Bonn: City of Living History
The first leg of our Fulbright International Field Experience (IFE) took us to Bonn. Bonn has had a long and illustrious history dating back 2000 years. It was founded by the Romans in the 1st century. Throughout its history Bonn has served as the capital of Cologne and Germany proper. It is currently the home of a third of the government's administrative jobs. Bonn can also lay claim to being the birthplace of the great composer Beethoven.
Images of the composer can be found throughout the city as well as a museum commemorating his life. Museum - Beethoven-Haus Bonn
IFE Germany Cohort Group Picture at Beethoven Museum
As the focus of our International Field Experience is teaching for global competence we were invited by to the DAAD: Deutscher Akademischer Austauschdient aka the German Academic Exchange Service to the Berufskolleg Bonn-Duisdorf a Vocational College in Bonn. Here we were
greeted by leaders in the field of education and given an overview of the German Academic system of Education which differs from the traditional American system. It would not do the system justice to attempt to give such an overview here so I am including a link to an excellent breakdown for anyone interested in further exploration. I will point out that what many of us think of as vocational programs takes on substantial nuances that make the German system both impressive and uniquely different from an American perspective. Education System in Germany
In addition to interacting with the educational leaders we were treated to
presentations by students who were currently enrolled in various programs available at the college. The students did an exceptional job of detailing the aspects of the programs and their responsibilities while completing their education. The vocational programs provide students with opportunities to get on the job training with financial compensation while also attending classes at school during a portion of their week. I believe it is important to note that these are adolescents who will leave school fully prepared to immerse themselves in the overall economy and that the program can have a positive impact on students' lives as well as the country’s economy even in times of economic downturn.
In an effort to learn about and implement programs that will enable us to teach students to become globally competent we were immersed in learning about the German system of education, exposed to leaders of the system, and engaged with the students who are benefitting from said system. Every educational system has something to offer and I believe we walked away with much food for thought on strategies and methodologies that can and likely will be beneficial to our respective practices.
Work Cited
“Germany Education System.” Scholaro, https://www.scholaro.com/pro/Countries/Germany/Education-System. Accessed 11 July 2022.
References
History. (n.d.). English Website. Retrieved July 4, 2022, from https://www.bonn.de/microsite/en/highlights/history/index.php
Bonn, B.-H. (n.d.). Beethoven-Haus Bonn. Beethoven-Haus Bonn. Retrieved July 4, 2022, from https://www.beethoven.de/en/museum
History. (n.d.). English Website. Retrieved July 4, 2022, from https://www.bonn.de/microsite/en/highlights/history/index.php