Introduction/specifics

Our kindergarten, which is run independently by the Montessori Interest Group Elangen e.V., offers space for up to 75 children from the age of 3 until they start school.

The children are cared for, nurtured and partly catered for according to the principles of Maria Montessori. From late morning onwards, care is provided across groups.

All further information can be found on our homepage:

www.montessori-kiga-erlangen.de

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Rooms

There are three groups in our house: Bee group, Lion group and Sun group, each with 25 children. Each group has its own group room, which is equipped with Montessori materials, as well as two side rooms (construction corner/painting room and quiet room).

The corridor between the individual groups can also be used by the children for working. There is a separate checkroom for each group. There is also a large gym, a doll's corner, a bedroom, a sanitary room with children's toilets and a kitchen with an adjoining dining room.

Outdoor Facilities

In the outdoor area, the children have access to a spacious garden with a large sandpit, mud pit, raised beds, climbing stones, nest swing, climbing spider, soccer pitch and lawns with a climbing mountain.

With balance bikes, tricycles and various other vehicles, the children can playfully move around and train their balance and coordination.
There is also a climbing frame with swings and a slide, which we share with two other facilities.

Daily Schedule

Drop-off times
Our kindergarten opens at 07.00 am.

After the last drop-off time at 09.00 a.m., all children are present in their respective groups and can work there undisturbed.

A flexible breakfast is served in our groups. This means that the children are free to decide when they want to eat. Several times a year, the individual groups also have breakfast together, which is then prepared together with the children.

Depending on the day of the week, different activities take place in the morning.

Wednesday and Thursday are our in-group days. On these days, an extensive chair circle is offered. Various topics are discussed, projects take place and the children's birthdays are also celebrated on these days.

Lunch
At 11:15 a.m., the younger children go to lunch, after which they go to the quiet room to relax with a story or an audio book. The older children eat their lunch during this time.

Afternoon
In the afternoon there is again time for free work. We often go out into the garden to meet the children's urge to move. The last pick-up time is at 4.30 p.m. or 4.00 p.m. on Fridays.

Food

Providing the children with freshly cooked, regional and seasonal food is very important to us, which is why we have been working together with the Regnitz workshops of Lebenshilfe Erlangen e.V. for over 20 years. All children who have booked a place until at least 2 p.m. have the opportunity to take part in a daily freshly prepared, balanced and warm lunch in the group.

Basics

Our focus on Montessori education is based on three assumptions according to Maria Montessori:

• The child is at the center of the educational work.
• Every child is the builder of his or her own personality.
• Guiding the child to think and act independently is at the forefront of the pedagogy.

Employee

Educational responsibility for the kindergarten lies with the team of teachers, who are represented by our kindergarten management.
Each of our three groups is supervised by a permanent team of educational specialists, who are supplemented by SEJ trainees and teachers in their year of recognition.
All teaching staff hold a Montessori diploma or are currently undergoing a two-year in-service training programme.

Additional Offerings

Forest days

On the first Thursday of every month, all the kindergarten groups go to the nearby forest together and spend the morning there.

Excursions and special activities

Once or twice a kindergarten year, we take the children on excursions. Some of the trips are made by public transport. In recent years, for example, we have visited the planetarium, the field of experience for the senses, an adventure farm, the Erlangen theater and the police station.

Cooperations

Erlenfeld senior center

An exchange with the senior citizens' center "Am Erlenfeld" has existed for several years. The afternoon group visits the senior citizens once a month with around 15 children for various activities, e.g. baking, making music and playing together. In the run-up to Christmas, some senior citizens also visit the kindergarten to spend a cozy afternoon with a Christmas play and cookies.

Erlangen City Library

We regularly borrow a book box with picture books, non-fiction books, etc. from the Erlangen City Library. One of our colleagues selects a few books and puts together a mixed box for the kindergarten, which then stays with us for several weeks. The books are read to the children and are also available for the children to browse through independently.

In addition, the pre-school children visit the public library once a year. There they are introduced to the library as an institution, something is read to them and the children are allowed to discover the children's and youth library for themselves.

Montessori School Erlangen

Once a year, our kindergarten hosts an information evening for parents at the Montessori school in Erlangen.
In the fall/winter, the preschool and corridor children spend a morning getting to know the Montessori school and, after a tour of the building, are allowed to participate in free work.

Büchenbach elementary school

Cooperation with the Büchenbach elementary school has been expanded and intensified in recent years. In Erlangen, the "Educating and Learning" working group has existed for many years and our kindergarten regularly takes part in it. The aim is to maintain the good cooperation with Büchenbach Primary School, Mönauschule and Heinrich Kirchner School. A parents' evening on the topic of "school readiness" was jointly developed and takes place once a year.

Teamwork with school

Heinrich Kirchner Primary School

At regular meetings, the plans for the school year are discussed, various topics are discussed and - with the consent of the parents - the development of the children is exchanged. To ensure a successful transition from kindergarten to primary school, the following programmes are offered in cooperation with Heinrich Kirchner School in the second half of the school year:

• A visit to the school and a non-binding visit to the individual classes, the secretary's office and other rooms
• A joint break with the 1st and 2nd classes
• A visit to a classroom and the library in the afternoon
• Participation in lessons
• A visit from a teacher to the kindergarten if required

Furthermore, the preliminary German course is organised in cooperation with the Heinrich Kirchner primary school. All children who are entitled to the German pre-course currently go to the BüNo19 children's house on Mondays from 9.30 a.m. to 11.15 a.m. to work together with a teacher.

Teamwork with parents

Parent work and parental co-operation are a basic requirement in our kindergarten. Regular one-to-one meetings between parents and teachers are an essential part of our educational work. Discussing the basic ideas of Maria Montessori is very important for good co-operation between parents and kindergarten. 

Specifics

Nature education

Encounters with nature promote the healthy development of children. In nature, children find many valuable spaces for discovery and experience, which stimulate the senses, body awareness and mind with their diverse stimuli.

Animal-assisted education

Animal-assisted pedagogy refers to interventions involving animals that initiate learning processes on the basis of specific child-oriented objectives. The main aim is to improve the child's emotional and social skills. 

Overview

Our kindergarten accepts children from the age of 3. The only exceptions are children born in October. These are also accepted in September.

Furthermore, it is important that your child's toilet training is complete and that your child can attend our kindergarten without a diaper.

Further information on admission to our kindergarten can be found on our homepage under FAQs:

www.montessori-kindergarten-erlangen.de

Description and Stations

Our kindergarten is located in Donato-Polli-Straße, right next to the Lebenshilfe e.V. inclusive kindergarten, the Apostelkirche crèche and the municipal crèche. 
The bus stop for the 293 bus route is in front of the crèche, approx. 200m from our kindergarten.