|
Spring 1998 Newsletter SUMMER
IMMERSION WEEKEND FOR GERMAN TEACHERS
Plans are underway for a weekend of activities from cooking and hands-on crafts to theater, music and film as well as outdoor activities and "Story-gami." Native speakers from New Hampshire, New York and Vermont will join colleagues from Massachusetts as presenters. The weekend is designed to provide an opportunity for participants to upgrade and maintain proficiency in German, catch up on recent developments in German- speaking countries, stimulate discussion on current pedagogical trends in German (as well as other world languages) and provide information about current teaching resources. ALLES AUF DEUTSCH!!! German Immersion workshop coordinators Cherie Baggs (cabaggs@aol.com) and Susan Thorne (Thorne001@aol.com) are organizing the weekend along with the Goethe Institute Boston and the AATG Massachusetts Chapter Executive Board Members. Participation is not limited to MaFLA members. Twenty-five teachers of German at all language levels will be selected from among the applicants on a first-come, first-served basis. The cost is $250.00 and German teachers from throughout New England (and beyond) are encouraged to apply. The cost for MaFLA members in good standing will be $200.00. Certificates of attendance and a letter describing the program will be given for PDP portfolios (30 PDP's). The deadline for application is May 1, 1998. Return your application form to: Dr.
Kathleen Imbruno, SSJ
OR contact Cherie Baggs, 62 Church St., Oxford, MA 01540 Tel (508) 987-5513, if you have not yet received an application. SUMMARY OF WINTER ACTIVITIES College/High School German Day was just held at Brandeis University in Waltham on March 27th. Over 200 students participated in a variety of German activities and saw a presentation of Kenneth Brooke's "Ein hessischer Soldat." Was im Gedächtnis bleibt/Surviving Memories, an exhibit about young people during World War II and 50 years later, sponsored by the Goethe Institute, opened in the library at Brandeis, and will stay there until April 17th. Uwe Kind
comes to Cape Cod - Uwe Kind, creator of Lingo Tech, Singling, and the
Talking T, presented a program of songs, language learning rhymes,
and Rap at Barnstable High School on February 23. The program was sponsored
by the Goethe Institute with the intent of promoting the study of German
on the Cape. Students in Barnstable's brand new German program, prospective
students from the middle schools in Barnstable as well as students enrolled
in German from Falmouth High School, Nauset High School, and some 200 students
from the Dennis-Yarmouth middle and high school German program were in
attendance. After enthralling teachers at the MaFLA 1996 Fall Conference
with his methods of making grammar and vocabulary easy and fun to learn,
Uwe Kind proved equally entertaining to the students, who came away with
the knowledge that Deutsch macht Spass. (submitted by Deborah Roberts,
Dennis-Yarmouth High School)
COLLABORATIVE ALLIANCES PROJECT The Massachusetts Chapter is grateful to the AATG in Cherry Hill and the Federal Republic of Germany for the grant it received to further promote collaboration between universities, colleges and schools. As a result of the grant which we received in the spring 1997, our chapter is better informed and more able to participate actively in the activities of state organizations, alliances, and collaboratives across New England. A team of German teachers representing K-16 worked closely throughout the year to foster further collaboration and articulation. Richard Hreschak and Susan Thorne (middle schools), Cherie Baggs (secondary) and Donna Van Handle (post-secondary) made presentations at the MaFLA Fall Conference (1996) and ACTFL Fall Conference (1997) on "Articulation and Outreach" and produced a document which they expanded upon and up-dated during that time. In addition, the chapter was the first AAT to have a member appointed to the steering committee of the New England Network of Academic Alliances for Foreign Languages and Literatures. Cherie Baggs continues to work closely with the New England Network, an umbrella organization for the many foreign language collaboratives and alliances in New England. Her mailing in June 1997 to chapter members resulted in the completion of a number of surveys by German instructors (K-16) in Massachusetts on Alternative Assessment. A one-day conference on Alternative Assessment in New England World Language Classrooms was held October 4, 1997, based on the results of the survey. A number of German teachers from the New England states attended. Marlies Stueart, German teacher at Wellesley HS, presented along with her French and Spanish colleagues on rubric scoring for speaking and writing tasks. A booklet of handouts of all sessions provided the 150 participants (K-16) from all New England states with further examples of alternative assessment. As members of the AATG MA Chapter and the MaFLA Board of Directors, Cherie Baggs and Susan Thorne have also worked closely with the state foreign language association to promote articulation and collaboration. The theme of the MaFLA Fall Congerence 1998 - Moving Toward the Millennium: Innovations and Collaborations - further underscores the common goal for foreign language teachers. Susan Rykken, AATG Northeast region representative, attended the MaFLA conference and Cherie and Susan will present at the FLAME conference in April 1998. These are signs that state organizations are reaching out and working together and that German teachers are making a contribution. The new websites - MaFLA www.mafla.org and AATG MA Chapter - http://www.mtholyoke.edu/acad/germ/aatg/ - with links to each other's organizations are further developments within the past year that encourage closer ties. For the first time, German teachers will join Chinese, French, Italian and Spanish teachers for a three-day Total Immersion Weekend June 26-28, 1998. And a fall 1999 conference sponsored by the New England Network will further emphasize alternative assessment practices. The grant money certainly did not finance all of these activities, but it made it possible for the AATG MA chapter members to become involved in collaborative efforts in the state and region. If anyone who filled out the
alternative assessment survey is interested in the results of the conference,
they should contact Cherie Baggs, Collaborative Alliances Project Coordinator.
