Student Programs German Summer Study Program for HS Students AATG German Summer Study Program - Reports from Chaperones Student Programs German Summer Study Program for HS Students AATG German Summer Study Program - Reports from Chaperones 
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| AATG German Summer Study Program - Reports from Chaperones |
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Various course sites I have chaperoned groups with the AATG German Summer Study Program in 2005, 2006 and 2008 and have had absolutely delightful experiences each time. The students are fantastic, motivated, and eager to learn more German and more about the German culture. Home hosting makes this an easy experience for the chaperone. I see the students in school every day and on day trips, but the rest of the time they are with their host families, and I am with my hosts. I learn so much on these trips, both from my host family and what I do with them, as well as on weekend excursions I have planned to visit my former host family (from my first trip to Germany when I was in 9th grade) and teacher contacts I have established by working with e-mail partners and blog partner classes on the Internet.The AATG German Summer Study Program is simple for me as a chaperone. In my district, we fundraise for 15 months before we travel to help students earn the money to pay for their trip, so we travel every other year. We teachers need a break, too! But it is well worth the effort, and I look forward to chaperoning again in 2010! My Spanish and French colleagues wish they had such a program to offer their students. They use commercial travel companies since there is no AATSP or AATF travel program like we have. We teachers of German are very fortunate to have the AATG program. I sincerely believe that this travel opportunity has helped me to maintain German enrollments in my district. My students who have participated come back so enthusiastic and promote future trips for me just by sharing their wonderful experiences with their classmates.
Jodi Alderfer, Quakertown, PA Berlin Upon arrival in Berlin, everyone met their host families to begin this great adventure. In addition to daily language classes and visiting classes of host brothers and sisters at the Luise-Henriette-Schule (Gymnasium), we toured Rathaus Schöneberg and the German Reichstag, attended a welcome party with all the host families, had a bus tour of the city and a walking tour near Unter den Linden. We also had an unusual behind-the-scenes tour of Die Deutsche Oper in preparation before seeing “Die Zauberflöte.”The Germans and Americans all got to know one another very quickly and got together frequently in the evening. Our program director, Frau Frendo, expertly planned events and made our transition to German school life and life in Berlin smooth and easy. Herr Goetz conducted our German lessons with a sense of humor and taught us all about the language and culture. We traveled to Potsdam and Sans Souci, took a memorable boat ride on the Wannsee, and toured the former concentration camp of Sachsenhausen. We visited the Checkpoint Charlie Museum and went to Tempelhof Airport which celebrated the 60th anniversary of the Berlin Airlift. We traveled to Dresden and stayed there overnight at a youth hostel. We toured the Königlich Preussische Porzellan Manufactur company and saw first hand how these pieces are made. We visited Hitler's bunker which is no longer marked and is part of a condominium parking lot. We participated in a sports day with our German partners and enjoyed playing badminton, squash, table tennis, Fußball and lawn tennis. On a private tour of Kaufhaus des Westens, we were taken behind the scenes to toured the kitchen facilities! We finished by attending a musical entitled “Linie Eins,” a story about Berlin and its famous subway lines. At the Abschiedsfest at school, parents, students and teachers had a delicious buffet meal and enjoyed a wonderful slide show about our time in Germany. We are so appreciative of everything our host families and teachers did for us! Vielen, vielen Dank! John Seufert, Byfield, MA For many years my students had participated in the AATG summer study program, but this year I wanted to experience the program myself, as a chaperone. What an incredible 3 weeks! Although I have been to Germany many times, I had not lived with a host family in years, nor been a part of the daily school life there since I was an exchange student in 1981. As a German teacher, I want to keep up with German culture. The trip brought me up to date on life in Germany today, in a way that newspapers or books alone cannot. My students and I lived with host families in and around the picturesque Bavarian town of Burglengenfeld. Herr Graf couldn’t have been a better Kursleiter; he organized excursions to Regensburg, Nürnberg and Munich, a canoe trip, a reception with the mayor, and a tour of the BMW plant. We played soccer and other sports, swam, and enjoyed outings with our host families. Herr Graf understood teenagers well and knew just how much culture and history to incorporate. My hosts were wonderful and took an active interest in the entire group. I knew this experience would be life changing for the students, but I did not realize how rewarding and enriching it would be for me. From teaching German classes to providing personal support to chaperoning excursions, I was busy, but what a pleasure it was to see the kids’ enthusiasm and progress. Would I chaperone again for AATG? Absolutely! Lisa Svec, Phillips Academy, Andover, Massachusetts Bad Reichenhall The Bad Reichenhall group had a wonderful