My internship:

Not only was I lucky to have very friendly, accommodating, and warm colleagues at the German School Campus and to be supported in all situations by Mrs. Schoeneich, in school matters as well as in other extracurricular activities, but I also gained some experience and knowledge for my profession as a teacher. The German School Campus supports every student with all questions and problems. It is not only about them learning German as well as possible but also about filling their resume with activities offered by the German School Campus. The school offers students flexible schedules, such as online classes for those who live farther away. With an action-oriented approach, the students are taught the German language, and this is done on a playful basis depending on the age of the students. During the nine weeks, I was able to observe different learning games and was able to collect a basic set of activities that can be done to teach a foreign language. In addition, I was able to observe what an intimate connection the teachers have with the students and how pleasant this family atmosphere is. And not only the contact with the students is close, but also communication with the children’s parents makes it easier to exchange ideas, identify difficulties and find solutions for them. Another factor that every teacher should acquire is all the material that Mrs. Schoeneich has accumulated. For every single class and every language level, there are materials in Google Drive that can be downloaded, from vocabulary games to grammar rules and reports about German culture. One of the goals I set for myself is also to have such well-organized materials, as it allows you to be prepared for anything and have different options for each situation. In addition, I have learned that it is essential not to rush the students. The top priority should not be to complete each chapter as quickly as possible but to make sure students understand everything. By teaching with a smaller number of students, we can be much more attentive to the needs, difficulties, and problems of the students at the German School Campus. It is crucial to Ms. Schoeneich to make the lessons as varied as possible, which leads to the students being much more motivated. This is also something I would like to strive for in my profession as a teacher.

My time in California:

My internship here includes the first time in my life when I moved to a foreign country on my own for an extended period. Not only did I always feel comfortable thanks to Mrs. Schoeneich and the faculty, but I also developed the desire and urge to move abroad and teach German for quite some time. To broaden my horizons, this will undoubtedly be somewhere other than California at some point, but for now, it is a priority for me to come back here as soon as possible because two months are not enough to enjoy the wonderful life here. Whether it is classed at our waterfront campus or spending time at the beach after class, I’m going to miss all of it. The open nature of the people here and the different opportunities are also why California is one of my favorite places. I had the chance to see a lot of California thanks to my internship, such as San Francisco, San Diego, and all the cities and towns that are on the way between these cities. Additionally, thanks to my free time on the weekends, I was even able to see New York City and will use my thirty travel days after the internship to fly to Hawaii and possibly go to the Grand Canyon. Thus, thanks to my internship, I have not only seen a large part of the West Coast but also three other states of the USA.

Conclusion

As a final word, I can say that I am thrilled that Mrs. Schoeneich decided to choose me as an intern and thus opened the door to the best time of my life. I would recommend all students who study teaching do an internship abroad to advance themselves, get to know other cultures, and get impressions of teaching methods from different countries. You can choose schools from different countries, and you will learn a lot. Nevertheless, I am sure the German School Campus will always be my favorite school abroad.