Educational Concept

Kindergartens play an important role in our society: they act as a bridge between the different areas of life and stages of life of the children and have an important social responsibility in terms of educating and caring for young children.

At Platanus Kindergarten, we believe it is our responsibility to help children develop healthy self-esteem and confidence in their human relationships, to help them appreciate their immediate personal environment as well as their place in the wider community.

We believe that children discover who they are as they grow; they are constantly learning and often emulate what they see adults and older children doing. They are full of energy, and they want to be loved, accepted and taken seriously.

We think small children cannot always express their needs and are not always taken seriously. They cannot always explain themselves in order to have their needs met. They are still naturally dependant upon the adults who live with them and care for them. Children cannot yet take full responsibility for themselves or for others.

Therefore, we believe that on the one hand, children need abundant warmth and security and on the other hand, they need freedom to develop, to become independent, to test things and to learn. They need to be encouraged to engage actively in the world around them and to relate themselves to their environment.

In addition to the german Teachers and Educators, there is a daily assistance of Native speaking Trainers in each group from 9 a.m. till 12 a.m. In the Preschool we are working with an English Teacher from 9 a.m till 3. p.m.

Example: Weekly Schedule Preschool 2010/11

Daily Activity Plan Preschool

The Senate Department for Education, Youth and Sport defines the basic guidelines of our educational concept in its ‘Berlin Programme for Education, Rearing and Care of Children in Kindergartens’.

At PLATANUS Kindergarten we work with the "Berliner Bildungsprogramm". Children will spend most of their day in a permanent group setting. In this group they will be looked after with children of the same age. Early in the morning and in the late afternoon, as well a on special days, all children will carry out specified activities together.

Our educational goal is an age-appropriate and holistic education that takes into account children’s individual aptitudes and talents. We emphasise preschool language acquisition in German and English, both of which are given equal weight, and also encourage a playful awareness of mathematical, scientific and other environmentally related phenomena.

Through the integration of our kindergarten and primary school in one educational institution, we are able to effectively combine preschool education and care of young children. At Platanus, preschool education does not just begin the year before primary school; from their first year in kindergarten, children are challenged and encouraged in their growth and development.