Today was my first day of SCHOOL! When I woke up this morning I was expecting to go to a building, sit through a bunch of classes, make awkward conversation, try to find my way around... and yeah.. thats about it! Boy... What I WRONG! School today was nothing like I've ever experienced.
I woke up around 6.00, took a shower, went downstairs to have one of my host-moms AMAZING smoothies (and a pretzle), then drove to the school with both my mom and dad. When we got the school we had to go to this classroom and wait for the women in charge of the school. I was really nervous because I got the impression that it would just be a meeting with me, my host parents, and her, but I was relieved to find that it was a meeting for ALL the new students. So I was one of about 15. The women in charge called our names and introduced us to our homeroom teachers. Every student got a different teacher. I'm in class 11-B. My host parents were a little suprised that I wasn't in Sabrina's old class (because they were expecting me to take her place... and to have the same connections and friends), but everything is good. I like my homeroom teacher. He seems really nice.
I think I finally have a small grasp on how my school works. In my class there are 4 subgroups (11-a, 11-b, 11-c, 11-d), and a homeroom teacher for each one. Each subgroup stayed with one another for the subjects that everyone is required to take. Those subjects are Sports, History, Deutsch, Religion, Math, Phisics, Biology, and Chemistry. For most of these classes we stay in the same room and the teachers rotate from class to class. The 2nd and 3rd hours are devoted to our 2 subjects that are MOST important. They are the two classes that we pick, and we have more hours of them because they are our favorite or the ones we are best at. The two classes that I have chosen are English and French. I think English will be fun... but I think French will be very challenging because A- The teaching language is German, and B- The European community seems to be more advanced with language in general (Students here actually take it seriously).
After I finished the meeting with the new students I trailed my homeroom teacher around the school and he showed me our homeroom, then he left me with these two guys in my homeroom. I sat down and a girl came up to me and told me we all needed to go to a meeting in the gym. She was very nice, but unfortunately she is leaving in a few days to go on her own exchange to England. I kind of was the awkward new kid walking in back of the group of friends who have known eachother for years. Once we arrived in the gym, I found a place to sit behind the group of kids in my class. A man came up and started singing this call and response thing in German, and I had no idea what was going on. Then everyone sat down and he started to talk about the Berlin Wall, and he was incorporting it to a wall built up inside of all of us... at least thats what I think he was talking about! Again... I don't really know... It was in German believe it or not.
There were a few more songs and prayers and it was a little bizzare, but after the get-together we went to homeroom. I sat in the back... by myself! haha... SO NOT LIKE ME! Its hard enough being a "new kid" let alone not being able to communicate to the people around you!!.. so I was just kind of sitting.. pretending I had something important to do. The teacher was 20 minutes late so we just sat there and eventually we all ended uo talking and I introduced myself to most people. THe teacher came in and he talked about who knows what. I'm pretty sure these two girls were elected to be representatives for the class.
We got our schedules and I had a ton of blank spaces! Since I never chose what classes to take the school just didnt give me any classes, they just gave me the required courses. I went to the office after homeroom was over and asked if I could have my 2 important classes be French and English, and somehow everything worked out and I was so proud of myself for talking to someone IN GERMAN and actually MAKING SENSE! I also had the choice to take Art or Music and I decided to ake Art because the music class was more music theory and had math incorporated with it so I'm staying awayyyy from that!
The man I talked to told me that the new classes would take effect tomorrow. I headed off to my next class which was history. WHen I arrived there was around 10 people there and no teacher. We waited and waited and waited... but no teacher. We found out after some time that the teacher was sick. So... that left me with 4 hours of free class. I had NO IDEA what to do so I hopped on a bus and it took me to Potsdamer Platz. I walked around... alone :( haha... but it was fine... When I came back to school I had only one class left- German. It was my first class in Germany ever! Before class eveyone talked for a while and I got to meet more students and talk a bit more with everyone. I learned that there is a girl who just moved here from England with her family. She's fluent in German because her family is German, but she knows ENGLISH!
When the teacher walked in the room all of the students stood up... I was in disbelief that students here actually have respect for their teachers (unlike in America)! We were given this sheet of paper that looked like a play and people were reading it,and then we were told to write the pros and cons of some argument and I had no idea what to do so I just copied the board. I really like how everyone in the class answers questions. I'm so used to teachers practically forcing students to answer questions in America, but at this school everyone has a desire to learn, so everyone raises their hand, and everyone participates in discussions... well... everyone except me :/ I WOULD PARTICIPATE... I WANTED TO PARTICIPATE... but I couldn't!!! It was a bit aggrivating because I felt a bit stupid.
I got to go home an hour before most student (13.45) which was GREAT! But I couldn't find the right bus stop and I ended up going on a bus driving in the opposite direction (most bused in Berlin usually have 2 of the same number and they go in opposite directions) so I started going in the complete opposite direction, and I had to get off after 10 minutes, cross the street, wait for the other bus to come in the right direction, then go all the way to CheckPoint Charlie (my subway station), then take that all the way to the south of Berlin, and from there I had to take another bus to get home. I ended getting home at the same time everyone else! Nevertheless, Over-all it was a very easy first day. I wish everyday were like this!
My weekly schedule.. as of now. I think more classes will be added tomorrow.
