Positive. What?

Things are looking up a bit here in Brandenburg. "What??" you say. "Yes" say I. "Things are a little bit brighter".

The reason things are looking up is mostly thanks to the American election. Now, this is not what you may think. President-elect Obama did not change the world that much in his election. He did not suddenly convert the Germans to a large population of America-lovers. That will take a LONG time. He didn't even up my pay or offer me a job when I return to the US. No, just the sheer fact that we had an election makes my life better. For some reason or other, it took the election to make the teachers have a moment of realization. "Wait! We have an American at our school! She's a teacher! Maybe she can teach my class about the confusing process of electing a president!" This may not seem like a hard conclusion to reach, but it was amazing that only one person thought of it and the others kinda went, oh yeah, I guess we could try that. So this week, I have been teaching. Really and truly teaching. Like, I am in front of the class, by myself, with the teacher in a desk and learning from me.

My American elections lecture is not difficult stuff really. Well, the electoral college is difficult for everyone! Most people here seem to think that the people vote for president, but that doesn't really matter because our electors choose the president. These electors, they believe, are people. And only their votes are the ones that count. Yeah, try explaining our governmental system to a bunch of foreign students. Anyway, I explain my absentee ballot, the candidates, some of their positions on major issues that I think the students might care about, then I show Obama's speech. I also try to get student reactions to the candidates and issues. Not too hard.

However, my lessons have been going over amazingly well! After being in one class, I got asked to another, then another, then another. These are 11th-13th graders who I don't get to interact with very often, but I love it! They are usually well-behaved and interactive and many of them have been exchange students in English speaking countries. I can really talk to them about issues and not just have to explain that you cannot say "That are" in English. (the fact that some English speakers do, is another point entirely). Today I worked with one of my favorite teachers to be around. She is young and her English is perfect since she is married to a British man. Her classes in general are just really great and well-behaved. She told me that I should consider becoming a teacher because I "perform" so well in front of a class. Apparently everything I do has a theatrical flair now, even leading discussions. But it's true, cause it works. I get their attention and they find me entertaining. So now she wants to watch me teach sometimes to get the theatricality of teaching. I found that really funny. The German teachers aren't quite as animated in class as the teachers I was used to in HS and college (think Skillerns, Padilla, Patrick, well, most Centre professors). So this is new for them and they find it funny.

I am also working with a group of 5th graders on "The True Story of the Three Little Pigs" based on the kid's book by Jon Sczieska. They find the story hilarious, but a little complex. We spent a long time today translating it into German. It really put my German skills to the test and their English skills, but I'm amazed at how fast their little brains wrap around things. Their pronunciation is somewhere along the lines of abominable, but at least they now know what they are saying.

So, look at that! A positive post. I was told by teachers that I make a good teacher. That they like my theatricality and my flair for the dramatic. At least a few students are interested in what I have to say! Cool! I just wish I could work with those classes more often, but I guess they are also not the ones who need the most help...

For those of you wondering, it is still dark, damp, and cold here. My new friends are candles!