Once again, the MA Chapter is grateful to the AATG for its support of our
project application and looks forward to hearing what other chapters did
for their projects. (Submitted by Cherie Baggs)
AWARDS BANQUET The Awards
Banquet will take place this year on Tuesday, May 5th - 6:30 p.m. in Founders
Hall at Worcester Polytechnic Institute. The 1998 Awards Banquet will feature
dinner, presentation of awards, and entertainment. The meal will cost $15
per person. There is no charge for students being honored, but their guests
must pay Contact Diethild Harrington or Joan Murray for further information.
1998 TESTING PROGRAM Nominee for Senior Trip to Germany: Rachel Dinisman (Teacher:Vija Skudra-Masconomet H.S.) Nominees
for Regular Trip to Germany:
STUDENTS IN THE 90TH PERCENTILE OR ABOVE Level
4
LEVEL 3 Evan Powers- Wellesley HS Tucker Liebermann- Lincoln Sudbury Reg. HS Philip Macklawiczek-Boston German Saturday School Lien DeBrouckere-Lexington HS Sean Hanafin-St. Mark's School Courtney Phillipps-Lincoln Sudbury Reg. HS Tracy Eng-Wellesley HS Paul Niehaus-St. John's Prep Andrea Morton-Deerfield Academy Matthew Kathman-Wachusett Reg. HS Jacob Comenetz-Belmont HS Thomas John-Bemont HS Colin O'Neill-St. Mark's School Max Messervy-Wellesley HS Katherine Vassos-Wellesley HS Jessica Liu-Lexington HS Claudia Stumpf-Lexington HS Matthew Saradjian-Lexington HS Henry Park-Groton School Philip Maclawiczek-Boston German Saturday School Rebecca Mitcheson-Concord Academy Frances Ames-Wachusett Reg. HS Hayden Gallary-Wellesley HS Sofia Zatulovskaya-Natick HS Sarah Fairchild-St. Mark's School Sief Shieshakly-St. Mark's School Shawn Lingley-Lincoln Sudbury Reg. HS Peter Novak-Lincoln Sudbury Reg. HS Dave Loehlin-Concord Academy Patrick Boehm-Wachusett Reg. HS Anna Sergel-Wellesley HS Catherine Arc-Masconomet Reg. HS Devaney Bennett-Masconomet Reg. HS Noreen Konetzny-Boston German Saturday School Nathan Warkentin-Nashoba Reg. HS Maria Lingnau-Groton School LEVEL 2 Christina Marks- Deerfield Academy Jessica Bryan-Newburyport HS Krysia Lazarewicz-Masconomet Reg. HS Emily Randall- Masconomet Reg. HS Laurie Ball- Lincoln Sudbury Reg. HS Natalie Rawling-Concord Academy Rachel Rutishauser-Lexington HS Anthi Pnevmatikos- Masconomet Reg. HS Amy Burkhardt-Lincoln Sudbury Reg. HS Emily DeVasher-Wellesley HS Karoun Demirjian-Lexington HS Jessica Wright- Lexington HS Brendan Buckley-Masconomet Reg. HS Meghan O'Brien-Masconomet Reg. HS Ian Hendrick-Pentucket Reg. HS Edward Andrews-St. Mark's School Cara Judd- Newburyport HS Kimberly Cooney-Wellesley HS Amanda Ragalevsky-Masconomet Reg. HS Kieran O'Hare-St. John's Prep Ingrid Haeckel-Deerfield Academy Evelyn Rucker-Deerfield Academy Julia Waclawiczek-Boston German Saturday School Alexander Feeney-St. Mark's School Elizabeth Steinbach-Lincoln Sudbury Reg. School Peter Stroud-Concord Academy Lauren Parente- Nashoba Reg. HS Daniel Byler- Nashoba Reg. HS Emily St. Thomas-Wellesley HS Jonathan Martin- Masconomet Reg. HS Kait Humphrey-Masconomet Reg. HS Tim Newhouse-Pentucket Reg. HS Anne Reich-Pentucket Reg. HS TEACHERS WITH STUDENTS LISTED ABOVE Jeannette Squires-Belmont High School Claudia Bonmassar-Boston German Saturday School Annemarie Weicker-Boston German Saturday School Jana Volf-Boston German Sat. School Petra Wiese-Boston German Sat. School Stephen Gallivan-Boston Latin School Susan Adams-Concord Academy Kathleen Devaney-Deerfield Academy Marshall Coleman-Eaglebrook School Monika Whipple-Groton School Marian Comenetz-Lexington HS Karin Flynn-Lincoln Sudbury Reg. HS Vija Skudra-Masconomet Reg. HS A. Hernandez- Masconomet Reg. HS Michael Allard-Nashoba Reg. HS Alese Ruggaber-Natick HS Valerie Rousse-Needham HS Judith Shivik-Newburyport HS Inge Buerger-Pentucket Reg. HS Christopher Lynch-St. John's Prep Lee Wells-St. Mark's School Virginia Powell-Wachusett Reg. HS Marlies Stueart-Wellesley HS Kathleen Gallogly-Westfield HS OTHER HONORS Eckhard Bernstein, Massachusetts AATG past president and professor at Holy Cross, is now president of the Sixteenth Century Studies Conference. This is an international organization that meets once a year (around 600 participants). He will be responsible for preparing the program for the 1999 conference. UPCOMING PRESENTATIONS BY MEMBERS FLAME (April 1998) - Cherie Baggs and Susan Thorne CENTRAL
STATES CONFERENCE on the Teaching of Foreign Languages and NEH SUMMER INSTITUTE
on Contemporary German Culture (March 1998 and July/August 1998 - Prof.
