Hi - does anyone currently have a child in state Kindergarten in Zug or surrounds? Would love to hear some views on using the state Kindergarten as an alternative to private schools (my son is non-German speaking at the moment)
cheers

not Zug but i would strongly suggest you go to the school and ask the meet the teacher and ask them about their integration programme.

if you get a blank look then think carefully

There was a letter sent for those that live around our local kindergarten for all kids turning 5 this year. There is an information evening later this month. Did you get this letter?

Hi Marie - we are not yet in Zug, moving later this year and thinking ahead...

We are in the process of deciding now.

Negatives:
-There are loads of holidays to find daycare for (6 weeks of summer holidays and 2 in feb, april and october).
-The first year of kindergarten is 8.15 - 12pm 5 days a week, so they are barely there.
-We also want to continue our son's English lessons. Now he does half the day in English and half the day in Swiss German with native speakers.

Positives:
-People mention integration. Learning Swiss German, local traditions and local friends.

I'm struggling to see how it would be better or even as equally as good as where is now. Most of his teachers are Swiss and are qualified kindergarten teachers. They do all the Swiss traditions with them. Kids in his current pre-kindergarten live in our neibourhood too.

He is eager to learn and loves where he is. If he only had to be there a couple of mornings a week I would certainly do it, but finding daycare for 5 afternoons and most of the holiday time comes at a greater cost than private day care. 8.15am starts are very early for us too

In my experience, and that of friends, there won't be an official 'integration programme' at kindergarten level, as it's not even compulsory school in many places.

My daughter started enfantine age 4 as a non-French speaker. There was no official programme but her teachers couldn't have been more helpful - key phrases in English with repetition and lots of modelling and mime; switch to fully French as soon as possible (my son's teacher spoke fluent English to him for months before we realised...); had me bring in her favourite, very familiar English picture books then read them to her in French translating on the fly, etc etc.

So yes, certainly ask how the teachers will support language learning, but asking for the 'integration programme' might be a little confusing for them or even a bit confrontational.

In Kt. Zug, the 1st year of Kindergarten at age 5 is not manditory! Only at age 6 is the 'second' kindergarten year then manditory. Then again, you'll learn about this at parent's info night

thanks everyone for your replies....MarieZug, it sounds as if you have made your mind up for the private schools - is that where your child is now? Any recommendations?
Do bilingual schools teach Swiss-German, or High German, and do they offer French as well?
cheers

In Zug, bi-lingual kindergarten is usually taught in English / Swiss German.

Primary schools (from the year they turn 6) are generally taught in one language English / Swiss German / High German but offer language lessons in the other languages.

Some primary schools offer English lessons from Grade 1. That's ideally what we would like. As for French, I know of one primary school that teaches French from 3rd Grade.

We are still deciding about private / non-private school. Many people we speak to are happy with local schooling, but our son needs constant pushing and activities then clowns around too much if he gets bored. His kindergarten teacher says that he would benefit from small class sizes, so that's what we are looking for in a primary school.

Public kindergarten and the being there for such a short time every day just isn't enough. We are considering bringing him from the public one to the private one for 3 afternoons a week. At least from primary school (from the year they turn 6 if they are ready and the kindergarten teacher says so) they will be doing afternoons too.

Hi, just to give my expedience of a bilingual school over the border in luzern for a non German speaking 7, year old who arrived in January.The teacher speaks German slowly and with miming gestures to her, obviously she understands very little, the other kids tell her what the teacher said in english. She doesn't really seem to mind but I am not sure she is learning much, German or otherwise in these lessons. French doesn't start until 5th grade, not sure if this is typical.

It's a difficult decision, isn't it? Also, the 8.15 start seems a bit early, as you say. Clonskeagh - is it four-forest in Luzern your child is at? I had a look at their site and I liked the sound of the school. I will be there for a week soon, and I will hopefully have a look at some schools then, in Zug and surrounds.

Kg age children do not need an "intergration" programme. With supportive, positive parenatl attitude, theywill all pick up the local language ( and dialect) by going straight into full immersion mode in the general classroom. It's just parents who take longer to learn a language. Things to look at though, are the hours available at the local kg. In parts of the country, extended hours are now on offer and some are also now providing lunch, to be able to cater for working parents time constraints. (wouldn't it be great if some of the employers in Switzerland offered part time work to allow a parent to fit in with a school day, whilst still keeping up to date with a career?)

THe other thing to look at is how long the familz is likely to remain in Switzerland and whether they go back to their home country after that, or to another foreign*speaking) one. This could alter the decision in regards to language learning and curriculum issues.

What? State schools get that much? Teachers, too?