German Student Blogs

Hi, my name is James Violette! I am second year German Studies and History major at Colby and am currently completing a three-week long practicum at one of Germany's most respected boarding schools as a Language Assistant for English.

     Louisenlund School is located on a fjord-like waterway called the Schlei in the small town of Güby. Here students from all over Germany and the world come together to learn. Louisenlund is also in its first year as an International Baccalaureate school, and its administration was naturally pleased to have an English speaker join their IB classes. Needless to say, I am lucky to be here because I will learn quite a bit. Furthermore I am happy to be here because I think I will be able to help the IB students with their work.

     Naturally I was a bit apprehensive. My German speaking abilities were about to be tested in real life, a live-fire exercise in language, if you will. At the Hamburg airport I had difficulty understanding the German of Turkish heritage who was operating the cash register at the restaurant. The unfamiliar northern German dialect hadn't helped. As I stepped off the train in Schleswig, a town north of Hamburg close to the Danish border, I was unsure what to expect from my stay at the Louisenlund School in Schleswig-Holstein. Luckily, my apprehensions were soon laid aside.

     What follows are some of my observations from my JanPlan internship in Louisenlund!

Today, or to be more exact, this evening, was certainly an interesting introduction to Louisenlund. I had seen parts of the campus upon my arrival in Schleswig-Holstein yesterday, but today I was impressed by the combination of modernity with a hard, rustic feel prevalent in a large portion of Europe outside of the cities. I had not been inside the buildings before this evening. The main Schloß ('palace') building is indeed impressive with its white walls towering over the gravel and cobblestone road before it. Inside it has electric lights which mimic wall-mounted candles or lamps, but the offices and rooms have normal lights and have obviously been remodeled to house modern teachers, students, administration and instruction.

     I met one of the administrators, a Dr. Schwarz. Professor Koch (of Colby) and Dr. Schwarz were the major organizers of my Practicum here, and Dr. Schwarz was very friendly. From him I received the key to my apartment. We went directly there, and I was quite surprised to find I was to stay in an 'apartment' which had formerly housed four students. With a kitchen, bathroom and bedroom I will certainly be most comfortable during my stay. Having found my quarters being more than adequate, I accompanied Dr. Schwarz to the cafeteria, which had wooden chairs and tables. He seemed to know the students there. There were only three, but they seemed to all know Dr. Schwarz as well. I met a few more teachers, but managed to forget their names as soon as I shook the next gentleman's hand. I ate a simple but hearty dinner, and then returned to my room.

     Tomorrow I will be introduced to all of the teachers during their meeting. Shortly thereafter I will be introduced to all of the students during their assembly. I am a bit nervous, but do not think it will be a problem. I am excited to begin working. 

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Long days are good days, if they are spent productively and end early enough. I am quite tired, and it is not yet 9 p.m. – something a bit different for my usual daily routine at Colby. The day at Louisenlund begins at 7 a.m. with breakfast, so naturally I am up before then. I ate alone, not really having met any students or faculty. Shortly after breakfast Dr. Schwarz took the time to show me around the campus. It is indeed quite large for a high school. Teachers live with the students in small houses converted to mini-dorms. On the outside they are quaint, but on the inside they are modern and well-lit. The new sports hall, the main palace-like building and the theater/auditorium were especially impressive.

After my tour I attended the teachers' meeting in a very formal setting in the castle. Louisenlund prides itself upon the abilities of both its students and its professors, and the teachers certainly are quite capable. The meeting was led by the school director, Professor Esser, who spoke in broad terms about the school and the direction it would take in the new year. Dr. Schwarz introduced me, but I had already stuck out anyway being the only person under 30 under the crystal chandelier. The English teachers, especially an old Scotsman by the name of Ken, seemed to take a liking to me, and said I would be more than welcome in their classes to help with instruction.

