SUSTAINING AND STRENGTHENING GERMAN IN NORTH CAROLINA

NC-AATG | 8 September 2012

Don’t Let a Crisis Go to Waste: Problems and Opportunities for German in NC

Stephen Van Orden

Timpview High School EdD in Curriculum and Instruction MA in German Literature Utah German Task Force ACTFL national teacher of the year

finalist ; SWCOLT teacher of the year Unterrichtspraxis, conferences

intended outcome of meeting define the challenge or “crisis” consider possible action steps

problems/challenges

budget limits, coupled with weak demand/enrollment perceived relevance among students, parents,

administrators, public balance interest/fun vs. academic rigor students and parents want a quick return on

investment perception that German is not for minorities mismatch between student motivations and our

message about German virtual public school vicious circle: closure/compression leads to lack of

opportunities for our students to continue

Context→Practice →Vision

Problems in Utah

Lost Several German Programs in the late 1990s and early 2000s due to retirements and lack of enrollment.

No German major at several colleges/universities.

Difficulty in maintaining enrollments.

Loosely coupled professional German community.

Perceptions in the community that learning German is less valuable than learning other languages.

Little or no articulation between K-12 and post-secondary programs.

German was not included in the dual immersion law.

Utah German Task Force

Formed in 2010 to advocate for German programs on all levels.

Monthly meetings on a Friday afternoon.

Representatives from colleges/universities, high schools, and middle schools.

Identify priorities, make action plans, and make assignments.

Task Force Outcomes

Created a brochure.

Connected with business leaders.

Met with school principals and district administrators to save existing programs and start new programs.

Correlated with World Language specialist from the Utah State Office of Education.

Lobbied State Superintendent to be included in dual immersion.

Planned university activities for high school students.

Gave presentations at annual UFLA conference on recruiting.

Program Mentality

• Examples from other disciplines.

• Language proficiency is part of identity.

• Most valuable contributors:• AG Deutsch• Delta Epsilon Phi• GAPP Exchange• University Events• Culture in Context

Recruiting

There is plurality of best practices.

Successful recruiting is grounded in quality instruction.

We want to build full scope and sequence programs.

Bridging the communication gap takes time.

A shot-gun approach is most effective.

We are ultimately responsible for our own programs.

RizzutoVanOrdenUFLApresentation.wikispaces.com

Articulation

People don’t acquire language in a linear fashion.

Students can develop proficiency with varied content.

Students can learn at their own pace in an immersion environment.

Motivation and effort are the most important attributes.

Crossing the novice/intermediate gulf is the key.

Universities can employ a variety of strategies to keep German students in the fold. Concurrent enrollment Hybrid classes Drop lower-division/upper-division mind set Bridge classes

Advocacy

Keep communication lines open.

Identify at-risk situations.

Identify potential opportunities.

Propose solutions.

Der PantherSein Blick ist vom Vorübergehn der Stäbeso müd geworden, daß er nichts mehr hält.Ihm ist, als ob es tausend Stäbe gäbeund hinter tausend Stäben keine Welt.

Der weiche Gang geschmeidig starker Schritte,der sich im allerkleinsten Kreise dreht,ist wie ein Tanz von Kraft um eine Mitte,in der betäubt ein großer Wille steht.

Nur manchmal schiebt der Vorhang der Pupillesich lautlos auf –. Dann geht ein Bild hinein,geht durch der Glieder angespannte Stille –und hört im Herzen auf zu sein.

-- Rainer Maria Rilke

possible action steps for NC-AATG

HS-College outreach… e.g. Skype, visits, attend common events

HS-middle school outreach Outreach to business… find out

which businesses are in NC & SC brochure for a wide audience info sheet for counselors letter to 9th graders publicize opportunities in

Germany for HS/college admin. video, Keynote, PowerPoint (out

of the box) YouTube or link to Facebook Awards committee Always do press release, make

club/program news public

Interdisciplinary outreach… e.g. digital media, history, business

STEM unit

advocacy curriculum/articulation

Centralize students' destination in your lesson plan, whatever that destination may be...study abroad, job, GAPP, grad school

from “I am flute” to “I am German flute”… DACH as part of students’ identity

Exploit and tout our flexibility in the classroom

Dorfuchs Specific NC-AATG

workshops tailored to our specific identified problems

communicate! Facebook page use website to distribute

info & ideas… e.g. calendar on website

better utilize national AATG site

Collect census data about university students -> "alumni network", share info with HS teachers

reorganize our meetings

pedagogy other

other promotion & advocacy ideas

catalog what we already do: GAPP, Schultüten Projekt, Oktoberfest/Weihnachtsmarkt with Raleigh Sister Cities

advocacy within the walls form awards committee

advocacy coordinator promote events, e.g. Deutsches Wochenende, German

Day love letters to organizers’ administration news media coordinate contact with school boards, legislators,

trustees, whoever makes decisions & controls funding informing the greater community, e.g. brochure

Tasks for our next chapter meeting… and in between

Looking Ahead

our next steps

long term effort… return to these topics specific vision concrete action steps