Category Archives: teaching German

Oops! With Love and Humor!

Posted on June 26, 2020 by maryannniemczura

  The new quarter at the university meant new classrooms. As a German professor, I was accustomed to welcoming students speaking in German. With an armload of books and papers, I entered the room, put my belongings on the empty … Continue reading →

Posted in humor, life's lessons, love, teaching a new quarter, teaching German | Tagged , , , , , , | 17 Comments

Music Colors My Life!

Posted on December 28, 2018 by maryannniemczura

Musical notes, beats, rests, keys, sharps, flats, major, minor, staff, treble clef, bass clef, rhythms, voices, moods, time signatures, adagio, allegro, forte, chant, chamber, carols, classical, dynamics, fermata, leitmotifs, sonata, staff, concerto, tones, voices – all this and more characterize … Continue reading →

Posted in Berkshire Choral International, classical music, Happy New Year 2019, music composer, Symphoria, Syracuse Chorale, Syracuse Pops Chorus, Teaching, teaching German | Tagged , , , , | 14 Comments

On Being Grateful

Posted on August 31, 2018 by maryannniemczura

As the new school year is about to commence, I am grateful for the years I was able to teach German. I watch the young ones in the neighborhood as they play with one another and shop for new clothes. … Continue reading →

Posted in choral singing, grateful, music, teaching German | Tagged , , , , , , , | 16 Comments

Until Next Time: Auf Wiedersehen!

Posted on June 1, 2018 by maryannniemczura

When life hands you lemons, make lemonade. Acceptance and coming to terms with your lot in life is key to moving forward while remaining positive. My glass continues to be half full. The German expression auf Wiedersehen (until next time) … Continue reading →

Posted in auf Wiedersehen, German, handshakes, retirement, teaching German | Tagged , , , , , , , | 17 Comments

How Learning German Changed My Life

Posted on February 9, 2018 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 Achtung Baby by Sara Zaske, education in Germany vs. education in the U.S., family, Fulbright Teacher, German language, study in Germany, teaching German, tolerant individuals, Universität Heidelberg, Germany, University of Colorado, Boulder, vocational education | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 39 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

Humor in the Language Lab

Posted on June 23, 2017 by maryannniemczura

Teachers frequently remark that no two seconds are the same in the classroom. My first teaching assignment was at the university level.  Back in the day of reel to reel tapes, our German textbook employed the audio-lingual method. My university classes … Continue reading →

Posted in language lab, laughter, reel to reel tapes, teaching German | Tagged , , , , , , | 10 Comments

My Legacy

Posted on October 24, 2015 by maryannniemczura

Our legacies are passed down from one generation to another. The world is connected by stories, memories, traditions, dreams and hopes. Waxing philosophical I reflect on the legacies of my parents, grandparents, and other family members. What have I learned … Continue reading →

Posted in family, Goethe, languages, legacy, letters, memoir: A Past Worth Telling, music, teaching German | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | 16 Comments

Spring Signals Hope

Posted on May 2, 2015 by maryannniemczura

After a protracted, arduous winter in Central New York, there are glimpses of spring. The days are getting warmer now. The wonders nature has to offer abound. The daffodils and forsythia smile forth in yellow blossoms. The bright sun beckoned … Continue reading →

Posted in German dances, German food, German songs, German-American Society of Central New York, high school seniors, hope, May gardens, nature, neighborhood, teaching German | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment