Hello! My name is Jessica Althoff, and I will be doing an internship at the German School Campus for the next four months. I study English and History to become a teacher and was looking for a school where I could complete an immersive teaching practicum abroad.

Preparations and Arrival

I eventually discovered the German School Campus through the Zentralstelle für Auslandsschulen (ZfA) and quickly decided to submit my application. A short time later, I received positive feedback from Mrs. Schoeneich and immediately started planning my stay abroad. Many logistical tasks had to be finalized before I could officially begin my journey to California on August 11.

Early on that Friday morning, I left for Frankfurt Airport. After saying an emotional goodbye to my family, I boarded the plane to Los Angeles. Once I landed, I was met by Mrs. Schoeneich, who kindly drove me directly to my room in Newport Beach.

First Steps in Southern California

The very next day, I picked up my rental car from San Diego together with Sarah, a teacher at the German School Campus. From there, we drove directly to Laguna Niguel to participate in a local vendor fair. At this fair, I met our first potential new students and was able to closely observe how interested parents and children were introduced to the German language programs.

I dedicated the next few days to settling smoothly into my new American environment. On Monday, I attended the first official teacher’s conference, where the classes, curricula, and specific schedules for the upcoming school year were strategically planned. Here, I gained my first valuable insights into how work is structured at the German School Campus and how operations run within a professional private school setting.

School Launch and Classroom Teaching

One week later, the school year officially launched! The first day of school at the campus in Newport Beach had finally begun. We arrived early in the morning to organize and set up the classrooms beautifully. One by one, the students arrived accompanied by their parents, and Mrs. Schoeneich gave everyone a warm welcome.

Traditional German school cones (Schultüten) were distributed to the children, which I had joyfully crafted together with Mrs. Schoeneich prior to opening day. The first lessons started, and I followed the instructional formats with great interest. During the subsequent lessons that week, I actively introduced my home region of Lippe in North Rhine-Westphalia to the students, which sparked great curiosity.

Since not all classes started simultaneously during these first two weeks, I also managed to spend some wonderful time at the local beach and truly get to know the beautiful culture and landscape of Southern California.

I highly recommend an international teaching opportunity to everyone. The memories created, the challenges faced, and the lessons learned will surely have a lasting impact on my journey as an aspiring teacher of foreign languages.