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Expat in Germany: Intensive German Course, Stuttgart: Part 5

Wednesday, October 6, 2010

Intensive German Course, Stuttgart: Part 5

And so the saga continues in the Intensive German Course!  Things got much worse after my last post (Intensive German Course, Stuttgart:  Part 4).  Last week, the grandmother from Guatemala was told not to ask questions since this interrupted her (our teacher's) lesson plan and a Russian student was told just to focus on the correct sentence structure and not worry about the meaning.   As a result five of us contacted the school and complained (I was surprised there weren't more).  Then, the owner of the school showed up yesterday and after reprimanding us for being late from the break (I can't fault her for this, but we just weren't that motivated to return on time to our Intensive German Course), observed our teacher who suddenly became very helpful and patient in the owner's presence, much to our chagrin.  She then spoke to her in private.  I don't know what was said, but when our Intensive German Course instructor came back she had obviously been crying.  At this point the class was almost finished so we were rather concerned about what would be waiting for us tomorrow.

Today, we all tentatively entered the classroom, not sure whether to expect a new teacher or our old one, now more upset with us than ever for complaining.  Fortunately, we need not have worried.  Our old teacher returned, but she wasn't the same old teacher.  She had a smile on her face, made jokes, took time to explain vocabulary and grammar to us and gave us tips for our upcoming test.  She even kindly brought in photos she thought I would be interested in which was very thoughtful!  Our Intensive German Course was actually very productive AND enjoyable for the first time in a long time.   I don't know what tomorrow will bring but I'm hoping the old "new" teacher is here to stay.

See also:
Intensive German Course, Stuttgart:  Part 3
Intensive German Course, Stuttgart:  Part 2
Intensive German Course, Stuttgart:  Part 1
German Vocab That Makes My Life Easier

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posted by Expat in Germany @ 7:29 AM   7 Comments

7 Comments:

At October 6, 2010 at 11:44 PM , Anonymous Asian Girl said...

I hope your old "new" teacher is here to stay, too! Forbidding students to ask questions, not interacting, and scolding students for being "slow" "stupid" are always worst ways to teach.

There are no better ways to quell people's passion for learning than telling them that they suck at it.

(I have been lucky to have very kind and helpful German teachers, but I have neglected my German study and now I've almost forgotten everything. I feel like I let my teachers down, D:)

And by the way, your blog is wonderful, I have been stalking you for the last week and I love it - it makes me miss Germany so much. That was one of the best experiences of my life. I hope you will be able to update regularly and I am looking forward to all your new entries!

 
At October 7, 2010 at 9:31 AM , Blogger Expat in Germany said...

I agree and thanks so much. I'm so glad that you have had good experiences with German teachers. I've forgotten most of my Spanish (it's amazing how quickly it goes when you're not using it). Glad to hear you're enjoying my blog, thanks so much. I really appreciate your kind comments. I hope you're able to come back and visit soon!

 
At October 7, 2010 at 10:25 PM , Anonymous maritime lawyers said...

Thank you so much for sharing this post... I am having great time reading your post... I visit Germany once and hoping to be there again soon...Great Day!

 
At October 8, 2010 at 6:57 AM , Anonymous Dawn David said...

I love your blog! Especially the part about purchasing the microwave and popcorn maker! How anyone can live without popcorn while watching a movie is beyond me!! I've been doing a report on Germany and can find TONS of information about the differences between Canada and Germany but am having trouble finding information on the similarities between Canada and Germany - would you be able to shed some light in this area for me? It would really be appreciated!

 
At October 8, 2010 at 7:02 AM , Anonymous Dawn David said...

My apologies but one more quick question....what is a "typical" Saturday night and Sunday afternoon like in Germany? Thanks again!

 
At October 8, 2010 at 2:42 PM , Anonymous Affordable Jewelry said...

I remember taking a German course when I went to study abroad. At first you think that they hate and don't want you to succeed but there style makes you want to prove them wrong and try harder, faster, stronger!

 
At October 10, 2010 at 10:31 AM , Blogger Expat in Germany said...

Thanks Dawn David. I was talking with an American expat who has been here over a year and we were reflecting that we were both very surprised by the lack of culture shock, since besides the language, and German food, there are a lot of similarities. Germans can appear cold at first, but once they get to know you and like you, are very warm, as Canadians are:) Germans are also quite social and enjoy spending time with their friends, similar to Canadians. A "typical" Saturday night in Germany is similar to that in Canada. The 20 somethings are out at lounges and pubs and then off to a disco. Movies are also a popular choice. Dinner and a drink is a popular date choice. Going to a festival (which there are a lot of and all revolve around beer, wine or food) is also a popular choice when hanging out with friends. Hope that helps!

Affordable Jewelry, I like your attitude and hopefully this will help me learn German faster :)

 

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