The Middle School German elective is in full swing and the verdict? Students are loving it!
With this edition of this elective in middle school, administration is seeing positive results. The first semester alone has 18 students enrolled ranging in grades sixth-eighth. Mrs. Tina Rollins, Solomon Middle School Math and German Elective teacher has been able to build connections with students that she may not have had the chance to outside of the class.
“Students who may not be engaged with the core subjects of school, are blooming in German class and engaging with the material with their peers.” - Rollins
Students have come such a long way since the beginning of the semester. Their pronunciation of words is much more clear and less robotic. With the core basics learned, students are tackling proper grammar and sentence structure then applying these lessons in fully German one-on-one conversations.
Rollins has used various elements to teach German culture in addition to learning the language. They ‘walked’ through a few German towns using Google Earth, snacked on German chips, drinks, and candies, and even watched the opening to a loved cartoon, Phineas and Ferb, in German.
The initial goal for Rollins was to have a conversation in German with the students by the end of the course. This goal is not only achievable but already taking root. One student, Brently Barton-Everhart, expressed that they were recently able to have a conversation in German with the Aunt who is German!
Beyond mastering new vocabulary and sentence structures, students are gaining a broader perspective on global cultures. The enthusiasm in Ms. Rollins' classroom proves that when given the opportunity to explore new subjects, middle schoolers don't just participate—they thrive.