World Citizenship
​TCGIS places particular emphasis on nurturing each individual child while expanding within them the understanding of their roles in the world at large.  We promote the expectations of a respectful, caring community in which all children feel valued and see that making mistakes is an accepted part of the learning process.

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Inquiry Learning
Instruction in the primary grades is focused on whole child learning, emphasizing social, emotional and intellectual development.  Our curriculum begins with children's personal experiences and expands into how we become global citizens.  We implement multidisciplinary content topics using inquiry-based learning and authentic assessment.  Teachers are trained in instructional models that consider children's developmental stages and individual learning styles. In addition, teachers differentiate instruction for all levels of learners within a class and children's social-emotional needs are met through cooperative interaction and attention to the multiple perspectives of our diverse community and world.  Community service learning is also promoted through class projects, activities, and community events.

US Standards: TCGIS's goal is to fulfill all Minnesota state standards in all subject areas K-8 using German and American curriculum.  As children progress through each academic year, staff collaborate to clearly define standards to systematically embed them into the curriculum.

​German Standards: As part of the our immersion philosophy, and to offer students opportunities to study abroad in Germany, TCGIS uses the Baden-Württemberg educational standards as a guideline for fulfilling the German curriculum K-8.  Students prepare for the DSD I exam in the 5th grade and the A2 written and oral exams in the 8th grade.

Interdisciplinary Instruction
Programming: TCGIS teachers deliver cross-curricular thematic unit using multi-sensory instructional techniques to reach a range of learning styles.  In K-2, students receive inclusive and sequential instruction in seven main areas: German Language Arts, Mathematics, Social Sciences, Science, Health/Physical Education, Visual Arts, and Music, with a special emphasis on literacy in the second grade.  English Language Arts is added in the 3rd grade and students have the option to add Spanish Language Arts in the 6th grade, making TCGIS one of the few immersion schools with a third language program.  Projects, field trips, and hands-on learning activities encourage students to learn through doing.  TCGIS students have successfully gone on to schools both in the US and in German-speaking countries performing at an extremely high rate. 
Immersion and differentiation: At TCGIS, immersion instruction is purposefully student centered and includes small group instruction embedded within the school day.  Immersion teachers understand students bring a wide range of knowledge experiences with them when entering school. Thus, teachers differentiate instruction to meet the individual child's needs, including remediation and enrichment. 
Accelerated/Gifted Opportunities: Each textbook series implemented at TCGIS contains expansion modules of learning activities for those students who have reached proficiency.  In addition, accelerated math opportunities are available in the middle school.

Assessment
Grading: Academic, social and emotional progress are monitored on a daily basis by classroom teachers and reported formally through PowerSchool at intervals appropriate to each grade level.  Portfolio assessment is being implemented across all grade levels in 2012 with emphasis placed on authentic, real world experiences.

US Assessments: TCGIS participates fully in the Minnesota Comprehensive Assessments for math, reading and science.  For further information, or to refuse student participation in the MCAs, please refer to the following information from Minnesota Department of Education: 
 Parent/Guardian Guide and Refusal for Student Participation in Statewide Testing Form.

We also measure German language proficiency using the Student Oral Proficiency Assessment (SOPA) designed for immersion students age 6-9.  TCGIS students have scored near 90% on MCAs in 2012, and have achieved 100% proficiency on SOPA for the past two years.

​German Assessments: In addition, TCGIS administers the German Stolperwörter Lesetest for grades 3 and 4, and in grades 5-8 uses the Sprachdiplom-A2 assessment, created and administered by the German Zentralstelle für Auslandschulwesen (ZfA) to measure students' reading, writing, speaking and listening skills at native-speaking level.

Middle School Philosophy and 8th Grade German Trip
Twin Cities German Immersion School continues to have a deep commitment to German immersion and world citizenship in grades 5-8. Our Middle School Philosophy Statement defines that commitment with a 70% immersion experience in grades 5-6 and adding a third language in grades 7-8 for a 50% German, 35% English and 15% Spanish experience, making TCGIS one of the only immersion programs offering three languages prior to high school. The Capstone Experience is the culminating learning experience at TCGIS and is planned for all 8th grade classes graduating from TCGIS. Eighth grade students will travel to Germany for two weeks in the spring each year. The first week will be spent in Buchenberg, Borghorst attending a German school and staying with host families. The second week students will travel to Berlin to stay in a youth hostel, meet up with former staff members, and explore the city. The experience continues in September when our partner school in Germany sends students here to TCGIS to attend classes and stay with host families.  

Special Education and 504 Services
TCGIS offers greater opportunities for special education children to thrive in our immersion environment.  Due to our small school size, TCGIS special education children enjoy greater mainstream experiences than those offered by traditional "sheltered" instructional classrooms. TCGIS ensures that special education children receive the proper support within the immersion classroom. We are committed to offering a complete immersion educational experience to all children enrolled in our program.