CHELSEA
Elementary Education Undergraduate |
CHELSEA
Elementary Education Undergraduate |
Friday was my last day in Germany and it was a bitter sweet moment. I was excited to finally get home, but I was a little sad I was leaving because I was going to miss the place and my host. I had such an incredible experience from this trip that I will never forget. The incredible views I got to see, the impossible hikes, the tasty foods, and the people I got to spend it with. On my last day, I went to school with Luisa and it was soccer day for the whole school. We got to sit in this little booth while she played the music and announced scores over the loud speaker. The teams were all different countries that were split up by the whole school. he children were so excited for this, and you could tell which students were soccer players by the way they dressed. A lot of the students kept coming up to me and telling me to cheer them on, which I did! The teachers were really into it too because a lot of them were super competitive. The time came when I had to leave and the students were so sad, as I was myself. I felt like I just got to know them and now I had to leave. Luisa and I came up with an idea where I can video myself back home and show them around Buffalo, my life and what I like to do in Buffalo. Which I think is a great idea because then they won't forget me and get a little preview of my side of the world.
Luisa and I also went to the city center to do some last minute shopping and take in all of Germany one last time. We went to this cute little café to get some ice cream and enjoy the weather. My ice cream was massive and so delicious! After that we went home and I finished packing and then got ready for our last dinner with everyone. Of course the food was good and the dessert was even better! I tasted almost like a pancake and dipping it in with the applesauce was the cherry on top! I was actually a little sad to say goodbye to everyone, especially the hosts because they were all so nice and welcoming to us all. But the group and I decided that we all became close from this trip and that we should all stay in touch! When we got back to the flat, I did last minute packing and Luisa cut up some watermelon for her, myself, and her friend Kelsey. I enjoyed the last hour with them and I was off to bed. Getting back to Buffalo is going to be a little tough getting back into my normal routine and going back 6 hours. But as I said before, I wouldn't trade this trip for anything. I am so happy in myself that I took this chance and went. I'll never forget the memories that I made and the things that I learned. I hope that maybe one day I can go back or that the hosts can come to Buffalo and visit us all again!
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Being in the classrooms here was such an incredible experience. Where I was, the school was out in the middle of the country and was surrounded by trees and nature. It reminded me of a forest school because of how unique it was built. The outside had trees all around the building, and in the middle of the school was an outside courtyard. Here is where students are allowed to sit and enjoy the weather, with the sound of a little water fountain playing in the background. The classrooms were different to me, they weren't as bright as I imagined and they did not really have a lot of art work or posters on the walls in the classroom. The desks were formed in a U-shape and the class size was a bit bigger than an American classroom. In the hallways, they just put up these huge paintings that each classroom made and they turned out amazing! The colors were so bright that it made the hallway so lively and beautiful.
To be able to sit and watch and Miss Becker taught was such an incredible feeling. I was able to see how she teacher her students how to speak English. She started off by having a category when they learned certain things. On my first day they talked about summer activities and learned how to say "I like to......in the summer. Miss Becker would ask me if she is saying the words right in English which I loved because I felt included in the classroom. The students were shy at first with me but then they opened up a little but and tried asking me questions in English, which was the cutest thing ever! Miss Becker also had a corner in her room called the English corner where there were worksheets and books in English that the children can work on and read when they were done with an assignment. I got the opportunity to watch a child work on it and I was amazed to see how well they could figure out the worksheets. I was also able to play games with them where they tried to guess what animal, color, fruit or vegetable I was thinking of. Being in the classroom was such an unforgettable moment, and I can't wait to bring back home what I learned there and apply it to my future lessons! The reason why the I am different from the other candidates is because they never had the experience that I did. I was able to go into a foreign country and get a taste of how a German class runs. I was able to point out what you should do and what you shouldn't do in a classroom. I used those points to realize how I should be with my future classroom. I was able to interact with the children by trying to talk about similar topics that they would understand. The teacher included me as much as she could and she also asked me what certain words were called in English so that the German children were able to learn it, whether they knew how to say it or not. The students would always ask me questions about my life back home and I would try to tell them how it was and where I came from. Even the other teachers would ask me if their school is different from how schools are from Buffalo. This experience shaped me into becoming a better teacher because it made me love what I go to school for. I connected so well with these students that it got me excited to have my own classroom and my own students. It was a great way for me to go out of my comfort zone and be able to be interactive in a German classroom. I believe that I have a lot to bring to the table as a teacher, and having this experience made me want to be a teacher even more. This also showed me why I am in this program and why I started this path in the first place.
During my time in Germany, the role I took on was being the photographer. I had to take pictures of everything and upload them to the google slides for everyone in the group to see. Everyone in the group knew that this was the perfect role for me because I have a professional camera and I love to take pictires in general. I take a lot of pictures because it is memories that I can look back on. I know they say pictures don't do justice (which is true) but I try to capture the moment and then take it all in. It was hard to take pictures here because I felt like I had to take a picture of everything little thing that I passed. With that being said, unfortunately I lost my charger for my camera so I was only able to use it for two days of my trip :( But I did take A LOT on my phone. I have always wanted to be a photographer every since I was younger, I admire beautiful pictures and what they represented. After this experience, I have a whole new perspective on life, to always enjoy the moments while you're in it. Because one day I am going to look back on these pictures and thank myself that I took the chance of being out of my comfort zone and doing something that could make me happy and shape me into becoming more independent. I am glad I took on this role, because I feel it fit me the best and this where I could get creative and really shine.
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AuthorHello! My name is Chelsea. I am a senior graduating with a Bachelor's degree in Elementary Education. I am very excited to be able to have the opportunity to travel to Germany. I have heard nothing but great things from friends who have gone there in the past. My grandfather's side is German and I would really love to learn more about my heritage. ArchivesCategories |