     Next was my introduction to the students. The weekly assembly where this took place was run mostly by the students, but teachers spoke when they chose, signaling to the guy with the microphone that they wanted to speak next. As Dr. Schwarz handed me the microphone to introduce myself on the stage, I was a bit nervous. With around 400 students, as well as all of the teachers (there are certainly more than 40), I was speaking to a packed house. The German came, however, and I introduced myself, stated where I was from and what I studied, and that it was an honor to be at Louisenlund. I also encouraged the students to introduce themselves whenever they saw me around school. Ken said I did fine. "Yeah did finee, lad", were his exact words, as I recall. Outside, and throughout the day, I was met with smiles, nods and "Hallo" from the majority of the older students.

     Directly after, I went to a German lesson, followed by a history lesson. They were very different, because the German class was mandatory and taught to the same level as American high school sophomores, while the History class was a senior-level class taught to students who had selected history as a concentration, and had chosen to be there. This was especially apparent in terms of how the class was handled. In the history class, the instructor only asked for the attention of the class once, while the 10^th grade class seemed to have its collective mind elsewhere.

     Regardless, today was a very interesting day. I feel that I am beginning to become accustomed to speaking High German on a regular basis, and am pleased to note that for the most part I am both well received and well understood by teachers and students alike. This evening at dinner a girl from the history class approached me to talk. She sat with me and spoke a bit about the class and about Louisenlund. It felt good to interact with one of the students, and I hope that after seeing this student speak with me, others will begin to do so as well. Things seem to be off to a solid start.

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Grey. In painting a picture of Louisenlund in winter, the first color required would be grey. For the sky, the gravel, most of the buildings. Make no mistake, inside it is both warm and well-lit. Brightly colored, friendly walls do not, however, make up for the grey poking in at the windows. But such is life between the Baltic and North Seas.

The History class I have selected to attend is focused on the history of Louisenlund. The project was suggested by the students, and they are currently in the planning phase. I find it interesting to both hear and read about the history of the institution, although it also would have been interesting to observe more traditional instruction. The next two weeks will be occupied with this project, so I will enjoy seeing the projects both develop and be presented. One group is working on architecture, the other the founding families of the school.

     The English class was also interesting, as it is focused on IB-related goals and requirements. It is a bit like a focused AP course, taught to the test while "not taught to the test" - but is a bit more demanding. The teacher is an American, I believe the only American teaching at the school, and her Boston accent is recognizable at the 1^st syllable. In total, there are at least 3 English teachers from England, the Scotsman, and the one American. There may be, in fact, more…but they are most likely also from England. The other teachers found it quite interesting I knew a Bostonian's accent, but what else could account for such a distinctive pronunciation of ah and oh?

     I spoke with a few different teachers, and they helped me set up a schedule for the remainder of the week. I also received a copy of the meeting times for the Gilden or guilds, including service clubs, the arts and sports groups. I now have a schedule laid out for the week, beginning every day with the (far too early) 7 a.m. breakfast.

     After dinner, which I spent speaking with a younger student in the 9^th class (ages 14/15), I went to the meeting of the debate society. The Scotsman was the "chairman", and seemed very happy that I was in attendance. The society is conducted in English and in German, in an attempt to both teach communication and linguistic skills at the same time. Anyone can speak the language they feel more comfortable in, however, making it a very inclusive group. I spoke afterwards with a Canadian exchange student here for two months. She knows not a word of German, and seemed quite happy to speak with someone else from the other side of the pond. It will be interesting to see how she adapts at Louisenlund – where nearly everything is conducted in German.

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My bedtime approaches, and it is not yet 9pm. Something about not seeing the sun (since I got here) runs a guy down. Regardless, the school here in Germany bustled with energy all day long, and the students seem to be a bit more comfortable talking to me. They have seen me around and now say 'Hallo' quite often. The teachers all greet me, and I am somehow hopelessly unable to recall their names in time to greet them as well. Not only am I bad with names, I also have a difficult time remembering German last names, which are mostly all new to me. But fear not, dear reader, life not only goes on but is even quite productive every now and then.

