Philosophy

Our program is based on proven German curricula noted for their success in developing students’ strengths across academic disciplines, as well as critical thinking skills, social-emotional competencies, artistic expression, and motor skills. This is combined with project-based, literature-rich English language instruction in every grade.

Of course, German language immersion is a key feature of our program. Instead of providing foreign language instruction as a separate topic a few times each week as in monolingual schools, we provide our students an immersive and systematic language experience integrated with our academic curriculum.

We emphasize critical thinking and competencies over rigid content requirements or teaching to any tests. Our project-based curriculum encourages students at every age to use their minds, hearts, and hands to think for themselves while learning in cooperation with others. By supporting each student’s uniqueness and autonomy as a learner, we prepare our students to meet the challenges of high school, university, and their broader pursuits in the world.

Another key feature of our program is the early introduction of advanced topics such as chemistry, biology, physics and ethics, which our students begin taking on as early as the fifth grade. In addition, our curriculum employs a unique spiral sequence in which recurring topics are presented in ever increasing detail and complexity. This powerful approach allows students to grasp connections between topics as they deepen their understanding with each iteration.

By undertaking a large part of their studies in the German language, our students gain access to exceptional German textbooks, workbooks, and other learning tools. These expertly developed materials present complex subjects in an inviting, intuitive, and developmentally appropriate way, supporting efficient learning with minimal frustration. Using German materials also means that a high degree of differentiation is “built in” to our curriculum because the texts themselves support multiple levels of complexity. This helps teachers meet the needs of each student, whether advanced or needing more support, and reflects the state of the art in educational practice.

In accordance with the latest research into how children learn, our students do more of their learning in class and receive less homework than in other schools. This allows children the afterschool downtime their brains need to assimilate all they have learned throughout the day and frees them to pursue their individual interests, whether through our afterschool activities or in the community. Less homework also eliminates what is often a major source of family stress and allows families simply to enjoy their evenings together.