Privatkindergarten Schmetterling

Our teachers adjust the pedagogical focus, educational content and educational goals to the developmental stage of the children. Based on the situation analysis, the planning is child-centred and the focus is dynamically adjusted through monthly reflections. For quality assurance purposes, the legal basis, the Vienna Education Plan and the specifications of the pedagogical concept are continuously monitored by the site managers during implementation. Through regular further training (further training obligation and pedagogical afternoons) of the pedagogical team, new scientific findings, current pedagogical trends, regional structures and social changes can always be evaluated and integrated into the daily work with the children.
By participating in meetings between schools and kindergartens, the transitions are reflected upon and continuously improved.

We always try to meet the individual needs of our children!

What makes Kindergarten Schmetterling so special

• Self-sufficient upbringing: In the kindergarten, the children should and are allowed to do as much as possible on their own (independently). External orders shift to internal orders. By helping with self-control the children are supported in learning how to orient themselves.
• Individuality: There are no collective “have-to’s” in our kindergarten; depending on the stage of development, children will be supported individually.
• High-key supervision: In our kindergarten, we have qualified pedagogical employees who exclusively care for your children.
• Creativity: Our educational team sets conscious creative impulses and provides the children with space and materials that stimulate their imagination. We encourage the children to get to know different techniques and to design creative projects together.
• Environmental awareness: Is important to us in the kindergarten as it sensitises the youngest generations to the protection of our environment at an early stage and promotes sustainable thinking and action from the very beginning.

• Bilingualism: We have a two-language program and our English-speaking assistants present the English language in our daily routine.
• Food: Fresh, self-cooked food and meals (organic, regional and seasonal products) are served at the kindergarten. The Neustift & Dornbach locations are certified by Austria Bio Garantie GmbH. Currently, the organic food share is approx. 52%.
• Modern set-up / highest standards: The large and bright group rooms with great playing-equipment provide an optimal environment for the children. There is a washroom in each group. The toilets are different sizes and are an attractive way to help with hygiene and cleanliness education.
• Few closed days: The Kindergarten Schmettering is closed December 24th through January 1st, the week before Easter, during the last Vienna summer holiday week and all Austrian National Holidays.

Our attitude

“Children should play more than many children do nowadays. Because if you play enough while you’re little, you carry treasures with you that you can draw on later for your whole life. Then you know what it means to have a warm, secret world inside you that gives you strength when life gets hard. Whatever happens, whatever you experience, you have this world inside you to hold on to.” (Astrid Lindgren)

“Our inner attitude determines our actions.” (Axel Conrad, reprint 2021, Cornelsen Verlag; Regeln, Grenzen, Konsequenzen)

We want to offer our children a kindergarten (group) space of orientation and security. For a successful cooperation, the development of trust and bonding with the respective child is an essential educational focus of our daily work.

In order to pick up each individual child where he or she stands, it is necessary to have a very clear view, sensitive listening, observation of different daily situations as well as a feeling for putting oneself in the shoes of others. It is also important not to judge others by oneself, but to be open to other “ways” and solutions in everyday life. Often, in daily interpersonal interaction, important common goals are agreed upon and limits and consequences are set or worked out in a participatory way.

Our 10 Schmetterling goals for harmonious togetherness in our kindergarten are

• Mindful interaction (language and respectful dialogue)
• Education is relationship, bonding and accompaniment
• Solution-oriented instead of punishment
• Emotional development
• Taking responsibility

• Understand and act
• Accepting help from others (colleagues, superiors, experts, etc.)
• Educational methods (time for individual interests & flexibility in everyday life)
• Encouragement and positive attitude
• Rituals as a guide

As a bilingual kindergarten, it is important to us that English is seen as a fixed part of the group activities. The teachers are supported by the assistants in integrating the English language into their educational programme.

We pay special attention to the children’s individual targets: whether the child should focus on learning English because he/she would like to go to an international primary school or focus on learning German because German is not the child’s native language.

Scientifically speaking, it is no problem for children to switch between numerous languages as long as it involves a natural conversation and is connected to concrete situations. Two languages should never be mixed in a sentence – as a bilingual kindergarten, we make sure to avoid this and establish a fix reference person who communicates with the child in only one language.

A pedagogue teacher (German)
An English-speaking assistant (speaks solely English)
A group-wide German-speaking assistant

Our program as a bilingual kindergarten

A bilingual kindergarten has a lot to offer; but why is it an advantage when a child acquires a second (or third) language?

Science and research have been debating over this for decades. Individual questions or even concerns regarding this topic can be clarified during a personal discussion in our bilingual kindergarten in Vienna.

One found out, “that the thinking process of a bilingual person runs differently. They have a less standardized thinking style; they are more creative, more flexible and more open. The thinking style determines how one tackles a problem and how to solve it. […] Studies […] go by the idea that someone, who has two or more concepts for one and the same object, builds a more original and more flexible thinking style. Due to the fact that bilinguals know more words to apply to one concept, they also have access to a bigger range of associated meanings for that concept.”
(Barbara Abdelilah-Bauer: Zweisprachig aufwachsen. München: C.H. Beck 2008, S. 47f)

• English elements as part of our daily routine, such as English songs in the morning circle or at snack time and many other options
• Toddler group offers in English (creative projects, looking at picture books, educational games, finger games, flashcards and so on)
• English offers corresponding to those of the pedagogue; all educational sectors are covered
• The pedagogue’s proposals call for active cooperation, for example, certain parts are reiterated in English
• Our bilingual kindergarten brings many nationalities and languages together