     I set foot in a chemistry class today. The first time in over five years. Naturally, it being taught in English helped me very little (sorry to Mrs. Smith, my high school Chemistry teacher – I'm not a science guy). My supervisor, Dr. Schwarz, was the teacher and had encouraged me to join him and perhaps correct his English a bit. This was naturally not necessary. Regardless, the class could have been about different types of Viking battle formations – it would not have mattered, I couldn't really add anything constructive other than linguistic advice.

     The English classes were most interesting. I was able to speak a bit about myself in the 12^th grade class, and able to help with the instruction in the IB class. The students' task in the IB lesson was to answer questions regarding a text. It felt reassuring to be able to stand in front of a student's desk and field a few questions about definitions and pronunciations, as well as how to best approach the questions in relation to the text. I was using a bit of what I learned in my Education, English and German classes at Colby in a very practical and applicable sense.

     Viking battle formations would be a pretty awesome class, I have to admit. Anyway, I played in an indoor soccer tournament game in the evening. I just showed up with my shorts on, and one of the teams without enough players promptly asked me to join them. I did, and we proceeded to lose 4-1. It was, however, certainly not a defeat for me. I played reasonably well, and met some more students I would not have seen in classes. Soccer, and for that matter all arts, hobbies and sports are like another language. Other 'speakers' are drawn to one another and have a certain amount of both loyalty and respect for their counterparts. This was an enjoyable experience, and I hope to be able to participate in some more sporting events while I am here.

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Today I managed to get my first taste for teaching a class. I was able to assist teaching an English class, which was quite an interesting experience from the other side of the desk.

     After observing a double German lesson in the morning, I attended the history class which is working on the history of Louisenlund. I have been assigned to work with one of the students researching the history of the gardens. One group is working on the architecture and changes over time, and another group has decided to interview living members of the founding families. I will be working with one other student. Our research at the school's archives as well as on the internet should provide an interesting complement to the architectural research.

     The English class was by far the most interesting section of the day. Like the German class, it was held over a double lesson. The students are reading The Jew of Malta by Christopher Marlowe, and will be putting together two different short film adaptations of the play over the next three weeks. I was asked by the teacher to have the students explain the plot as well as style and characters of the work. Asking questions in an efficient way, explaining vocabulary and correcting the students all at the same time proved to be a challenge, but certainly something I learned from. I not only had to ask a question worthy of exploration, but it also had to be a question they could answer and expand upon. Not boxing them it, but still leaving them enough room to give an interesting answer – all while thinking of the next question – forced me to think very differently than I usually do in a classroom. The lesson was a success, I believe.

     The afternoon held no particular classes for me to visit, so I spent it organizing a weekend conversation class for any students who would be interested. The schedule here at Louisenlund is such that the students have very little free time during the week. This is especially true for the students I should be helping the most, the IB and Senior Year (Abitur) students. In addition to this, most of the students from the area go home on the weekends. This allows me very little time to reach the student body, and to be available to them for help after class. Therefore, I have decided that for the next two weeks of my stay I will hold "office hours" – essentially an open door – an hour each evening during the week for anyone who wants help in English. Also, I have organized a conversation class for this weekend, which will give the students who do choose to be here over the weekend a productive use of their time. We will see if anyone decides to join me!

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The most interesting part of today was viewing the presentations made by the 10^th class. The presentations counted as a test grade, and would play a large role in deciding the final grades for each student. I was allowed to stay during the breaks and listen to the group of five teachers as they assessed and graded each presentation. They were certainly not cutting the students any breaks. In order to finish the first part of their studies and pass on to the 11^th class, the students had to choose a subject of interest that would also play a role in Germany's future. Then, they read the local newspaper each day, looking for articles related to their subject. They collected the articles, and the presentations were meant to be a synthesis of their work.

     For three months of daily research, the presentations started off weak, and they received accordingly low grades from the teachers, who felt that the project was not taken seriously by many of the students. However, as the morning progressed (the presentations lasted from the first few periods of the morning until lunch at 1 pm) the talks seemed to improve. The teachers at each break also noticed the progress, and the grades rose accordingly. It was very beneficial to see how some teachers spoke for particular students, reinforcing that the teachers are also looking to help the students. Drawbacks in the individual presentations were taken seriously however. With five different perspectives, the students received a fair assessment.

