Culturally Sensitive Pedagogy in Theory and Practice

What we believe in

In a world that is growing together more and more, in which global thinking, acting and learning and a peaceful coexistence and acceptance of different cultures has become an elementary good for the respectful self-realisation of a generation, the Cosmo Academy in non-profit sponsorship of the EBS Europäische Bildungsstiftung gGmbH (non-profit) would like to give thought-provoking impulses and advice for families and at the same time prepare diversity-sensitive pedagogues for the education of children for an international assignment. To this end, we cooperate with BCS Kindergarten & Preschool as a non-profit bilingual teaching kindergarten.

Mission:

The Cosmo Academy is an ideal and financial supporter

• for training for lifelong learners, innovative childhood educators with a fundamental interest in cultural diversity in a changing community of values
• for places of support and exchange for highly mobile families seeking a respectful and empathetic education for their children.

Vision:

We want to cultivate lifelong learning for a more respectful, enlightened and compassionate world.

Counselling highly mobile parents

Cosmo Academy aims to empower highly mobile parents and caregivers to practice respectful and empathic parenting for their children, thus cultivating a compassionate world.

Training programme for culturally sensitive childhood educators

• The Cosmo Academy aims to impart culturally sensitive pedagogy in theory and practice to childhood educators.
• EBS gGmbH is lobbying the Berlin Senate to certify these culturally sensitive childhood educators with a recognised additional qualification. These culturally sensitive childhood educators are trained to develop individual concepts in a participatory and appreciative manner in institutions with highly mobile families and a high degree of cultural diversity, which support the individual and the community in dealing with each other respectfully and openly. The Cosmo Academy believes that it is precisely when culturally sensitive childhood educators open up this valuable step to children at the age of value development and early imprinting that society can develop further in the paradigm shift towards the urgent protection of democracy and cosmopolitanism in situations of cultural diversity.

How to contact us

academy@cosmopolitanschool.de

030 688332340

Summer School

Further training for career changers and interested educators

Within the framework of a Summer School, 80 hours of further training are organised annually in a fortnight in summer.

• Selected legal principles of child day care in the country of residence (here Berlin, Germany): Conventions on children’s rights, SGB VIII, KitaFöG, VOKitaFöG, QVTAG and RV Tag, in particular child protection, Berlin-standardised registration form, duty of supervision and liability issues.
• Developmental psychology: social-emotional, sensory, cognitive, linguistic-communicative, motor development in early childhood, taking into account the inclusion of children from highly mobile families.
• Educational mission of BCS kindergarten (learning through play): Berlin Education Programme, Reggio approach, Early Years Foundation Stage, Montessori education, Waldorf education, mindfulness education under the aspects of transdisciplinary learning and provocation of learning.
• Observation and digital as well as analogue documentation of milestones, identification of deltas in development and promotion of special talents
  English and German language acquisition: language as a cultural form of expression and identity, other forms of communication, language development, language conspicuities, language education integrated into everyday life, the importance of and dealing with multilingualism, language observation and documentation – working with the language learning diary
• Working with highly mobile parents: legal foundations, methods of working with parents, settling in, communication models, developmental discussions, diversity of family lifestyles, transition to primary school in Berlin and other countries
• Holistic forms of stimulation, support and promotion of children’s educational processes: Activities in different areas of education (special focus on musical, motor, natural science promotion), education in everyday situations and in projects and excursions, importance of play for children’s developmental and educational processes, as well as teaching methods
• Design of framework conditions for early childhood education: daily routine, morning circle, meal and sleep situation, material equipment, room concepts

Working with children under three, participation in the crèche, heuristic play, treasure baskets.

Cosmo Academy Service Club

To this end, the Cosmo Academy has the following focal points as a non-profit organisation:

• Cosmo Academy Service Club (non-profit)
• Dissemination of the culturally sensitive approach to strengthen highly mobile families in an international environment
• Training ambassadors of culturally sensitive education and upbringing in childhood
• Culturally sensitive counselling and support for families in highly mobile environments

Diversity-Sensitives Concept

What is “culturally sensitive & diverse” pedagogy?

Children construct their cultural identity, individuality and group membership in relation to their family. Awareness of other cultures also develops in children because of their understanding of their own family culture. Learning about the cultural characteristics of one’s own ethnic identity takes time and learning about other family cultures takes even longer. Young children are at the beginning of this journey. Beginning with the recognition of the children’s own family cultures and broadening their experience of diversity by learning about other families allows an educator to design enough material for a diversity-sensitive curriculum.

Young children are often unsure of what makes a person an ethnic group. They may need help to understand why they belong to their specific ethnic group.

For young children, culture is not something abstract. It is lived and learned every day through the way family members relate to each other, through language, family stories, family values, and household practices and activities of family members. Holidays are only one aspect of a culture, although they are often the most obvious to outsiders.

Membership

Become supporters of the dissemination of the diversity-sensitive approach