Now I am working with the visiting teachers from Tueringen (spelling?), Germany. They are here observing in elementary schools (Red Cedar, Marble, and Montessori Children's House of Lansing), and I have proposed the need for a cultural interpreter - that is, to answer any questions they might have about cultural miscommunications or even to anticipate cultural miscommunications. This is to enhance their experience and to make sure they get the most of it.
They arrived on the 27th of March and on the 29th Angelika set up a brunch to welcome them where their host families joined. I gave them an introduction to the U.S. education system. Beforehand we did an activity where the native Germans wrote down on index cards facts they knew or thought they knew about U.S. education or the U.S. in general and the Americans did the same thing for the Germans. I shared some of those idea before the presentation, which was both fun and enlightening.
I don't want to give away too much, as I am to be presenting a lot of this info in class. So far it is going well. I have even emailed to check up on them and they seem to be enjoying themselves. One mentioned she'd like to work in an intercity school, but Angelika (my community partner) and I decided that it was too late to make this happen, so I am going to consider that in my evaluation as maybe something to add for next year if MSU does the exchange again.
That's all for now!
-Jaymee
It's quite the experience. Have you had a chance to meet with them and observe them in their classes?
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