We started off this week with a bit of angst towards our German course. We had done some homework over the weekend which we didn't understand. We got so frustrated and stewed on it overnight.
By morning the frustration was still fresh in our minds. We were question if we had really learnt anything at all and if we were more confused now than before we started. By the time we got to the school I was ready to say something, so went to the office and spoke with one of the people there. They took the feedback quite seriously and said they would speak to our teacher - oh oh!!
We really like the teacher and didn't want to complain about her method,, more about how we felt and how the Akademie doesn't allow for out of class discussion between students and teachers. We basically wanted to express how we felt and to seek some assurance whether this is normal or not to be feeling so confused.
We would discuss it with out teacher but the way the classes are stacked on top of each other there has never been any time before or after class to do so. We didn't want to do it in class time as it wouldn't be fair to the other students.
The lady we spoke to said they could put us in a different class if we wanted, but we felt that this would be stupid to do halfway through the course. So she said she would speak to the teacher and we left it at that.
The Monday class started and several students were away, leaving only a class of five. Of any day, today would have been the best day to have the more informal chat with the teacher as with less people there is more time for individual discussion. Oh well, we already spoke to the office.
The Monday class went quite well and we were already feeling more positive about how things were going. At the end of the class we had some spare time (for the first time so far!) and so we were also able to raise our issues directly with the teacher. She said she had already been spoken to by the office but didn't seem too upset by it and thanked us for our feedback as she doesn't often get anything constructive from the students.
That evening we did some more study on our own and a couple of concepts started to 'click'. All of a sudden we were feeling better about our abilities and the course. The rest of the week went quite well.
On Thursday night the Akademie had a get together at the Hofbrauhaus in Alexanderplatz. Some people from our class said they would come, but none of them did. We went with Tom, but unfortunately Danika was sick and could go. No one else from Tom's class went either!
Inside the place was quite packed with DeutschAkademie people, but like last time the tables were pretty full and we sat on a table with another couple. That couple was not interested to talk to us at all and were later joined by some friends who also weren't interested in mingling. No problems, we had Tom!
The was an oom-pah-pah band playing next to us, less oom-pah-pah and more country music. It was good and gives the place a good atmosphere.
We started with a stein (1 litre), then another, and then a half pint. It doesn't seem like much when you've only had 'three' drinks, but two and a half litres is still a fair bit of drink and we felt it the next day.
By morning the frustration was still fresh in our minds. We were question if we had really learnt anything at all and if we were more confused now than before we started. By the time we got to the school I was ready to say something, so went to the office and spoke with one of the people there. They took the feedback quite seriously and said they would speak to our teacher - oh oh!!
We really like the teacher and didn't want to complain about her method,, more about how we felt and how the Akademie doesn't allow for out of class discussion between students and teachers. We basically wanted to express how we felt and to seek some assurance whether this is normal or not to be feeling so confused.
We would discuss it with out teacher but the way the classes are stacked on top of each other there has never been any time before or after class to do so. We didn't want to do it in class time as it wouldn't be fair to the other students.
The lady we spoke to said they could put us in a different class if we wanted, but we felt that this would be stupid to do halfway through the course. So she said she would speak to the teacher and we left it at that.
The Monday class started and several students were away, leaving only a class of five. Of any day, today would have been the best day to have the more informal chat with the teacher as with less people there is more time for individual discussion. Oh well, we already spoke to the office.
The Monday class went quite well and we were already feeling more positive about how things were going. At the end of the class we had some spare time (for the first time so far!) and so we were also able to raise our issues directly with the teacher. She said she had already been spoken to by the office but didn't seem too upset by it and thanked us for our feedback as she doesn't often get anything constructive from the students.
That evening we did some more study on our own and a couple of concepts started to 'click'. All of a sudden we were feeling better about our abilities and the course. The rest of the week went quite well.
On Thursday night the Akademie had a get together at the Hofbrauhaus in Alexanderplatz. Some people from our class said they would come, but none of them did. We went with Tom, but unfortunately Danika was sick and could go. No one else from Tom's class went either!
Inside the place was quite packed with DeutschAkademie people, but like last time the tables were pretty full and we sat on a table with another couple. That couple was not interested to talk to us at all and were later joined by some friends who also weren't interested in mingling. No problems, we had Tom!
We started with a stein (1 litre), then another, and then a half pint. It doesn't seem like much when you've only had 'three' drinks, but two and a half litres is still a fair bit of drink and we felt it the next day.
During the night the DeutschAkademie ran a raffle, we didn't know what for but put our names in a bag. A little while later someone called out Nordines name - she had won! They came over and presented her with the prize, a DeutschAkademie workbook. Not too bad considering we were looking for something like this earlier in the week when we were so frustrated about 'not getting it'.
After our two and a half litres it was time to go...we had had enough liquid! It was after 1am and we weren't sure if the trains were running or not. Most of the U-Bahns close around midnight during the week so we thought we may need to get the night bus. However we had come by S-Bahn and these were still running so it was a super easy ride home.
From our local S-Bahn it is a relatively easy walk for us. Normally, for where Tom is currently living (temporarily) he would get the U-Bahn. This U-Bahn wasn't running so he was going to walk, which isn't really that far. Berlin is good like that with lots of ways to get around, even if you have to just walk a little bit, you are never really stuck having to wait for ages or walk forever!
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