Introduction/specifics

The Albatrosses are a multi-age group with 16 children between the ages of one year and school entry, run by the Marburger Eltern-Kind-Verein e.V. The children are cared for by two pedagogical specialists and interns.

The Marburger Eltern-Kind-Verein e.V. is responsible for nine facilities in the city of Marburg and currently cares for 180 children between the ages of six months and school entry. The association is a parents' initiative. We attach great importance to the protection of children, a trusting and familiar atmosphere and a cooperative partnership. In our facilities, children should be allowed to develop their talents and experience values such as tolerance, community and closeness to nature.

For further information see: https://www.eltern-kind-verein.de/

Our group rooms are on the 1st floor in the Zeppelinstraße. We share the house and the large garden with the children's group Floh.

Our children...

... have a say! We attach great importance to participation. In the form of the children's conference and other democratic processes, we enable the children to have a say in their own lives. In this way, even the youngest children experience self-efficacy. They learn to implement their own ideas and to make decisions together with others.

.... actively shape the daily routine and contribute their individual strengths! Within the framework of a structured daily group routine, we offer each child the opportunity to develop at his or her own pace. Within the framework of a co-constructive learning process, the children explore their environment and make individual experiences.

... choose their activities independently. They have the opportunity to use both the group rooms and the garden. In addition to free play with other children, individual activities and small group work also take place during this time. In addition, we promote social skills and group cohesion with group-wide activities.

...love to be outside! We are weatherproof and usually go outside once a day. The children like to mud to their hearts' content and need appropriate mud clothing. 

...learn solidarity. Because of the age structure, the Albatrosses learn to be considerate of each other and to help others.

...we take seriously! That is why we focus on the needs of the children in our daily work.

Examples of this include

Bedtimes

The children sleep when they are tired. We do not have fixed bedtimes.

Food

We do not have the so-called "tasting lick". The children decide for themselves whether - how much and what they eat. In this way, we support the children in a natural way to perceive their own feeling of fullness. 

Our parents...

...actively participate in shaping the group! Both in terms of content and in the form of group and garden design, the Albatros parents are characterized by a high degree of participation. In regular exchanges between parents and professionals, we strive to adapt the group offerings to the needs of the current families, especially the children, in our group. 

...cook for us! One of our daily tasks is cooking for the whole group. The families take turns bringing food that can be easily reheated.

Rooms

The Albatrosses live in a 4 room apartment with kitchen and bathroom on the 1st floor in Zeppelinstraße.

Besides our spacious kitchen, which we also use as a dining room, we have...

...a reading oasis/rest room

There we read books together or look at stories with the Kamishibai, sleep, cuddle and rest.

...a role play room

There we become construction workers, dancers, cooks, doctors and many more. In this way, we playfully explore the world and always learn something new.

...a playroom

With our movement blocks and the plateau we build courses and caves. Sometimes very orderly, sometimes very wild. The main thing is to have fun!

...a spacious balcony

Under the sun deck we like to have lunch in summer or splash around with water.

Outdoor Facilities

The albatrosses love nature

We have a large garden with a tree house, sandbox, swings, slide and lots of space for bobby car racing, romping and climbing. Together with the fleas we enjoy the shade in summer, the harvest and the mud in autumn, the toboggan run in winter and the many beautiful flowers in spring.

In addition, we make many excursions in our surroundings. Along the Lahn River into the south neighborhood and sometimes as far as Northampton Park. We can also often be found on the Vitos grounds and at the adjacent health gardens.

Daily Schedule

Daily routine*

                      07:30 a.m. We start the day with free play.

08:00 a.m.  -  10:30 a.m. open breakfast

09:00 a.m.  -  12:00 p.m. guided activities or free play

                      12:00 p.m. lunch followed by brushing your teeth

12:30 p.m. -   01:00 p.m. rest period (reading, resting, quiet play) **

                      02:30 p.m. afternoon snack

01:00 p.m.  -  04:00 p.m. garden time/free play

*Group groups are held in a participatory manner according to the needs of the children.

  **There are no fixed bedtimes, the children sleep individually when they are tired (see concept Role of the educator – sleeping in the children's group).

Food

We albatrosses like to eat healthy!

