The Freising association Mibikids has started its new school year with 280 registered pupils from around 40 countries – more than ever before, as the Süddeutsche Zeitung reports. The association is urgently looking for volunteer teachers for its German language support courses.
The new school year began at the start of October, as the Süddeutsche Zeitung reported on Sunday. According to the association’s experience, the number of participants continues to rise until spring, says deputy chair Ursula Seidensticker. The big problem is finding enough volunteer group leaders. “We urgently need new teachers,” says Seidensticker.
At present the team of just under 50 volunteers provides around 80 hours of German language support per week. More is not possible, says Seidensticker. There are currently around 45 names on the waiting list, which is long above all at the Neufahrn and Hallbergmoos locations. “Our goal is to offer every child a course during the current school year.”
Support is provided in small groups of no more than five children, covering grammar, reading comprehension and spelling. Alongside the courses for kindergarten and school children, there is “Mama lernt Deutsch” for mothers and intensive holiday courses. “All the offers are in great demand,” says Seidensticker.
A teaching qualification is not required for new teachers. “What matters is enjoyment of passing on knowledge, of working with children, and good German skills,” stresses Seidensticker. Those who join are prepared through observation and induction and receive an expense allowance of 15 euros per hour.
Mibikids was founded in October 2010 as an initiative by migrants for migrants, initially with one group for four children. Since then the number of participants has risen steadily – except during the coronavirus years. “The political developments are noticeable here too,” says Seidensticker: many refugee mothers and children have come to the district because of the war in Ukraine, and more and more skilled workers are moving in from countries such as Pakistan, India or Bangladesh. Many schools are overwhelmed by children with no or hardly any German skills and seek help from Mibikids.
“Language is the key to education and education is the key to integration: that is our motto,” says Seidensticker. The association’s success is shown by the transition figures: a remarkable number of the fourth-graders it supports make the leap to a Gymnasium or Realschule.