Donna Van Handle
FOURTH ANNUAL MASSACHUSETTS GERMAN EDUCATOR OF THE YEAR AWARD The Massachusetts
German Educator of the Year Award is presented to an individual in Massachusetts
who has made outstanding contributions to the profession. Please send nominations
for the award to Cherie Baggs, 62 Church Street, Oxford, MA 01540 no later
than May 1. The recipient will be honored at the MaFLA Fall Conference
in October 1998.
CALLS FOR HELP MaFLA
is looking for people to present Professional Development workshops. Names
and topics should be forwarded to Cherie Baggs (cabaggs@aol.com)
VIELEN DANK! Until this year, Virginia Powell has served as Newsletter Editor as well as Secretary for the Massachusetts Chapter. For many years of getting the news out, vielen Dank, Ginny! UNTERRICHTSPRAXIS & GERMAN QUARTERLY A large number of back issues (10+ years) of both professional magazines is available. Please call Diethild Harrington (508) 366-0433 soon. SAVE THE DATES!!! April 1 - MaFLA Proposal forms for sessions in German are available from Cherie Baggs, 62 Church St., Oxford, MA 01540 (Tel 508-987-5513; e-mail cabaggs@aol.com). Deadline for submitting a proposal is April 1. April
30th (9-5) - DEUTSCHES THEATERFEST at Mt. Holyoke College.
May 5, 1998 (Tuesday, 6:30) - AATG AWARDS BANQUET at WPI SUMMER PROGRAMS June 26-28 - Total Immersion Weekend for German Teachers. July 17-25 - KINDER LERNEN DEUTSCH in Plymouth, New Hampshire Plymouth State College, in cooperation with the Goethe-Institut Boston and the AATG is offering a semnar for teaching German at the elementary and middle school level. More information through the Goethe-Institut Boston, 170 Beacon Street, Boston 02116. NEXT FALL October 3, 1998 - FALL WORKSHOP - Thematic Planning: Franz Marc Participants will explore the process of planning and developing a thematic teaching unity based on the art work of Franz Marc, combining language with culture and content goals. Samples of a thematic unit on Franz Marc will be shared along with demonstrations of hands on activities applicable to any topic or level of language learning. Susan Thorne, presenter. October 30-31, 1998 - FALL MaFLA CONFERENCE - Host Hotel, Sturbridge. This year's theme is "Moving toward the Millennium: Innovations and Collaborations." Of special interest to teachers of German: AATG Executive Director Helene Zimmer-Loew will attend the conference. The AATG Fall Business Meeting will be held on Saturday morning and the MaFLA Massachusetts German Educator of the Year Award will be presented at the Saturday luncheon. Ende Oktober - Eine deutsche Rockgruppe, "Die Sterne", kommt nach Boston. (Goethe Institut) OTHER INFORMATION Donna
Van Handle has created a Massachusetts AATG Homepage -->
MaFLA Link - MaFLA WEBSITE: www.mafla.org - sign the guest book and participate in the "Get Online with MaFLA" Contest. Prizes won will be honored at the Fall Conference. MEMBERSHIP German teachers (primary, secondary, college & university) are encouraged to become involved with the Massachusetts Chapter of the AATG. In addition to the benefits of being an AATG member nationwide, this chapter offers workshops where colleagues may share and learn from each other, the AATG testing program and the awards banquet for regional winners, and a newsletter to keep participants informed of events throughout the year. Encourage colleagues to join national AATG as well. Forms available from American Association of Teachers of German, Inc. (AATG), 112 Haddontowne Court #104, Cherry Hill, NJ 08034-3668. Tel.:(609)795-5553 Fax: (609)795-9398 E-mail: aatg@compuserve.com Website: http://www.aatg.org Info for the next newsletter should be sent to Mary Gottschalk maryvg@aol.com by September 1, 1998. |