     It was a bit difficult to keep quiet throughout this process. If a student was simply a bad public speaker and made a few mistakes, it took a couple minutes for someone to make the point that the subject matter in the presentation itself was both correct and well researched. Until then, I felt an urge to say something to that effect. The same was true if the presentation was well presented and the material was relevant, but there was in my opinion a glaring hole or gap in the subject matter. However, most often a teacher would eventually mention the missing part of the presentation, and it would be noted by the group.

     An average of the number grades assigned by the teachers in the panel was the grade given to students at the end, and it was interesting to see how sometimes opinions would change after a point brought up by another grader influenced the other teachers. Again, having the many different perspectives was an essential part of the process. Seeing this made me realize that many of my grades could have been viewed by a panel, where the checks and balances of multiple opinions would have played a stabilizing role. This is, of course, an important and practical lesson for an Education Minor.

     In the evening, I was invited to attend a wonderful show in the state capital Kiel with students from the Hof (the former farm- and stable-structures of Louisenlund now serving as the lower school). These are the younger students, and they were very excited to have me along. The show was a mix of a circus and a professional gymnastics competition, with the energy of a rock show. Called Feuerwerk der Turnkunst (The Fireworks of Gymnastics), the show was a mix of the incredible gymnastic feats and the shockingly dangerous. I found it quite impressive and enjoyed myself greatly.

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There certainly isn't much activity here on the weekends. Waterville certainly is not a bustling metropolis, but in comparison to Louisenlund, it is a nightlife and event hotspot. Nearly all of the students leave campus and return home, making for a very quiet and relaxing environment. I took a hike in the surrounding area, which only proved my suspicion that the sun is certainly not in the area. The stars are also hidden behind a thick blanket of cloud cover, making night seem especially dark. I watched a movie, but mostly spent the two days reading.

Brunch on Sunday was quite an affair, and certainly a meal I will look forward to for the next week. I had three cups of coffee, a fried egg, steak, hash browned potatoes, bacon, and a bowl of yogurt with fruit and granola. The typically Spartan, or at least plain, sort of German food was for one wonderful meal replaced by an offering of great variety and abundance. I ate with gusto. To my left at the wooden table was the Chief Financial Officer of Louisenlund, who was very friendly and seemed happy to have the company. I can't say enough how kind and open the staff and faculty here have been. I feel comfortable striking up a conversation with any of them, which is very reassuring.

Unfortunately, only one student joined me to watch and discuss a film in an informal setting. I chose to watch School of Rock, because it is fun and lighthearted, but also features some interesting dynamics concerning the issues of how to raise youth, education and honesty. I did spend a bit of time preparing questions hitting upon these topics, and the questions would have been better suited for group discussion, but I think the student I watched the film with enjoyed the experience nonetheless.

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     Today was mostly preparation for tomorrow, when I will be teaching two classes. Both of them are double lessons of English, and they are back to back in the morning. The first class is a class I have not yet met, 10C. The second is the IB English class I have attended a few times now over the last week. Their instructor is the lady from Boston, who had to return to the States for personal reasons. Therefore, I will be taking over all her classes until Thursday. Tomorrow is my chance to demonstrate that it was worth it for Louisenlund to have me here!

     The 10C class is at a lower level than the IB class, and because I will be able to do what I choose with the class, it is also my responsibility to try and challenge them with something a bit different, while staying at a level which is still accessible to them. I suppose that is 2/3s of the battle in teaching. Anyway, I have decided to discuss American themes in both classes, making it a bit easier on myself. With the 10^th class, I will discuss the folktale of John Henry. With the IB class, I will discuss the famous Thayer poem, Casey at the Bat. This afternoon was dedicated to brainstorming, laying out a lesson plan, and trying to decide how best to present the works to the students. I am excited but also a bit nervous. This will be my first time before a class alone, and unfortunately, they are back-to-back double lessons. But, as one of Louisenlund's administrators said to me at lunch, 'The best way to learn is to just get thrown into something!' We will see how that works out.

