Have not seen or heard from mentor teacher for several days...

[email was lost in inbox and

teacher has since agreed to meet with me - she is also very busy, involved in leadership
meetings and coordinating programs within the school]. While I have learned great amounts
from studies of the school, my schedule has been a challenge with all the program events on
school days, and not practicing teaching as many lessons or collaborating on projects as some
of the UNC student teachers at different placements. In other words, I wish this could be
improved or better organized where there are regular classes I can participate with from 7:304pm. (free/flexible time has however been useful for exploring, reflecting, and observing the
school and Hamburg - I used the time efficiently as possible to work on fulfilling multiple
projects/objectives)
Goal for week find a coordinating teacher and teach/complete Letters to Students in America
Project (estimated time needed: 2 class periods on different days for at least 30 minutes, 11-13
grade students may work on and finish
letters as homework, how much time/effort is
put into project varies by individual)
Teacher lounge waiting for placement or
finding one on own (Who do you know or
want to observe?)
Abitur exams in English today
International Education Project slides/lesson
plan ready to review with mentors and
present/implement
Revisions to original PowerPoint Germany
much more complex (diverse) than
stereotypes and places depicted or visited on
this trip
Cappuccino and brot with kasse, lettuce with
Andreas break in caf downstairs
Berlin trip summary
13 grade writing English Abitur exams (4 hours) stressful to students? (yes, but in
manageable amounts)
Topics: Joyce Carroll on officer dealing with a delinquent or Gun control laws (Culture Wars)
Last week hard to think about leaving
Kiki trip summary to Berlin; had fun, made some positive memories, learned about city,
meeting people
Gift ideas Bergedorf chocolate (Kaffee Timm (coffee roasting company with candy, etc.) and
Budnikowski shops (Marzipan by Niedenegger), bookstores (street art/graffiti) from Hamburg;
University of Hamburg student stores (mug)
Teacher colleague: German words I speak English um, do you have a pen? (language
barrier problems, haha)
tourist culture meeting everyday people/interactions vs. media perceptions of what is
important to experience in city (what is Berlin culture?)
Best summary need to see larger picture multiple view angles and photos (Air drive/sharing
photos, reading blogs from various perspectives comparing and filling in gaps from what is
remembered or recorded)
Writing and revising journal Google Document wish to ask about websites where information
and pictures can be transferred and stored.
Breakfast and lunch generously prepared by Andrea every school day (cheese/meat sandwich
halves)
th

Blog reflections and evening EdTPA revisions (teacher

performance assessments have not been a positive or
largely constructive experience occurring simultaneously
with this program; time consuming processes and stress
over [idealized] standards for applications has negatively
impacted certain aspects of the extent to which I have
been able to engage more fully with student teaching in
Hamburg). Believe better alternatives for teacher intern
training should be researched, developed and
implemented in the U.S. to promote creativity and
versatility, perhaps by using examples from international
education systems (i.e. Germany, Finland).
Explained situation to host family and asked for help lots of support, encouraged
talking/sharing with family, offered spaces to work; international phone call home to mom
Plans for Wednesday: meetings with mentor teachers, Dr. Bonnet and Anja, and student teacher
buddies