HOLLY
Elementary Education Undergraduate |
HOLLY
Elementary Education Undergraduate |
Our first few days in Stuttgart have been amazing! The first day in the schools was Monday, and I have already gained so much information about the German school system. While there are a few differences that I found to be very interesting, I also know that both our system and the German system have the same goal: to provide students with an outstanding education. I have loved going into the classrooms so far, and while we are only in them for a short period of time, I know I will take away many strategies and activities away from this to use in my future classroom.
My host teacher teaches second and fourth grade students. I was shocked to see that she teaches two grades, because it is obviously not like that in the states! I also found it interesting that the teachers get a few lessons off a day. For example, my host will teach her second graders science, and then she will have a lesson off (the music teacher or math teacher will come and teach them). I really liked this aspect of their school system, because this gives the teacher a chance to regroup and finish any planning that needs to be completed. The students are also given two recess breaks, which I was very happy about. They call these “pauses” in their day, and they are 15 minutes each. I found this to be a great way for the students to have a brain break and enjoy some free time with their friends. From the minute I stepped in the door, the kids were very fascinated by the fact that I was an American from Buffalo. They were asking me many questions about America, such as “how tall is the Statue of Liberty?” or “Is Manhattan in America?” Some students even pointed to objects and told me the German word for it, which helped me to learn the language a little bit! I was beyond happy to answer these questions, and I felt honored that these students wanted me to teach them a little bit about the American culture. On only the second day I was there, I was able to go on a field trip! My host took her fourth graders to a Roman museum that was within walking distance from her school. I did not understand anything the tour guide was saying to the students (he was talking in German), but I still found it to be very interesting! I have never been on one where I was not a student, so it was fascinating to see it from a teacher candidate’s perspective. The students seemed to really enjoy the field trip, even though it was extremely hot (Germany has been breaking records this whole week!). Before the field trip was over, the students were given the opportunity to make leather bracelets. The students highly enjoyed this, and they all did a great job on them, too! I am very happy that I was able to attend this field trip while I am here in Germany! At the end of the night, a few of us went to go see the musical Anastasia at a theater in the middle of Stuttgart. I was obviously unable to understand anything that the actors were saying/singing, but I have seen it before, so I understood the story. I am a huge musical fan, so I am glad I was able to experience this amazing thing! I have never seen a musical in a different language before, so it was very fascinating to see how they portrayed an American musical. It was a life-changing experience for me, and I would love to see a show like this again if I was given the opportunity. Well, our trip is winding down; we only have a little more than a week left of this trip! Luckily, I have a few weeks left in Europe, so I am not leaving just yet. I am learning so much, and I do not want this trip to end! So, on that note… auf wiedersehen!
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Our next stop on this exhilarating adventure was Strasbourg, France. Right when our train pulled up to the station, I knew I was going to fall in love with this little city. It was very quaint and beautiful, and the first thing I thought was “I wish we had more time to spend here!” When we arrived, we immediately took a stroll around the city to take in all of the sights. Because we had a long travel day, we decided to have an earlier dinner and make it an earlier night. I was very excited to have French food for a night, especially after having German sausages and potatoes every night (which I am not complaining about)! At this restaurant, I had the best French Onion soup that I have ever had. I was looking forward to having a full day in Strasbourg, because I knew there was still a lot of sights to see!
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AuthorHallo, ich bin Holly! I am an early childhood/childhood education major, and I am entering my final year of my undergrad. I am psyched to be traveling to the beautiful country of Germany! A dream of mine has always been to travel to Europe to see how European classrooms differ from our classrooms here in the states, so it is amazing that my dream is finally coming true. Along with observing the classrooms, I am also looking forward to learning about the German culture, as well as eating a lot of German food. I am beyond excited to start my journey, and I hope that you will follow me on this adventure that will be full of amazing experiences and surprises along the way! ArchivesCategories |