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     Contributing to society is rather tiring. After my first day in a setting as a "real" teacher, I am quite exhausted. Hence my growing addiction to coffee and black tea. The classes went well, and I think the students managed to overcome their shock that I would be teaching them relatively quickly. Most of them didn't believe that I had actually prepared a lesson, and in the IB class they asked outright if they could just work on homework for other classes. I was forced to assert myself quickly, or risk losing the classes' collective attention. Luckily for me, what are usually disadvantages to both a foreign country and the teaching field played to my advantage. As a young, male foreigner about the student's age, they found it tolerable to give me a chance to teach them something and to work with them. I told them if we managed to make good progress they could work on something else at the end, and those who wanted to play a game with me could do so. One boy's answer is that all teachers say stuff like that to get them to pay attention. I countered by saying that this should prove that I am actually a teacher. The students were quiet and paid attention (more or less) after this exchange.

     In the first class, we discussed the American folktale figure John Henry. I chose this story because it is both accessible and relatively easily understood, but also due to the tale's importance as an African-American story in light of MLK Jr. Day and Barack Obama's inauguration. The students seemed to understand most of the story, which made me feel confident in the translations I had provided them as footnotes. We discussed the story's implications for race in America, as a symbol of man vs. machine in the industrial revolution, and their opinions regarding the story. Then I had the students write a short text comparing John Henry to German folk heroes, or to summarize either their thoughts on the folktale or our class discussion. Some students, needless to say, did more work than others, but all of them handed in something at the end of class. I plan on correcting them later this evening. After their break between periods, I gave the students the first half of class to work on their outstanding class project about the 60s in America. Afterwards, we played a game in English, which involved the students asking creative questions to the class. I see the same group tomorrow, and I hope that they enjoyed my visit in the class today.

     The IB students were not as receptive at the very beginning, and it was in this class that they attempted to demand more time for other homework right off the bat. I know that they did have work assigned to them in their teacher's absence, but I also knew that a majority of the homework was to finish Death of a Salesmen, which they should have finished reading over a week ago. When I brought this up they offered no further arguments against looking at Casey at the Bat. I gave them a brief overview of baseball, and then they went around the class reading stanzas, and summarizing the previous ones. They seemed to enjoy the poem, although I should most likely have also provided some translations for the more difficult words for their class as well. After reading and discussing the poem briefly, I had them either write a different stanza for the ending or add another stanza at the end of the poem. This type of exercise is pushed in the IB curriculum, so the students did not mind the work. Some of the endings were quite good, and most even followed the rhyme scheme. After the break, half of the class played the same question game with me, as well as a few rounds of the game 'Two truths and a lie'. The other half worked on their outstanding English projects, read Salesmen, or worked on their history or economics projects. The students seemed to have mixed reviews of my lesson; some enjoyed it, and some did not. I think it was a success either way, however.

     I also spent in total three hours with students preparing for their debut debates with the Debating Society, helping them both think creatively about their arguments, as well as helping with their English. A student who has applied to be a language assistant at Colby also came to see me. We spoke about Colby in general as well as what she would bring to campus. I am now going to attend the Debating Society debate, and afterward will hold my 8-9 'office hours' for the IB students and Seniors. At least I know I will sleep well tonight! Until tomorrow, dear reader.

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     It is certainly a good feeling to have someone come to you with a problem or because they do not understand something. It is beyond description how good it feels when someone, after coming to you, leaves and understands completely the issue they were struggling with. Those moments are very fulfilling. I was lucky enough to have two such moments yesterday. After teaching the 10^th grade class, and after helping a student with his IB Economics.

