Leipzig Workshop
10 years and still going strong!!WORKSHOPS FOR SUMMER
Leipzig Sommer Seminar
(Fortbildungsseminar fuer amerikanische Deutschlehrer)
12 day Seminar
Sponsored by the Herder Institute, University of Leipzig
Stipends from the Bosch FoundationThis Seminar is directed by my friend Dr. Annette Kuehn.
interDaF e. V. am Herder-Institut der Universität Leipzig (website for the programs)
I can't say enough about the enthusiasm with which my friend Annette organizes and conducts her seminars.I have known her since 1986 when I was a Rockefeller Fellow at the Karl-Marx-Uni in the Herder Institute for a seminar. It was fabulous. But in the name of fairness I wanted to get some other views. So I asked for other opinions.Here is a letter written to me from our AATG member Kay Bouska(kbouska@educastmail.com), who attended the 2000 Seminar, June 26-July 8.
The 2 week Leipzig seminar was very worthwhile. There were a total of 17 teachers from all over the U.S. We began by touring the city; the next day, we divided into small groups and each explored one section of the city and then reported back to the whole group. Another day we were presented with the following topics--Jugend, Frauen, and Wohnungen--and we formed groups by topic of interest. We spent a day visiting 2 different institutions and meeting with the person in charge and then reporting back to the class.
My group, Jugend, first went to a Youth Center that offers after school/evening activities and then to a police station, where we talked to the officer in charge of Juvenile Crime Prevention.
We also did day tours to Dresden and Torgau and did one school visit in Leipzig. Some of the curriculum activities were-- Sprichwoerter, Project Blau (a creative writing activity), and the Sachsische Dialekt. Culture was not neglected. We attended an organ recital of Bach music one evening in the Thomaskirche and a choir recital of Bach music another evening. We also attended a reading from Thomas Mann's FAUST by none other than Klaus Maria Brandauer!
The seminar, field trips, room in a private home with breakfast, and public transportation tickets were included in the stipendium, but we were responsible for our transportation to Germany and lunch and dinner each day.
Mary, I realize this is probably longer than you wanted, so I will let you choose what information you think would be most interesting for the group! Dr. Kuhn sends you her warmest greetings! KayTara Mitchell (bradtara@email.msn.com) another AATG member also attended the Seminar and wrote the following to me:
Leipzig at this point in history is a once-in-a-lifetime experience! The seminar allowed for many visits and interviews with people in various sectors of Leipzig's daily life. Among other destinations, groups visited a youth center, a police division focusing on youth problems, a women's shelter, a radio station, a homeowners association, and a children's book publishing company. Additional cultural activities included: an evening in the music hall listening to a reading of Thomas Mann set to Bach's music; a visit to the former Stasi headquarters; an organ Concert; a concert by the famous Thomaschor. Excursions to Dresden, Pillnitz, Torgau, and optional weekend trips to neighboring towns were also planned. Of course, all of these activities were exciting and new; however, the most impressive experience was being able to see first-hand the growing pains and amazing
changes that have arisen out of Leipzig's capitalization and efforts to reintegrate into Germany's economy. There are signs of hope and opportunity, as well as difficulty everywhere. Perhaps the best compliment that one can pay to Leipzig is to the people of Leipzig themselves. The people of Leipzig are exceptionally friendly, helpful, and open. Even though Leipzig was the city of Bach and Goethe, it is the ordinary people of Leipzig who make Leipzig a wonderful place to be.If you are interested in attending next year, please contact Annette and get on her list:
akuehn@rz.uni-leipzig.de