experience in an awe-inspiring landscape. This was my first experience chaperoning, and AATG’s support made it painless and the trip much more enjoyable. AATG’s trip offers teachers the flexibility to spend three weeks in Germany with host families and a school program but requires very little organization on your part. What more could you want? Bad Reichenhall, a small Kurort known for its medicinal spas and salt mining, was unforgettable! It provided the backdrop for unparalleled cultural and language immersion. Students stayed with host families and went by bus, train, bike, or on foot to the Gymnasium. Living in a small town or even smaller nearby village was a new experience for most students, but they learned not to depend on cars and began to appreciate the landscape and new experiences, like swimming in a mountain lake, celebrating at the local Feste, and biking in the rain. The program was well organized, with lessons by local teachers focusing on stereotypes, German music, local geography, customs and history. Sabine Moosbrugger and I, the two chaperones, focused on cultural differences, the school system, and German. Other days offered excursions to Herrenchiemsee, salt mines in Berchtesgaden, the Königsee, München, a gondola ride to the top of the Predigtstuhl, and a reception with the mayor, where several students were interviewed by local media. The host families welcomed us warmly, evidenced by the show of emotion at the farewell party. The AATG trip affected the students in diverse and profound ways, and they enjoyed their time enormously. I was pleased and privileged to witness the cultural, linguistic and personal growth of the young adults and would highly recommend future trips through this program to any interested students, parents, and potential chaperones. Ellen T. Boldt, James W. Robinson Jr. Secondary School, Fairfax, Virginia Wiesbaden I imagine many teachers have had the experience of students returning to class after summer vacation, bubbling over with enthusiasm about their first trip to Germany. The only thing better than listening to their enthusiastic accounts is to experience the adventure with them, as I did this past summer with a group consisting mostly of my own students. We were guests at a private Gymnasium in Wiesbaden. From our arrival to the Abschiedsfete, we were treated with great hospitality. The caring environment within the host families was ideal for increasing students’ German communication skills. We were welcomed at a school-wide Empfang and presented with official school shirts. The Americans visited classes of their host brothers and sisters and received specialized instruction from Herr Theis, our extremely capable Kursleiter. We traveled by train along the Rhine to Köln; the students were awe-struck by the castle-crowned Weinberge. We visited the Schokoladenmuseum and the Kölner Dom –after climbing the 509 steps to the top, the view made it all worthwhile! Another highlight was our five days in Berlin. The cultural and historical richness of Germany's lively Hauptstadt left a lasting impression: the Luftbrücke-Denkmal, the Brandenburger Tor, the Reichstag, and the Ausstellung "Story of Berlin" with its Luftschutz-bunker. We hiked through Sanssouci. We listened quietly as a former inmate of the Stasi prison Hohenschönhausen led us through the scene of his sufferings. We also visited Frankfurt, Mainz, and the Odenwald. At the airport, heartfelt tears and good-byes mingled with promises of future reunions. The students not only took back improved abilities in German, but also a new-found sense of wonder and appreciation for the country and its people. So now we're back in school, and every day more of my students are bringing in their pictures to share with me and their classmates. And I can smile, laugh, and share memories with them because – ich war dabei! Jim Livingston, Rancho Buena Vista High School, Vista, California Braunschweig This was the first time I accompanied students on a summer study program. What a fantastic experience! I had never been to Braunschweig, so there were new experiences in store for me as well. I was bit apprehensive before we left. I did not need to worry. Everything was superbly organized and thought out. Not for one minute did I feel overwhelmed. The support for the students and me as the chaperone was wonderful, from both AATG and the German Kursleiter. Besides exploring and learning about Braunschweig, there was a nice variety of excursions, among them: Berlin, the Harz Mountains, Wolfenbüttel, Goslar, the VW plant in Wolfsburg (a big hit), and an old silver mine. To top it all off, in a live radio broadcast, our students talked, introduced themselves, and sent greetings home (it was available via the Internet in the U.S.). At the Gymnasium, students had lessons tailored to them and visited host siblings’ classes. New impressions included Abistreich, Abiball, taking along a Pausenbrot from home – these led to new cultural understandings and many "aha" moments. Seeing students gain independence and confidence by using public transportation was gratifying; they learned everywhere, not only in the classroom! Wonderful friendships developed and the host families went all out for their "new children". What a learning experience! New impressions were shared and new sensitivities developed regarding culture and customs. Even as a teacher who herself grew up in Germany, I could not have facilitated this kind of learning at home in the classroom. Thank you AATG, from me and all of the students, for this wonderful opportunity. Brigitte Storey, Camp Hill High School, Camp Hill, Pennsylvania |