     I began today's class with 10C by giving them back their texts they wrote about John Henry. I corrected them the evening prior, and in class proceeded to offer corrections for the mistakes that the students made most commonly. There were some issues with "it's" and "its", as well as some oft-misspelled words such as 'machine'. Then, because there are two new exchange students who are native English speakers, and they are having a bit of trouble integrating with the otherwise all-German class, I had the class split into two groups and interview the Canadian and Australian girls. The class responded poorly at first, but after I gave them some ideas for questions to ask, things got rolling. At the end of class, each group introduced their respective exchange student to the other group. I think the two exchange students appreciated being formally introduced to the class, and the German speakers were forced to speak and comprehend English.

     This afternoon, I assisted a student with his Economics work. The student was having particular difficulties understanding an article regarding the effects of the financial crisis in the UK, and I was able to help him by giving him concrete examples of ideas from the theoretical and wordy article. I also spoke in the evening with the other two students who are interested in pursuing a year in the U.S. after graduation. Their German is naturally perfect, and both speak decent English. They are all well-rounded and outgoing individuals, who would most likely do very well at a U.S. college.

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     Today I had more free time, which I mostly spent reading. In the morning, I went to a German class. This was especially interesting, because the topic was applying for jobs and internships in Germany. This was interesting because there are some differences between a German application and an American. For example, a completed German application almost always includes a photo of the applicant. It was very informative for both the students and myself.

     The teachers' meeting was uneventful - different groups and committees offered reports and updates. For me, it was a bit boring because I don't have any shared vision for the future of the school, and honestly don't understand everything the administration and teachers are trying to accomplish. However, it is useful for me to know how a school such as Louisenlund functions behind the scenes and outside the classroom.

     In the English class, the students began filming for their short adaption of The Jew of Malta. I worked with one group for both of the double periods, while the teacher worked with the other. It was interesting to see how they worked, and it was also reassuring when they looked to me for guidance or had questions which I could answer. For the most part, however, they worked productively without input from me.

     History is something I am interested in – especially good luck considering it is one of my majors. One of the history teachers approached me and asked if I would be willing to give a presentation in his IB class on how to write an in-class essay for American history tests, which are very similar to IB History tests. I prepared a lesson plan on different forms of essays, how I write essays, and some things to consider when writing essays. I will be teaching the lesson tomorrow in the 3^rd period, after assisting in a double period of English.

     After dinner, I attended the English Department's meeting at a teacher's home. They were kind enough to invite me despite my temporary position, and I was allowed to offer my perspective when appropriate concerning everything they discussed. The discussion they had ranged from the influence and effects of the new IB program, whether or not double periods are effective, how best to organize teaching schedules to help students, etc. Again, for an education minor, this is very interesting because it provides a glimpse into how schools are not only taught, but organized. Dealings with the administration for both teachers and students are particularly important, because the school recently switched headmasters/leaders. I hope the English departments' suggestions are heeded, because they really seem to have the best interests of the students at heart.

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      Fridays begin early here, but I was done with teaching and classes by noon. Certainly a nice tradeoff! I am of course still available in the afternoons for students who have questions or want help, but they have their minds elsewhere for the most part on Fridays. I met one student, however, and we worked together on a history project for a History class – taught in German - I have been visiting.

     English class this morning was interesting. I find that I can begin to see the tactics that teachers use as they introduce a class to a new work or theme. When I assist the teacher by asking a direct question to the students, they feel somehow more able to answer to teacher's follow-up questions. However, most of the class time was unfortunately not spent on the short story, but instead used to discuss with a school administrator the new profile-system the school has switched to. With the profile system, students can choose an intensified course catalogue such as Science, Languages, etc. As all methods of organization are in their first year, the profile system is not without problems. These problems, such as multi-language history classes, were discussed with the students directly. This shows an avid interest in the students taken by the administration, but of course disrupts class time, which makes for an interesting dynamic.

     In history, I really feel that I gave a good lesson. They even rapped on the desks afterward – the equivalent to clapping. Was this warranted? I doubt it, but at least the students and their history instructor felt they had gotten something out of my lecture. I essentially broke down a typical 5-paragraph essay format for them, told them how I organize my theses, the importance of making an outline, and how to write a compelling conclusion. An IB essay, which for me is a normal essay, is a bit different than what the German students are used to. They normally receive a series of guiding questions, which combine in shorter answers to a longer themed essay. A 'normal' essay in an American or IB exam consists of one or more questions, but they are more open, and students choose one and must expand upon it. My lesson was certainly not ground breaking, but I think I presented new information to both the teacher and the students.

