The Discoverer

Kathrin Novy-Rankl, kindergarten teacher in the “House of the little discoverers”

Why does toothpaste foam when you brush your teeth? What bubbles in sparkling water? What makes a shadow? When children ask such questions, they are on the trail of the natural sciences. The head of the kindergarten Kathrin Novy-Rankl supports them in their natural impulse to discover things – along with about 100 other teachers and teaching staff in the County of Lindau.
They have all qualified to work with children in the “House of the little discoverers”. In addition, this is a network which extends from the day care centres, day nurseries and midday supervision at primary schools to almost everywhere in county of Lindau.
The fundamentals are offered by the nationwide foundation “House of the little discoverers”. It gives teaching specialists the necessary equipment in their hands to promote the spirit of discovery for girls and boys of kindergarten and primary school age. The goal is to inspire children using practical experiments for the natural sciences, mathematics and technology. This is not only a personal gain for each individual child but also strengthens the teaching location.
“Children are naturally curious and capable of learning. They have fun discovering phenomena in their everyday lives and to try things out themselves”, says Kathrin Novy-Rankl. The 32-year-old teacher is the head of the Don Bosco day care centre in Heimenkirch (county Lindau) and has even gone a step further with her team: their day care centre is a certified “House of the little discoverers”. Natural sciences, mathematical and technical content are not only voluntary here, but are mandatory and verifiably a fixed component of working with children. It has paid off. In the experimental workshop of her kindergarten, Kathrin Novy-Rankl experiences how this discovery process promotes the entire development of the child: early childhood education as well as social competence, speaking abilities and the fine motor skills of children.
“I am motivated to see how children develop and discover the world”, says the inquisitive 32-year old. She also continues to enjoy rediscovering her own surroundings anew, with which she has been familiar with since birth – for example, on a bicycle tour at the lake or with a hike in the Hochberg near Möggers in the neighbouring Vorarlberg.  “During such activities”, she says, “there are no limits.”

The Discoverer
Kathrin Novy-Rankl

Profile

Name: Kathrin Novy-Rankl

Age: 32

Marital status: Married

Profession: Kindergarten teacher

Has lived on Lake Constance since Since I was born

Facts

  • The “House of the little discoverers” is a nationwide foundation. It gives teaching specialists the necessary tools in their hands to promote the spirit of discovery for girls and boys of kindergarten and primary school age. The goal is to inspire childre