszük, annál inkább. Arra törekszem, hogy minél több anyagot, eszközt meg tudjanak ismerni a gyerekek, és ezek segítségével bármit képesek legyenek megalkotni.

Fontosnak tartom, hogy felismerjük magunkban azt, amiben jók vagyunk. Szeretném, ha a gyerekek a velem töltött időben azokból, amit látnak és tanulnak, el tudnák sajátítani azt, ami örömet okoz számukra, és fel tudják használni az életük során.

Kiss Júlia

Originally I am an elementary school teacher, however after getting my teacher's degree I kept on studying and eventually found my place away from the school system. In the past two decades I have been gathering useful experience working for profit oriented companies. No matter what my exact role was, I was always acting in the fields of training and organizing, solving problems and looking for ways of doing things better. It was then my son who made me look in the direction of education again. I was looking for a nursery then for an elementary school for him that I could relate with both as a parent and as a teacher. I found such a place at Budapest School Campona. I had joined their community as a parent when they opened, and became a colleague in their team at the end of 2019. My main task now officially is organizing and developing ways of functioning better, to create and maintain a safe and enjoyable environment.

Konyor Sylvia

It became clear to me that my destiny was working with children most probably when I took part in the infamous „Szendrő Summer Camp” where I met Eszter Leveleki, who has been leading her own camp sessions, the Pipecland, at Bánk. Her personality and my experience and joy during the camp session is what directed me towards becoming a kindergarten teacher. I have finished my studies at Teacher’s School of Budapest as a kindergarten teacher in 1985.

I have been working at the kindergarten of MAFILM until the regime change which those days meant complete occupational freedom. From here I went to the just founded Lauder school, where our most important value was educating together with the families. We were trying to gain a lot of experience while staying within the limits set up by ourselves. Our goal was to become a goup of people strongly connected to each other, a community of families who grow together. After 24 years there I took on new challanges, moving on I have discovered quite some kindergartens.

Now here I am, and I am looking forward to this new start with great joy. What I really like: miscellanious types of music, books, the theatre, the cinema, taking hikes and any form of travel, and also making friends with new people. I am interested in autism and talent development, I have studied Waldorf, Montessori and all kinds of other methods. I look at the WORLD and the children in it with infinate curiosity. What is really important to me: to have affection and a feeling of success every day.

Reyes Alex

My name is Alex, I was born in Mexico but I have lived in the US where I learned to speak English. I have been living in Hungary for four years and I love my life here! I have been working as an English teacher since I have been here, and it has taught me and given me so much. The principles I live by, both professionally and personally, are to embrace and enhance curiosity and the willingness to understand, as opposed to judge; to be present and adapt to whatever the moment requires; and to take tasks lightheartedly and not too seriously.

At Budapest School I have had the opportunity to learn from the children and my colleagues how to be more present, adaptive and creative. I have learned a lot about the technicalities of teaching, while maintaining a space for innovation and improvement. I am grateful to be a part of this institution and I know we will all continue learning and creating a space for the children to develop their unique talents and personalities freely.

Laski Linda

I'm a teacher in my heart and soul. For the past three years, I have worked at an alternative primary school in Germany. There, I got to know mixed age groups and project-based education. I loved my job very much and knew that if we moved home, I would like to continue where I left in Herdecke. I am very glad that it was possible at Budapest School.

Environmental engineer and engineering teacher. I graduated from Budapest University of Technology.

An enthusiastic supporter of environmental education: as a volunteer in my German place of residence, I regularly held forest and environmental education sessions for kindergarteners and primary school children. We made toys out of waste, immersed ourselves in the mysteries of waste recycling, dyed with natural ingredients, learned about environmentally friendly energy sources, experimented, and marveled at things in the world together.

The mother of a six-year-old boy. Thanks to my son, I have significantly expanded my knowledge in the field of electricity in recent years. I learned to build circuits, experiment with cables, and DIY.

Oberczián Kinga

My life is full of searches and findings. I started as an actor, then I worked in contemporary dance and physical theater, while graduating with a degree in Hungarian Humanities. Even in the theater, I started working with children and drama pedagogy, which now completes my professional life. The joy of connecting with others, playing, and learning together ultimately overwrote my desire to be a performer.

Community, paying attention to others and ourselves, creativity, and learning through experience are all very important to me. I believe that we can learn something best if we participate in it, experience it first-hand. That is when "we have something to do with it". It also inspired my experiential pedagogy program, the Unusual Literature Class, where we process compulsory readings with students using the tools of drama pedagogy; and it is also what brought me to Budapest School, where there is room for mutual discovery. After all, learning is a pleasure.