     I stayed on for the second history lesson. We each wrote practice introductions that were in turn shared with and analyzed by the class. This exercise was well-received, and some of the students seemed to have used some of what I mentioned. I hope that their IB essay exams are made both easier and more manageable for the students, who are not used to such open-ended questions.

     My afternoon was spent reading, as well as helping a couple students who came by to ask for some help. I also spoke with the English teacher whose classes I taught this week, and filled her in on both what I had done and how the students had behaved – which was quite well. This evening I attended a teacher's birthday party. It was interesting to see the teachers outside of meetings and the classroom, and I enjoyed their company. Most of them are very humorous, and were quite welcoming. I was also impressed with the small but comfortable apartments the teachers have in the houses where the students reside.

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Altogether a very quiet weekend, I must say. Most of the students were busy at their Career Weekend meetings and lectures on Saturday. I spent my time reading, watched a couple of films, and took some long walks in the area. I also endeavored to cook dinner on Sunday instead of going to the bread-and-cheese dinner normal on most nights. On Saturday, however, because of the large number of alumni and corporate guests for the Career Weekend, the food in the cafeteria rivaled any fine restaurant. Candles were on the tables, salmon and other fresh fish were served, and a buffet of various vegetables and meats was laid out. It was quite a departure from the usually simple and hearty German cuisine!

     Also on Sunday, I offered another film with discussion questions. I even ensured that they announced it in the cafeteria at lunch, with everyone present. Unfortunately, no students showed up. This was a bit disappointing, especially after having prepared discussion questions. It is representative of many of the students' lackluster approach to having me here. Despite having offered an open door between the hours of 8 and 9 pm every weeknight, only a select few students have taken advantage of this. This is naturally a plus for them, because they then feel comfortable chatting for the entire hour, uninterrupted by other students. However, it would also be good if I had more students willing to come to me for help.

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Sightseeing was the name of the game today. I took the morning and afternoon to head south into the city of Hamburg, where I visited many of this beautiful northern city's touristy corners. My self-led tour of the city began at the Hamburg Man Station. From there I went to the Rathaus, or City Hall. The square where the city hall is located is directly on one of the canals which give this city its name of the 'Venice of the North'. I then visited the impressive statue of Otto von Bismarck, one of Germany's heroes of her unification in 1871. Despite being a controversial historical figure, Bismarck's influence in German history is represented by the monumental size of his statue.

     A short walk away from Bismarck's hill is the Hamburg Harbor, an impressive international port with ships old and new, large and small. I was impressed with the maritime beauty on the grey water, with a very grey sky as a background. Through the fog it was as if water and sky and air were all one, a huge grey sea through which ships sailed and steamed and swirled in three dimensions.

     I ended with a trip to Hamburg's historic old city district, through which I walked for some time. The small alleys, cobbled streets and brick walkways reminded me of many different films. It was quite an experience to see such a city in person, and even more rewarding to understand and use enough of the local language to get around and understand where I was. It was certainly an adventure, and one which I hope to repeat!

     Hamburg is a city too large to 'see' in a day. Any city cannot be appreciated in such a short time, but I hope I managed to at least get a feeling for the city. I liked Hamburg, and enjoyed my all too short time there.

     Upon my return to Louisenlund in time for my 8-9 homework help hour, I was greeted by a student who wanted help with history. His class is taught in English, and he is also in the English class doing the Jew of Malta film project. We talked for the better part of the hour, and then got to business analyzing his political cartoon assignment. It was German History, but in English. Thanks to Professors Koch and Scheck, I have a good enough handle on German History to pinpoint what the cartoon was trying to say, and managed to explain it to the student. He plans to work on it some more, and then come again tomorrow to discuss his analysis.

