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A new international elementary school catering to families looking for a proven bilingual program with a collaborative teaching approach will open in Žižkov this September.
The Fostra group, a well-established presence on the Prague education scene, plans to take its success running a number of gymnasiums as well as the largest privately held Czech university to the primary school level. A series of Open and Demo Days are scheduled over the coming weeks to give prospective students and their parents a firsthand taste of what they can expect in the fall.
Fostra Elementary will start with two first-grade classes as well as a sixth-grade class and another for eighth grade with the aim of preparing students for the gymnasium entrance exam.
Based on the number of people attending our Demo and Open Days, people are quite interested in our concept, which centers around a truly bilingual classroom environment where teachers use project-based learning to develop self-discovery and independence,” says Jan Voda, Director of Fostra Elementary.
“We wanted to appeal to the market, while building upon values that we all share. We wanted to set up a school that we would send our own children to and I think we have achieved this goal with Fostra Elementary.”
The administration team set four key pillars to help guide the school’s innovative philosophy, which aims to give students more autonomy than what is typically seen at public Czech elementary schools.
“Students will have lots of opportunities to explore and to discover their strengths. We want to give children space to develop their talents,” says Voda. “It is important they learn how to think outside of the box, how to be creative and overcome obstacles. These are useful skills not only for the classroom but also for their daily lives outside of school.”
Fostra Elementary’s four educational pillars
Fostra’s top pillar is its commitment to give students a healthy, safe and respectful learning environment. The school will have zero tolerance for bullying. Voda explains the Fostra community embraces inclusiveness not only on a social level but also when it comes to teaching.
“There should be safety in learning. Our teachers will always be there for the students, supporting them,” says Voda. “School should be challenging. It should push students to achieve their best, to make progress as much as possible. But learning also needs to be fun, which is why we use an individualized approach to learning and education.”
Fostra Elementary guarantees an authentic bilingual environment – its second pillar – that naturally develops Czech and English language skills. Both languages will be used in the classroom and lesson schedules have an even 50-50 split.
To aid in deepening students’ language skills, there will always be two teachers in a classroom of 24 students. Tandem teaching, the school’s third educational pillar, serves to further Fostra’s commitment to supporting each child’s individual needs.
For example, a class might be split into two groups for a lesson, with one group being led by a native English teacher and the other being instructed by a native Czech teacher. The aim is to help boost confidence and make it easier for students to organically learn a second language.
“We are going to use whatever approach most benefits the students,” says Voda. “Depending on the lesson, there might be two Czech teachers or two English teachers or a Czech and an English teacher together. But there will be two all the time.”
The school’s fourth pillar is its dedication to project-based learning, with an emphasis on critical thinking, digital literacy, creativity, collaboration and adaptability – practical skills they will need in order to navigate today’s world.
Admissions process
The first step is to come to an Open Day. Fostra Elementary will host two per month. If you think the school might be a good fit for your child, you will be invited to attend a Demo Day. Applicants are invited in groups of five and asked to work together on a task.
“During the activities we are focused on whether the child is kind to others, because we feel responsible for creating the class and want to make sure we choose students who would be a good fit for the school and our values,” says Voda.
Parents are told whether Fostra is ready to accept their child following a 45-minute Demo Day and can sign a contract on the spot.
