BORN TO BE AÂ TEACHER
Revolutionizing Intercultural Education
I am known for my natural ability to explain abstract concepts in engaging, interesting and thought-provoking ways. My compassionate approach sparks curiosity and connects with people at all skill levels, whether it’s within my published works and or the courses I teach.
SELECTION OF COURSE SYLLABI
GERMAN LANGUAGE (BEGINNER-INTERMEDIATE LEVEL)
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German for Beginners through intermediate level is an introduction to the German language and German-speaking cultures. It is designed as a three-semester course sequence and addresses students learning to communicate in culturally appropriate ways in German. I aim to help you develop balanced skills in speaking, listening, reading, and writing.
This course conforms to goals set by the European Common Framework of Reference for Languages at the Level A1 through B1.
NEULAND
Students learn about the language, culture and politics of German-speaking nations in this course. Following the stories of migration to Germany, learners engage with Anna Thommen's 2014 documentary "Neuland" to learn about stories that the film's protagonists in their journey to find a new home.
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This course helps students to develop a complex vocabulary in German to talk about a precedent topic in German media today: migration. Students acquire linguistic, cultural and presentational skills in this course.
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All materials are posted here:
GESCHICHTEN AUS EUROPA
This course is designe to help students learn about the language, culture and politics of German-speaking nations by using "Spatzenmilch und Teufelsdreck" (1993) by Ghazi Abdel-Qadir, which describes the story of Michael's German-Arabic family. Students explore different stories and backgrounds, which relate back to European concepts that are alluded to in the literature. This project works toward providing the students a range of narratives about, from, and to Europe.
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All course materials can be found here:
INTRODUCTION TO VISUAL AND PERFORMING ARTS IN GERMAN STUDIES
This course is designed to introduce (new) graduate students to central texts, periods, and formal analysis relevant to the study of visual and performing arts in the German context. This course approaches this topic from a topic-based perspective juxtaposing visual material with critical texts. It further expects students to visit and critically reflect on works displayed at local arts institutions and street displays to engage in an hands-on experience of visual art. Students are expected to draw connections between the readings, class discussions and their personal experiences with works of art in observation reports and viewing assignments.
VERGANGENHEITSBEWÄLTIGUNG IN FILM
This course takes examples from German cinema and poses the question of how cinematic means address memories from the Holocaust. Students examine the DEFA production of "Jakob der Lügner" and the TV-production "Gebürtig" (2002) to juxtapose different representational and filmic strategies.