A Sneak Peek at German International School

The German International School focuses on creating globally conscious, independent thinkers through the International Baccalaureate Primary Years Programme. Students and families are provided a safe and nurturing environment where the children learn by being immersed in the German language and introduced to many different cultures. But what does that look like?

It is very powerful to see children being open minded in their school community every day. Recently, the preschool students got their hands dirty when a parent volunteer taught them all about cooking Chinese spring rolls. They learned about the culture and history of food in China, including how to spell “spring roll” in Chinese characters, and ended with everyone making their own spring roll!

GIS’ Kindergarten program is currently exploring the IB unit of “Who We Are.” This month they had the pleasure of taking a trip to a portion of Beaverton Creek that runs through the property as part of their philosophy of encouraging children to have a natural curiosity of the world. They sang songs and told stories while mindfully navigating through the creek in a way that is safe to them and the environment.

The 5th grade class is focusing on culture and how they individually fit into the world. They were challenged to question what culture is and how they play a role in creating it. To materialize these abstract concepts, they explored aspects of Jewish culture by studying artifacts from a traveling trunk made available by the Oregon Jewish Museum and Center for Holocaust Education. The students discussed difficult questions of identity and belonging when it comes to immigrating to a different culture, an experience shared by many members of the GIS community.

Take a moment to browse their website to see if GIS is the right fit for your child. If you can’t make the open houses on October 25, 2018 and January 27, 2019, then schedule a tour today to see their Über Global Curriculum in action!