Our Mission
Our preschool program, commonly referred to in German as “kindergarten,” or “Deutscher Kindergarten,” welcomes children who already have strong German-language skills, as well as those whose parents have an interest in exposing their children to the German language and embracing our rich and diverse culture.
Portland Kinderschule strives to enrich the lives of children and their families through a German immersion cooperative preschool program. We promote German language ability, diversity and cultural awareness with the goal of creating confident, happy, bilingual children who are prepared to start kindergarten.
Our Teachers
Frau Gerlinde
Senior Teacher
“You laugh, you cry, and you work harder than you ever thought you could. Sometimes you try to change the world and sometimes you try to just make it through the day. My heart is full of joy and my mind is packed with memories of children who have touched my life. Living my life with my eyes wide open and loving what I am doing feels like a blessing.”
Frau Susann
Teacher
"I believe empathy is the key to social and emotional learning. Acknowledging and allowing all feelings, big and small, is what preschool should be all about. It is a crucial time to become comfortable amongst others and the stepping stone for future learning and happiness.”
Frau Yvonne
Assistant Teacher
"Play is often talked about as if it were a relief from serious learning. But for children play is serious learning. Play is really the work of childhood."- Fred Rogers
Frau Raingard
Assistant Teacher
"Bilingualism and Multilingualism. Two languages open every door along the way. “To have another language is to possess a second soul.” (Charlemagne) If we spoke a different language , we would perceive a somewhat different world."
Our Curriculum
Our curriculum is based on that of a traditional Deutscher kindergarten. Our talented teachers support our four-hour schedule which follows a creative and flexible curriculum designed to meet the needs of the individual child within a multi-age setting. Each child is allowed to grow at his own pace, in his own way. Children are encouraged to develop their individuality while they develop relationships within the group. In Portland Kinderschule’s loving and caring environment, children learn to trust and open up to new experiences. During situational conflicts, children learn to accept compromises and recognize their own inner resources, therefore increasing their problem solving skills and reducing their level of frustration.
Non-German speakers and German speakers alike are immersed into the German culture and learn the language through repetition of our daily routines and songs, as well as through interactions with other children, parents, and the teacher. Each child learns the language at her own pace. First, the child comes to understand the meaning of the words, much like an infant and toddler does in its beginning stage of language development. Once the child becomes more familiar and comfortable with the language, she begins to speak more naturally.
PCPO
Portland Kinderschule is a member of PCPO - Parent Child Preschools Organization which assists our school with administration, offers opportunities for parent education, allows Portland Kinderschule to connect with other cooperative preschools, and gives us an edge in staying on top of educational trends.