Breakfast coffee with milk; buttered toast (Andrea, Jule, and Nino)

Bus to school at 7 (20 minute commute); walk 5 minutes from bus stop
Teachers room large space; tables, computers, materials hub to meet; where cool people
are

English, 12th grade

Teacher in training; 5 years, exams; protected job status afterwards (difficult to be fired); mentor
teacher (Mr. K) arrived late; intro to class in German; observes teacher every 2 weeks;
teaches classes during same period; 2 mentor teacher (physical education)
Invitations to observe mentor classes anytime (welcome any people who also speak English) or
return next week for Monday/Wednesday presentations (15-20 minutes each)
Culture Wars Special Topics in
America
Group updates (Teams 1-5)
progress; where you are (near
completion/next steps)
assembling research and creating
presentation (the PowerPoint that
is not a PowerPoint program)
Abortion US political candidates
(Hillary Clinton, Bernie Sanders,
Trump, Ted Cruz, John Kasich)
stances on pro-life, pro-choice
debate
PowerPoints that are not quite
PowerPoints
Guest introductions American
student teacher, practicum, exchange student, 1 month in Hamburg, visiting school and different
classrooms
Advanced group all exchange students (visited Canada, Michigan, China, US, New Zealand,
studying politics); more proficient in English; nearly complete with project (finished by end of
class)
Student art extra time: drawing politicians on blackboard with chalk (Donald Trump with
caption lets make America great again
nd

Other students English more difficult; multiple projects at once;

written components, bit overwhelming
Second group project topic different
religions (Christianity, Judaism,
Buddhism, Islam) in United States and
effect on politics/culture
Group work (3-5 persons) and
allocation of tasks; some issues with
everyone doing fair part teacher
advice, try and do your best, talk with
group members
Most of class time spent on group
research on computers (2 groups in
classroom and computer lab
downstairs)
Questions/talk with students in English
- where have you been in Hamburg?
- how long will you be here?
- are you studying to be a teacher? What
year are you in?
- do you speak any German?
- what classes and teachers do you work with? (many English teachers
at school new ones everyday)
- advice for studying in a different country with languages (smile and
nod and wave)
Group that finished early given task to
come up with assessment (grading
criteria for project); different topics not
all known
- catching title
- introduction
- pictures
- not too much text on slides
- pretty font (words/letters)/color scheme (opinions vary)
-structured organization
- beginning and end (intro and conclusion)
Last 15 minutes of class go over assessment anything people want to add?
(conclusion)
OH Senior Haus green building special building for 12-13 grades
Enjoy your stay in Germany!

Seniors in costume at school

Mentor teacher meeting with supervisor from
Germany/student teaching in Germany
Program
Science room 8 grade Mondays more
science stuff than regular classrooms
Mr. T. (English) finding a classroom to
observe
Very friendly atmosphere/setting at school
Mr. M (science)
Posters Kepler; planets, solar system;
maths chart/figures and formulas; world map
th

(Die Weld); inventors; travel maps; field trips

What is biggest/main difference between US and German Schools? students freedom to
move in and out of the room without teacher supervision
Do students in America do homework? ideally yes, reality varies based on class
Introduction questions in German; what did students understand or need clarification on?
social studies
Maths - yellow laminated worksheets in file folder box; independent study hall; work at own pace
Geometry, volume and surface areas (metric system)
questions
Primarily speak in German; little/no English heard while in room
Exam on Thursday or Friday
Walk from school to S bahn for University seminar (notes)
https://www.ew.uni-hamburg.de/ueber-diefakultaet/personen/bonnet.html
- Main Topics
1. Motivation/Assessments
2. Teacher Training/Profession
3. Classroom Management and Rules
4. Inclusion and Differentiation
5. Teacher-Student-Parent Relationships
What cultural differences between U.S. and Germany may account for (explain) the differences
in schools (overall theme)
Hypothesis: Germany more relaxed/free/leisurely; U.S. - standards, accountability, fastpaced, pressures (stress)

Cool weather not hot, not cold; greyish; fog

Train and bus ride back to host family