Who we are
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Truly bilingual
Berlin Kids International School provides bilingual education for children growing up with two languages: English and German. For most of the child’s schooling, there is an equal balance in both languages. For the first three years, however, we have chosen to put more weight on English. This principle is based on international research showing that bilingual schools that put more weight on the language not spoken by the community at large, regardless of a student’s stronger language, can more surely provide a truly bilingual education. We are convinced that a society that promotes a bilingual child's two languages and cultures not only provides the student with the necessary basis to develop a strong self-image, but also invests wisely in its future.
- Truly international
English is the language spoken by the world community. In Berlin Kids International Kita alone, there are children from over 20 different nations. Our school draws its students equally from families that come from all over the globe and have chosen to live in Berlin. Internationalism is an essential aspect of the school’s identity.
- Truly multicultural
We believe that language is only one part of a student’s culture, and we place great importance on immersing our students in the variety of cultures where English and German are spoken. The Berlin Kids International School therefore aims to build on our multicultural and bilingual identity as a cornerstone for a successful, future-oriented education in a German, European and world context. School lessons will draw on the variety of cultural backgrounds in each classroom to enrich the subjects being taught, and during after-school hours we shall regularly celebrate a great diversity of cultural traditions.
Part of the community
- Providing bilingual education for the many bilingual families in east Berlin
We believe that a child has a right to an affordable local school which meets all his or her educational requirements, and our school will serve the growing community of English-German-speaking families in the eastern and central parts of Berlin.
- Offering childcare until 6 p.m.
The school day at Berlin Kids International School is structured around a core attendance time from 8:30 a.m. until 4 p.m. But for working parents, more child care may be needed. Therefore, we also offer early morning care from 7:30 a.m., as well as late afternoon care until 6 p.m.
- Living and learning in the local community
It is important that our students see themselves as an integral part of both the global and the local community. As an international school whose pupils and teachers come from the world over, we place great importance on cultural and linguistic diversity, but at the same time we remain true to our local roots. Our students are encouraged to involve themselves in the local community through volunteer work, and we regularly invite the public into the school for creative arts presentations and open houses.
What we value
- Respect and tolerance
We believe that diversity and difference enrich our daily life, and we stress the importance of teaching our students to respect people of all social and cultural backgrounds. Responsibility, independence, openness, respect, politeness, consideration and civil courage are key values at our school. Our students are encouraged to become individuals who can deal with problems, express themselves and solve conflicts harmoniously. Education at Berlin Kids International School focuses at all times on the whole child, on supporting students in their emotional and social development as well as on the acquisition of cognitive skills.
- Being individuals within a team
We believe that students can develop their own individual talents very effectively as part of a team. In the first three years at Berlin Kids International School, students are taught in mixed-age classrooms, learning naturally from each other, finding their identity and skills both as teachers and as learners. Throughout their time at Berlin Kids International School, students take part in extracurricular activities, teamwork and projects that involve all age groups. All new children in the school will be paired with more experienced “brothers and sisters,” who will look after them and help them adjust to their new environment.
- Taking responsibility for our future
Students at Berlin Kids International School are encouraged to understand the importance of what they are learning, be that skills they will need for their own future, tolerance of others, respect for the environment, or the value of community. In all subjects, our students learn to experiment and draw conclusions for themselves, to think for themselve, to be creative and, most of all, to enjoy learning. This way they can develop their individual skills and talents, and fully realize their potential. Students work with their teachers in setting and completing their own learning goals, as well as in assessing their own progress. Also, quite important, students learn to present their own work to their classmates, starting with regular “show and tell” lessons in the student’s first year at school; this is an ideal way for students to develop self-confidence and pride in their work.
Our school day revolves around
- Flexible teaching blocks
The school day at Berlin Kids International School is organized in flexible teaching blocks of 60-90 minutes, allowing teachers and students time to develop the breadth and depth needed to fully comprehend a subject. Within these teaching blocks, the teachers are relatively free to set up lessons around subjects and project work, as well as conduct concentration exercises, movement and games, or even relaxation techniques, depending on the lessons being taught and the age of the students in the group.
- Making connections
We believe that subjects should not be taught in isolation from each other. In order to equip themselves for the future, students should learn to think for themselves and make connections between subjects. With a view to achieving this, much of the teaching at Berlin Kids International School is organized around cross-curricular projects and themes, to be studied from a variety of perspectives. At the same time, our curriculum follows the standards in the Berlin Rahmenlehrplan, as well as a selection of curricula from the English-speaking world.
- Feeling at home
Students learn most effectively if they feel at home in their school. We aim to make sure that our students enjoy the school day. They are welcome to work in the classroom or library before the school day officially starts, and to stay at school until late afternoon, in organized activities such as drama, choir or sports, or spending time in the library or on the playground. Our students’ school is their community, and they also have a say in what happens there, ranging from design of the school logo to decoration of the classrooms to setting the principles laid down each year in the school’s code of conduct. Our school shows its commitment to its students by celebrating their achievements in regular displays of artwork and writing, and in presentations of dance, music and drama.
