In her eleventh internship report, Annika shares further experiences teaching German at GERMAN SCHOOL campus, reflecting on classroom activities, student progress, and the closing weeks of her stay in Newport Beach.

A Week of Celebrations

The week began on Monday with lovely and heartwarming surprises. In celebration of Frau Schoeneich’s birthday, the previous Friday, and my own birthday on Tuesday, a big, delicious cake was shared with all the students and teachers at school. We were surprised with birthday songs and spent an especially nice break together on the terrace by the harbor. In addition, the children had prepared small handmade gifts for us, which I truly appreciated.

On Tuesday, my birthday was also celebrated a little in the Spanish class. The students sang a birthday song for me in Spanish, and we enjoyed pastries that Frau Schoeneich had brought. Aside from that, we continued working with the story The Very Hungry Caterpillar, deepening the vocabulary we had already introduced through playful activities.

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Film Studies and Body Parts

On Wednesday, we continued our work with the film Dieses bescheuerte Herz. In Thursday’s Spanish class, we started a new topic: Body parts. Using games, pictures, and songs, the children learned the most important terms related to the human body and practiced them in class.

Chino Hills and the Honor Society Project

Over the weekend, I went on a hike in the Chino Hills and enjoyed a beautiful view of the rolling landscape. I also visited Carbon Canyon Regional Park.

On Saturday, our Honor Society project took place at the German School Campus. The high school students of the German School packed hygiene kits with toothbrushes, soap, and socks for the Red Cross. These will be distributed to people experiencing homelessness. It was a very meaningful project that not only provides practical help but also sends a strong message of solidarity and social responsibility.