Category Archives: schools in Germany

Tempus Fugit

Posted on November 20, 2020 by maryannniemczura

 I blinked and they were in school. When a neighbor commented to me after our son was born: “before you know it, he’ll be in school.” It sounded odd when she made the comment.  I thought to myself that she … Continue reading →

Posted in blink, schools in Germany, tempus fugit | Tagged , , , | 18 Comments

Parents as Teachers

Posted on August 25, 2017 by maryannniemczura

As a German language educator of more than forty years of experience, I knew the intrinsic value of beginning language learning at an early age. Since most US schools do not begin foreign languages with children as early as two … Continue reading →

Posted in American and German children, Fulbright to Germany, German, German and English share ssame linguistic DNA, German language, German songs, Germany, language teachers, parenting, schools in Germany, teachers, teaching German, video conferences between US & German schools | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 27 Comments

Eyes in the Back of my Head

Posted on October 10, 2015 by maryannniemczura

Young children sometimes think their parents and teachers have a super power, a way of knowing and seeing things even when their backs are turned. Using humor, they explain to children that they have these eyes in the back of … Continue reading →

Posted in children, eyes in the back of the head, laughter, medicine, parents, schools in Germany, teachers | Tagged , , , , , , , | 7 Comments

Education – Then and Now

Posted on September 26, 2015 by maryannniemczura

The Principal of my mother’s high school in Massachusetts was also a teacher. What a novel idea for today’s schools. After being assigned a mandatory study hall in high school, my mother was dismayed until she discovered her Principal also … Continue reading →

Posted in challenges, education, Fulbright Teacher Exchange, Principals as teachers, schools in Germany, struggles, teacher certification, U. of Colorado, U. of Heidelberg, US schools, vocational education | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Childhood Freedom

Posted on March 14, 2015 by maryannniemczura

Recent media accounts of a couple in Maryland prompted me to write this week about the freedom and pleasure of childhood play. I was fortunate to start my early childhood years in rural Massachusetts in and around the Springfield, Palmer … Continue reading →

Posted in a stranger, childhood play, children, family, family stories, Fulbright Teacher, Germany, life lessons, life skills, Maryland parents, Massachusetts, Musings, Parents, rural America, school, schools in Germany, Sturbridge, Upstate New York | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

How Learning German Changed My Life

Posted on March 7, 2015 by maryannniemczura

What do you consider most important in your life? Looking back, was there a single turning point in your life which made you who you are today? Probably, like most of us, life’s most eventful moments come in a series … Continue reading →

Posted in children, college education, customs in Germany, education, family, family stories, Foreign Language Learning, Free German University Study for American students, Fulbright Teacher Exchange, German culture, German language, Germany, global citizens, languages, life lessons, Parents, schools in Germany, Teacher, University of Colorado at Boulder, vocational education in Germany, world languages | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 7 Comments

Free German University Study for American Students

Posted on February 21, 2015 by maryannniemczura

It’s that time of the year in our American school district for 6th graders and their parents to make decisions regarding which world language to study. I would like to offer reasons to study German. The emphasis these days is … Continue reading →

Posted in 6th grade registration for world languages, About the book, Colorado, education, Foreign Language Learning, Free German University Study for American students, Fulbright Teacher Exchange, Germany, languages, Massachusetts, parents, preparing world leaders, school, schools in Germany, Teaching, Teaching in Germany | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Holding Fond Memories

Posted on February 14, 2015 by maryannniemczura

It seems weeks now since we have felt Mother Nature’s wrath with one storm after another and bitter cold wind chills biting us as we attempt to brave the outdoor elements. When I was a child growing up in Sturbridge, … Continue reading →

Posted in animal tracks, blizzard, children, family, Massachusetts, Nor'easter, Nostalgia, schools in Germany, Sturbridge, Upstate New York, Valentine's Day, winter, winter activities | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Our Lives Were Forever Changed

Posted on February 7, 2015 by maryannniemczura

During the first Fulbright Teacher Exchange Year in 1990-91 when I taught English as a Second Language in Neresheim, our son, Thomas, turned seven in February. His younger sister, Emily, turned three at the beginning of the Fulbright year in … Continue reading →

Posted in birthday celebration, children, customs in Germany, education, family, Fulbright, Fulbright Teacher Exchange, Germany, Oscar Mayer, parents, schools in Germany, Teaching, Teaching in Germany, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 6 Comments