North Texas Chapter
American Association of Teachers of German
AREA GERMAN EVENTS
2018 Summer Institute for German Teachers
Dear Colleagues,
Would you like to spend a few days learning more about modern German society and how it can come alive in your classroom? Would you like to provide your students with more authentic experiences? Do you enjoy learning with and from fellow German instructors?
If so… join us for our 2nd annual Summer Institute for Teachers of German.
When? August 1 to 3, 2018
Where? University of Texas at Arlington
Fee? $180
PD Hours? Yes!
A flier/registration form is attached to this email. The deadline is June 29.
If you have any questions or would like more information, just email or call me.
I wish you a great summer and hope to see you in August,
Barbara
Barbara Berthold, PhD
Lecturer of German
Department of Modern Languages
University of Texas at Arlington
Deutscher Samstag
The fifteenth annual German immersion day was held on Saturday, April 7th at the University of Texas in Arlington!
On Deutscher Samstag, teachers and Germanophiles from throughout the region will gather at UT in Arlington for a day filled with the sights and sounds of Germany...
As the students arrive, they enter a world where German opens all of the doors. They receive a passport which accompanies them through the day as they participate in non-competitive hands on activities. They meet other students during the ice breaker event in the morning and have a guided transition into the German-only environment. They then select seminars and workshops of their choice which allow them to explore aspects of the German-speaking countries which they would not experience in a traditional classroom setting. They hear and speak German with seminar leaders and their peers while learning about the modern and traditional cultures in which the language is spoken.
Some may make their first German Easter egg. Others may gain new interest in German music. Yet others may taste and decorate their first real gingerbread, or cut loose and learn a new dance, perform a fairy tale or create art that would make even Dürer proud. The souvenirs they take away from the experience are not only scrapbook items and a t-shirt, but also a new confidence and passion for the language.
If you are interested but have never attended before, there will be a planning meeting in mid-March. If you have attended before and will be coming again this year, please reconfirm your interest. Even if you cannot bring students this year, I encourage you to come check it out and be a part of the experience.
***For futher clarification, this is how I explain it to my students. If you tell an American to make a hand turkey, he would understand exactly what you mean, while someone from another country would be completely confused. If you tell a German to make a Martin’s lantern, he knows what to do and anyone else would be confused. This event allows our American students to be a German kid for the day and to gain skills and experiences that allow them to participate in German culture in a much deeper way than they can by simply studying the language.
Please contact Sandra Dieckman at sdieckman@mckinneyisd.net if you are interested.
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More information about registration will follow. Please check back in January.
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Over 700 students from 32 schools participate annually on the first Saturday in February.On that same day, in the areas of San Antonio and Houston, similar contests are also held. On the last Saturday in February, the top five winners in each category from all three contests meet at Texas State University in San Marcos for the Texas State German Contest. If you are interested in the Dallas/Ft. Worth contest contact see the webpage for more information.
Annually more than 90 schools and about 1500 students participate in the four contests in Texas. It is the largest and most active German contest system in the United States. The success of the Contests is due in part to a tradition begun nearly 70 years ago in Austin at the University of Texas and Texas Tech University in Lubbock, where high school students went to compete and the universities presented plays for them. Today college and university professors and students are judges. At least 150 judges are needed for each competition.
Next event is Saturday, February 2, 2019.
Hosted at Jasper HS in Plano.
More information at the website http://www.ntrwinterfest.org/ .
State Contest Early Bird Registrations due NOW!!
TEXAS STATE GERMAN CONTEST
Middle and high school students, grades 8th-12th grade, who have qualified at one of three regional contests, are invited to compete and show off their German language skills and cultural understanding at the annual Texas State German Contest.
www.texasstategermancontest.org
Next Event: Saturday, February 23, 2019
at Texas State University, San Marcos
November 10th, 2018
Sportfest
@ Trinity HS
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Online registration, rules, and other information can be found at:
http://www.ntrwinterfest.org/sportfest-rules/ .
DALLAS MAVERICKS GERMAN NIGHT
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Each year the Dallas Mavericks play host to area German programs with a fun night of Basketball and cheering on Dallas's FAV German. Come join in as students enjoy the game and the post-game Q&A session with Dirk Nowitski
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For informational purposes, you can use the link
to the left to download the flyer from 2015.
Details for the 2019 event will be published here as they come available.