My internship at GERMAN SCHOOL campus in Newport Beach
As soon as I was here, the weeks flew by! While before my time in the U.S., I was still feverishly counting the days, they now pass so quickly!
After two more weeks in California, I’m slowly getting a rhythm in my everyday life. In the meantime, I have gained insight into the online classes, the classes at the campus in Newport Beach, and the classes in San Clemente. Because of the diversity, I’m gaining a lot of experience, so I can participate in Spanish, German, and cooking and baking.
While we teach and support all levels in German and Spanish, there is a challenge each time to connect to the levels of the students. This is especially interesting as I also get a feel for differentiated and motivating material design and teaching styles. One of the basic principles in foreign language teaching here is to speak in the respective foreign language, German, or Spanish. Complex content is repeated in English. With this approach, I have observed how quickly the children pick up on the language and how much they understand it! The cooking and baking classes are divided into different categories that include different international dishes. Again, it is especially exciting to observe the teachers’ approaches while being allowed to participate actively in the class as an intern. To ensure that the students can use what they have learned later, the associated folders, in which the material is recorded and organized, are a great help.
But not only in the classroom but also at events, I actively participate as an intern. For the upcoming Beach Clean Up Day, I was responsible for organization and implementation. I designed a flyer, chose the location, visited the City Center, and officially registered for the event.
I also gained many new impressions in my free time, such as during a whale-watching tour or the finals of the World Surf League. Both experiences were unique and allowed me to immerse myself further in the new environment. During the whale-watching tour, I got to know the underwater world in Orange County and saw the world’s largest animal, the blue whale, in addition to many playful dolphins. This one swims along the coast of Newport Beach on its way every year around the same time. Besides marine life, surfing is also a characteristic part of this region. Fortunately, I could watch the finals of the WSL, which are held annually in Lower Trestles and for which the best surfers in the world work all year long.