Monday: Sports, French, History, Deutsch
Tuesday: Deutsch, English, Religion
Wednesday: Math, French, Phisics, Deutsch, Sports
Thursday: History, English, Chemistry
Friday (aka- worst day of the week) : Biology, Math, Phisics
I woke up around 6.00, took a shower, went downstairs to have one of my host-moms AMAZING smoothies (and a pretzle), then drove to the school with both my mom and dad. When we got the school we had to go to this classroom and wait for the women in charge of the school. I was really nervous because I got the impression that it would just be a meeting with me, my host parents, and her, but I was relieved to find that it was a meeting for ALL the new students. So I was one of about 15. The women in charge called our names and introduced us to our homeroom teachers. Every student got a different teacher. I'm in class 11-B. My host parents were a little suprised that I wasn't in Sabrina's old class (because they were expecting me to take her place... and to have the same connections and friends), but everything is good. I like my homeroom teacher. He seems really nice.
I think I finally have a small grasp on how my school works. In my class there are 4 subgroups (11-a, 11-b, 11-c, 11-d), and a homeroom teacher for each one. Each subgroup stayed with one another for the subjects that everyone is required to take. Those subjects are Sports, History, Deutsch, Religion, Math, Phisics, Biology, and Chemistry. For most of these classes we stay in the same room and the teachers rotate from class to class. The 2nd and 3rd hours are devoted to our 2 subjects that are MOST important. They are the two classes that we pick, and we have more hours of them because they are our favorite or the ones we are best at. The two classes that I have chosen are English and French. I think English will be fun... but I think French will be very challenging because A- The teaching language is German, and B- The European community seems to be more advanced with language in general (Students here actually take it seriously).
After I finished the meeting with the new students I trailed my homeroom teacher around the school and he showed me our homeroom, then he left me with these two guys in my homeroom. I sat down and a girl came up to me and told me we all needed to go to a meeting in the gym. She was very nice, but unfortunately she is leaving in a few days to go on her own exchange to England. I kind of was the awkward new kid walking in back of the group of friends who have known eachother for years. Once we arrived in the gym, I found a place to sit behind the group of kids in my class. A man came up and started singing this call and response thing in German, and I had no idea what was going on. Then everyone sat down and he started to talk about the Berlin Wall, and he was incorporting it to a wall built up inside of all of us... at least thats what I think he was talking about! Again... I don't really know... It was in German believe it or not.
There were a few more songs and prayers and it was a little bizzare, but after the get-together we went to homeroom. I sat in the back... by myself! haha... SO NOT LIKE ME! Its hard enough being a "new kid" let alone not being able to communicate to the people around you!!.. so I was just kind of sitting.. pretending I had something important to do. The teacher was 20 minutes late so we just sat there and eventually we all ended uo talking and I introduced myself to most people. THe teacher came in and he talked about who knows what. I'm pretty sure these two girls were elected to be representatives for the class.
We got our schedules and I had a ton of blank spaces! Since I never chose what classes to take the school just didnt give me any classes, they just gave me the required courses. I went to the office after homeroom was over and asked if I could have my 2 important classes be French and English, and somehow everything worked out and I was so proud of myself for talking to someone IN GERMAN and actually MAKING SENSE! I also had the choice to take Art or Music and I decided to ake Art because the music class was more music theory and had math incorporated with it so I'm staying awayyyy from that!
The man I talked to told me that the new classes would take effect tomorrow. I headed off to my next class which was history. WHen I arrived there was around 10 people there and no teacher. We waited and waited and waited... but no teacher. We found out after some time that the teacher was sick. So... that left me with 4 hours of free class. I had NO IDEA what to do so I hopped on a bus and it took me to Potsdamer Platz. I walked around... alone :( haha... but it was fine... When I came back to school I had only one class left- German. It was my first class in Germany ever! Before class eveyone talked for a while and I got to meet more students and talk a bit more with everyone. I learned that there is a girl who just moved here from England with her family. She's fluent in German because her family is German, but she knows ENGLISH!
When the teacher walked in the room all of the students stood up... I was in disbelief that students here actually have respect for their teachers (unlike in America)! We were given this sheet of paper that looked like a play and people were reading it,and then we were told to write the pros and cons of some argument and I had no idea what to do so I just copied the board. I really like how everyone in the class answers questions. I'm so used to teachers practically forcing students to answer questions in America, but at this school everyone has a desire to learn, so everyone raises their hand, and everyone participates in discussions... well... everyone except me :/ I WOULD PARTICIPATE... I WANTED TO PARTICIPATE... but I couldn't!!! It was a bit aggrivating because I felt a bit stupid.
I got to go home an hour before most student (13.45) which was GREAT! But I couldn't find the right bus stop and I ended up going on a bus driving in the opposite direction (most bused in Berlin usually have 2 of the same number and they go in opposite directions) so I started going in the complete opposite direction, and I had to get off after 10 minutes, cross the street, wait for the other bus to come in the right direction, then go all the way to CheckPoint Charlie (my subway station), then take that all the way to the south of Berlin, and from there I had to take another bus to get home. I ended getting home at the same time everyone else! Nevertheless, Over-all it was a very easy first day. I wish everyday were like this!
My weekly schedule.. as of now. I think more classes will be added tomorrow.
Monday: Sports, French, History, Deutsch
Tuesday: Deutsch, English, Religion
Wednesday: Math, French, Phisics, Deutsch, Sports
Thursday: History, English, Chemistry
Friday (aka- worst day of the week) : Biology, Math, Phisics
Wow! What a day! Physics, chemistry and biology in the same semester? And you aren't the science type, right?! Don't get lost on the bus route tomorrow!! Love, Mom
Aren't you glad that making your class schedule with me will be so much easier next year?! Ha ha.
Love hearing your thoughts about this new adventure!
Your favorite JMM non-teacher,
Mrs. Olson
I loved reading this.
Loved. It.
:D