Preschool

Ages 4-5

At the Berlin Metropolitan School, we believe that a good start in school is crucial to a child’s development; whether children grow to love learning or approach their lives with confidence and openness towards other cultures is in large part the result of their experiences during the early school years. The BMS Preschool is both an extension of home and an introduction to life in a larger, multicultural community.

Located on the ground floor of the primary school building, the Berlin Metropolitan Preschool provides quality care and early childhood education for children between the ages of 4 and 5. In a bilingual setting, classes of no more than twenty children are taught by two class teachers, one of whom is German, the other from an English-speaking country. By the time children reach the end of the preschool years, they are ready for a primary school environment in which classes are conducted predominantly in English.

Teachers in the BMS Preschool structure the classroom environment in such a way that children to learn through active exploration and interaction with adults, other children and materials. The program is designed to encourage a balance of child initiated and teacher facilitated activities. Children are encouraged to help themselves, take responsibility, and become increasingly independent. Respect for and cooperation with others is an important objective of the program.

The curriculum is based on an integrated day in which learning is not separated into subject areas. Listening, language, and the ability to follow directions are enhanced through a multi-sensory approach that includes activities with numbers, colors, letters, and shapes. Music, art, reading readiness in German, science, physical education, and drama are incorporated into the preschool week, as are regular field trips to parks, theaters, the zoo, and nearby forests. In the BMS Preschool, we do not distinguish between “work” and “play”; rather, we believe that all classroom and playground experiences yield valuable learning opportunities.