     Today was a long day, and traveling in total nearly five hours to Hamburg and back makes for a very tired language assistant! I think I am headed to bed. Until morn.

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     Today I managed to stay quite busy, and spoke with many of the teachers. I also observed and discussed some very interesting tendencies – some of which seem to be universal and some of which apply only to private schools such as Louisenlund. The main similarity shared by a state-funded 'normal' German high school, or Gymnasium, and a private German school such as Louisenlund is that their students get a degree which allows them to continue their studies at a University. This opportunity is only given to top students. Therefore, it is possible to fail out of a German state school and be placed in a lower school, with a different degree. At Louisenlund, however, it is in fact a bit more difficult to fail out, and most of the – rare - expulsions are disciplinary and not academic. This creates an atmosphere in which students have strict rules regarding the use of their time, but cannot be as strictly controlled in terms of their day-to-day schoolwork. Of course there are academic consequences for not working too hard at the end of the semester or on regular homework, but the teachers need to find ways to motivate the students and are not able to threaten the students with a lower grade all the time. It simply isn't as much of an issue.

     This explained the lackluster work ethic of the students in the History and IB English classes today, I expect. The end of the semester is upon them, and the students no longer feel the need to apply themselves as much as they do during the year. There are mixed reactions from the teachers. Some feel that this is representative of a larger problem of direction with Louisenlund, while others assured me this wasn't normal and that schools everywhere have the problem of students not applying themselves at the end of the term. I can see both sides, and it is an interesting discussion.

     The student play I attended in the evening was in length between a one-act and a short play, at just over an hour long. It was Federico García Lorca's 'Bernarda Albas Haus' (Bernada Alba's House), and featured an all-female cast of six. The young ladies in Louisenlund's prominent Theater Guild did an excellent and very professional job, and I enjoyed the play greatly. The set was minimalist, but the quality of the acting was very high. The accompanying Spanish guitar music was also played live, which added a very real quality to the play.

My internship is coming to a close, because the day after tomorrow will be the last day of classes for the students this semester, and my flight from Hamburg leaves on the day after, Friday. Thus far I have enjoyed my stay, and feel that I have learned very much from both my opportunities to observe teaching and to teach classes myself.

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     This morning I began saying goodbye to students and teachers, because tomorrow is the last day of the semester, and most students are leaving tomorrow. I will be sorry to leave; Louisenlund has been a very comfortable place for me to do this teaching/German Language internship.

     I visited an English class working on the Shakespeare play Othello this morning. It was interesting to see the methods the teacher used to coax out what the students had understood from the linguistically challenging work. I remembered enough of Othello to know what was going on, but some of the more detailed questions I could not have answered without re-reading the passages. To see the German students working their way through Shakespeare was impressive.

     The end of my internship means a bit of paperwork, so I spent some time working on that, as well as beginning to pack up my belongings for my trip hope. Starting a new semester back at Colby is always exciting, and having a slew of new classes enthuses me as well. My three weeks here have gone by very quickly, however, and I would gladly have spent a longer time here. Various teachers expressed their hope that I should return – something I would very much enjoy doing again as a teacher or in another internship.

     Today I also took a visit to the local Viking Museum Haithabu near Schleswig. This was an impressive collection of artifacts from the Vikings who once inhabited this area of Northern Germany/Southern Denmark. There were parts of partially reconstructed ships, countless beads and pressed gold ornaments, parts of houses and dwellings, in addition to (naturally) swords, arrowheads and axes. The visit was informative as well as very interesting for a history major. I enjoyed myself greatly, and learned a lot about local history here in Schleswig-Holstein.

Before hitting the sack, I assisted a student with his history work. His history class is taught in English, but mostly the student needed help interpreting a cartoon. This was the same student from this Monday, and I was pleased to note that he had certainly learned from and put into use what we had discussed in our last meeting.

     All things considered, I have also learned quite a bit during my stay at Louisenlund. I now am able to look back at my own time in High School – and it makes me wonder what type of a student I was from the teachers' perspective. Again, for an Education student, this has been quite an opportunity.

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