Luzac The Hague

'Luzac is all about helping students'

A public school offers students more personal attention and is more agile, even in difficult times. Luzac Lyceum-College The Hague has almost 50 per cent more applications this school year than in 2020.

Pauline Heistein-ten Zeldam: "With us, no stories of 'my child didn't have chemistry lessons for two months'.

DATE

26 January 2022

TEXT

Annerieke Simeone

IMAGE

Brian Mul

Luzac The Hague

'Luzac is all about helping students'

A public school offers students more personal attention and is more agile, even in difficult times. Luzac Lyceum-College The Hague has almost 50 per cent more applications this school year than in 2020.

Wp the desk of Pauline Heistein-ten Zeldam are pastries. "Do you want one?", asks the rector of the Luzac Lyceum The Hague. "I had a teacher stop by just now Who brought them. Just for fun. The best maths teacher you can imagine. And already over seventy!"

Fun at Luzac

Her teachers enjoy working at Luzac, says Heistein-ten Zeldam. "With us no stories of 'my child didn't have any chemistry lessons for two months'. If someone does drop out, we quickly have a substitute, usually a colleague who can take over the lessons. Absenteeism is particularly low. Why is that? Because of the good atmosphere, I think.

Luzac building on Park Road.

 

Because of the small classes, there is less administration and more attention for students. At introductory talks with new students, I sometimes hear: 'My teacher didn't care if I got a good grade.' That is unthinkable with us. We are all about helping students."


'Absenteeism among teachers is particularly low at our school'

It helps that Luzac, which offers private tuition, works with small classes. There is an average of five to 10 students in the bridge class, and 10 to 14 in the upper class depending on the subject. "Students want to be seen. If the teacher gives them that attention, their self-confidence grows and they perform better."

Small school

Luzac The Hague on Oranjestraat is a small school, but part of the largest public school in the Netherlands. That has its advantages: its own national exam office and a professional head office. "We are agile when a problem arises. For example, when it was announced that we could only teach online for a while because of the Covid virus, the teachers and all students were given login details within a day. Monday morning we were notified, Tuesday we were able to teach through Teams."


'We frequently involve parents in the educational process'

If someone did not appear on camera, the teacher immediately hung up on them. "With eight people, this is manageable. With a class of 30 students, it becomes a lot more complicated." Of course, there were also youngsters at Luzac who could use an extra push.


Read also:
Hague's best tips from the editors:
editor Meike Liedenbaum

 

"Those we called a bit more often. To show: we really haven't forgotten about you. That motivated them to continue. We do the same for parents. Are you worried? Call us! We frequently involve parents in the educational process. A bad report should not and cannot be a total surprise with us." The personalised approach paid off. Compared to other years, the same results were achieved.

50 per cent more applications

And Heistein-ten Zeldam has more good news. The Hague-based Luzac Lyceum-College has almost 50 per cent more applications this school year than in 2020. "Part of that increase can be explained by Dutch expat families returning to their home countries due to corona," he says.

LUZAC

Pauline Heistein-ten Zeldam: "With us, no stories of 'my child didn't have chemistry lessons for two months'.

But the vast majority, the rector said, have lost motivation while sitting at home. "I have heard really harrowing stories. Students who didn't pull it off at all. They missed connecting with the class and teachers. If you can then opt for personal attention and not having to repeat a year, yes, they soon come to us."

Pod class

Not knowing exactly how to learn can also be a reason for choosing Luzac. "Some students don't actually know how to make a summary of lesson material. Especially in upper secondary school, this is sometimes noticeable. Then you see someone staring dejectedly at a page for three quarters of an hour. We offer tools." She lists: "Shading texts, making cards with concepts or a mind map. Every person has their own way of taking notes, but then you have to learn that."

Spotify

On 'learning to learn', Heistein-ten Zeldam devised a 'Pod class' or podcast. "I have just recorded a series of six episodes for Luzac," he says. Other topics covered include fear of failure, study stress and motivation. So it's not about Luzac. 'Podklas' is of interest to all parents and students following secondary education. A podcast lasts half an hour and can be listened to via Spotify or via our site."

Luzac The Hague

Reading room.

She may be rector, but Heistein-ten Zeldam does not run the school from an ivory tower. "When I started here in 2019, I sat here next to the administration and the canteen. At the heart of the school. I want to be part of the organisation."