Breakfast

Each child brings their own sugar-free breakfast and a piece of fruit for the group. Together we then cut the fruit for the fruit plate and eat when we are hungry. Once everyone is there, there is an offer to all sit together again and look in the lunch box.

Lunch

Our parents cook for us* on a daily basis. They pay attention to variety and healthy ingredients. We only eat vegetarian food at lunch, the only exception at the moment being fish sticks. Together we sit down at the table and put on what we like to eat. As soon as we have finished eating, we are allowed to get up, evaluate the food and then play quietly until everyone has eaten.

* Parents cook the food beforehand and it is then warmed up in the children's group. 

Afternoon snack

Our parents take turns bringing something every day that we can eat in the afternoon. These can be, for example, sandwiches, fruit and vegetables.

Basics

Pedagogical approach

Communication with parents and children is an important basis of our work. Through regular parents' evenings and regular children's conferences, we are in constant exchange in order to take up and implement wishes and suggestions. This also gives rise to many interesting projects, be it parent workshops or group research projects, which offer our children the opportunity to discover and help shape the world in which they live. The process-oriented and open-ended planning allows us a high degree of flexibility and is always oriented towards the interests of the children. The children learn with us with joy and intrinsically motivated independent acquisition of knowledge, which favors later success at school. Due to the wide age range, the children can learn with and from each other, according to their development. Through the many different approaches to a topic, each child can tie in with his or her previous level of knowledge and deal with it in his or her own way. The educators see themselves as co-learners who use new materials and information to bring complex topics to life and make them tangible. In co-constructive learning processes, the children experience self-efficacy and assume responsibility.

The experiences children have with us are independent of gender. We do not teach classic role models and support the child's need to try out different roles.[1] In addition to the basic emancipative attitude, we also teach the children about closeness and distance. They learn to perceive what closeness is good for them, but also to make it clear when they do not want something. Respectful interaction with one another is also reflected in everyday group life.

In order for the children to be able to consciously perceive their environment, we use various, mainly natural and everyday materials. The realistic experience with all senses promotes holistic development and prepares the way for independent and responsible thinking and acting. The teachers accompany the children and help them to master tasks independently. This strengthens their self-confidence.[2]

The child's development is also supported by the many stimuli in numerous nature experiences. We take the children outside every day and in almost any weather. They learn to assess their own limits, to be aware of dangers and to behave accordingly. Through the useful plants in our garden, and also on meadows and in forests, we live with and from nature throughout the year. In this way, the children learn about ecological relationships in a playful way and get to know plants and animals. Through our four forest weeks, right before Easter, we intensify these experiences every year.

[1]http://www.situationsansatz.de/konzeptleitbild.html (18.05.2020)

[2]http://www.montessori.de/montpaed.php (18.05.2020)

Employee

The team...

...wants children and parents to feel comfortable with us. Therefore, we try to maintain the family character of our children's group and cultivate a good exchange.

In everyday life as well as in parent-teacher conferences and regular parent-teacher evenings, we offer the opportunity to represent one's own interests and to make joint decisions for the good of the group. This educational partnership enables the children to grow up happily with the group of children and later facilitates the transition to school.

...attaches great importance to community experiences. We get to know each other better during our celebrations.

...always has an open ear if there are difficulties or problems. Together we find a way.

Description and Stations

By car

Coming from Kirchhain on the B3, take the Gisselberger Straße exit and turn right onto the same called road. At the next intersection turn right again onto Zeppelinstraße. After crossing the Konrad Adenauer Bridge you will find us on the left side. Parking spaces are on your side at the roadside.

Coming from Gießen on the B3, turn off at Marburg Süd and follow the signs for Gassmann Stadion. At the end of the street turn right into Gisselberger Straße. Follow this street to the end and turn right again into Zeppelinstraße. After crossing the Konrad Adenauer Bridge you will find us on the left side. Parking spaces are on your side at the roadside.

By bicycle

We are easily accessible via the Lahnradweg from both directions. You can reach us either via the Konrad Adenauer Bridge or the Südbahnhof. Bicycles can be parked in front of the entrance door.

By bus

You can reach us easily via the bus stops Konrad-Adenauer-Brücke and Südbahnhof.