Basics
Our educational work at Inselzwerge is aimed at children aged 0 to 3 years and focuses on their individual development, needs and rights.
A trusting, respectful relationship with parents – who are, without question, the experts when it comes to their children – forms the cornerstone of our work. Following a gentle settling-in period at the child’s own pace, we act as competent and reliable partners in shaping your child’s further development.
We therefore place great emphasis in our daily routine on providing sensitive support to the children, in order to identify and nurture all their individual abilities and interests. Through this personalised approach, the child alone determines which topics and learning content they would like to explore. Through careful observation, we identify these interests and incorporate them into our educational work as part of the daily routine.
‘Tell me, and I forget. Show me, and I remember. Let me do it, and I understand’ – Confucius
Our task now is to provide new stimuli and incentives so that the child can continue to develop new skills and abilities. We take on a supportive yet unobtrusive role, enabling the child to play an active part in their own development. They experience a sense of self-efficacy and learn from an early age how competently they can help shape their environment.
The environment plays an active role in shaping children’s educational processes, which is why our partially open concept allows us to open up further spaces for the children after a shared start to the morning, enabling self-directed learning. In this way, the children’s participation guides our daily routine, and they can experience – regardless of their age – what it means to have rights and to be involved in decision-making. At our centre, we are also fortunate that our garden allows us to enjoy entirely new experiences right in the heart of Ulm’s bustling city life.
Even during the communal lunch provided by our centre, the focus is not merely on eating, but also on experiencing a sense of community and the food itself. Once again, it becomes clear that education can never be viewed in isolation. It is a holistic process which, in our centre, is closely intertwined with all the senses and in all situations, designed to awaken children’s curiosity, enable them to act independently and discover the world with an open mind.
The core values of the AWO – “freedom, equality, justice, solidarity and tolerance” – are experienced here even by the youngest children. With our warm and professional team, the Inselzwerge creates a loving environment for growing up, welcoming families with respect and taking the next big step in early childhood together.