Winter sports outing

In February, the former geography teacher has her "feet in the clay". Then she will join the winter sports outing. "I'm really looking forward to it. With the whole upper school in the bus to Austria. Good for bonding." Laughs: "Four days and then completely demolished. Megapitten with sixty adolescents. What a responsibility. But it's an unforgettable experience for the pupils. After that, their year can't go wrong."

www.luzac.nl

date 26 January 2022
text Annerieke Simeone image Brian Mul

Wp the desk of Pauline Heistein-ten Zeldam are pastries. "Do you want one?", asks the rector of the Luzac Lyceum The Hague. "I had a teacher stop by just now Who brought them. Just for fun. The best maths teacher you can imagine. And already over seventy!"

Fun at Luzac

Her teachers enjoy working at Luzac, says Heistein-ten Zeldam. "With us no stories of 'my child didn't have any chemistry lessons for two months'. If someone does drop out, we quickly have a substitute, usually a colleague who can take over the lessons. Absenteeism is particularly low. Why is that? Because of the good atmosphere, I think.

Luzac building on Park Road.

 

Because of the small classes, there is less administration and more attention for students. At introductory talks with new students, I sometimes hear: 'My teacher didn't care if I got a good grade.' That is unthinkable with us. We are all about helping students."


'Absenteeism among teachers is particularly low at our school'

It helps that Luzac, which offers private tuition, works with small classes. There is an average of five to 10 students in the bridge class, and 10 to 14 in the upper class depending on the subject. "Students want to be seen. If the teacher gives them that attention, their self-confidence grows and they perform better."

Small school

Luzac The Hague on Oranjestraat is a small school, but part of the largest public school in the Netherlands. That has its advantages: its own national exam office and a professional head office. "We are agile when a problem arises. For example, when it was announced that we could only teach online for a while because of the Covid virus, the teachers and all students were given login details within a day. Monday morning we were notified, Tuesday we were able to teach through Teams."


'We frequently involve parents in the educational process'

If someone did not appear on camera, the teacher immediately hung up on them. "With eight people, this is manageable. With a class of 30 students, it becomes a lot more complicated." Of course, there were also youngsters at Luzac who could use an extra push.


Read also:
Hague's best tips from the editors:
editor Meike Liedenbaum

 

"Those we called a bit more often. To show: we really haven't forgotten about you. That motivated them to continue. We do the same for parents. Are you worried? Call us! We frequently involve parents in the educational process. A bad report should not and cannot be a total surprise with us." The personalised approach paid off. Compared to other years, the same results were achieved.

50 per cent more applications

And Heistein-ten Zeldam has more good news. The Hague-based Luzac Lyceum-College has almost 50 per cent more applications this school year than in 2020. "Part of that increase can be explained by Dutch expat families returning to their home countries due to corona," he says.

LUZAC

Pauline Heistein-ten Zeldam: "With us, no stories of 'my child didn't have chemistry lessons for two months'.

But the vast majority, the rector said, have lost motivation while sitting at home. "I have heard really harrowing stories. Students who didn't pull it off at all. They missed connecting with the class and teachers. If you can then opt for personal attention and not having to repeat a year, yes, they soon come to us."

Pod class

Not knowing exactly how to learn can also be a reason for choosing Luzac. "Some students don't actually know how to make a summary of lesson material. Especially in upper secondary school, this is sometimes noticeable. Then you see someone staring dejectedly at a page for three quarters of an hour. We offer tools." She lists: "Shading texts, making cards with concepts or a mind map. Every person has their own way of taking notes, but then you have to learn that."

Spotify

On 'learning to learn', Heistein-ten Zeldam devised a 'Pod class' or podcast. "I have just recorded a series of six episodes for Luzac," he says. Other topics covered include fear of failure, study stress and motivation. So it's not about Luzac. 'Podklas' is of interest to all parents and students following secondary education. A podcast lasts half an hour and can be listened to via Spotify or via our site."

Luzac The Hague

Reading room.

She may be rector, but Heistein-ten Zeldam does not run the school from an ivory tower. "When I started here in 2019, I sat here next to the administration and the canteen. At the heart of the school. I want to be part of the organisation."

Winter sports outing

In February, the former geography teacher has her "feet in the clay". Then she will join the winter sports outing. "I'm really looking forward to it. With the whole upper school in the bus to Austria. Good for bonding." Laughs: "Four days and then completely demolished. Megapitten with sixty adolescents. What a responsibility. But it's an unforgettable experience for the pupils. After that, their year can't go wrong."

www.luzac.nl