Teacher Education in German

This degree in German and English as a second Language gives me the opportunity to go to different countries and work as a teacher. There are several German schools around the world that interest me and where I could work in the future. I am happy here in the Netherlands so I might stay here after I have graduated to teach and gain experience before going abroad.

I enjoy going to my classes every day because I am interested in the courses, and I feel supported by the great teachers I have. The HU staff is helpful and friendly and offers any kind of help. We also have a student coach who helps us with any course related questions and issues. 

The HU is understanding, tolerant and open-minded. The staff organises many events for us, like an international thanksgiving, a board game night or a Halloween party.

HU organised an internship fair, and I found my internship school at that fair. In case students don’t find an internship themselves, HU tries to match the students with an internship school. 

During my internship I had to observe my mentor, help students with their questions, helping the graduating class with their oral German exam and help teachers with exam supervisions. Also I had the opportunity to teach 15-minute-long mini lessons.

If you are interested in meeting new people, cultures and languages and study in a pleasant, safe environment with an equal mix of theory and practice;  you should sign up for the Teacher Education programme at HU. 

I chose to study Teacher Education in German because I’ve always known that I wanted to be a teacher. I’ve always worked with children, and I was inspired by a lot of my old teachers, so that’s why I chose to become one myself and this programme is perfect for that. 

I wanted to study in the Netherlands because when I first visited multiple cities here, I always wanted to come back. As years go by, I never found another place where I felt that comfortable, so I decided to move here for my studies and maybe stay here after finishing them.

I love the atmosphere with the teachers and my fellow students at the HU. I’ve made some close friends here extremely quickly. In class we’re mostly doing group work and working on projects like designing our very first lesson plans. If I’m being honest, group work was never a thing I enjoyed, but It’s a nice way to know your place in the group and to communicate with your peers.  I think that is a great ability for your future job as a teacher as well. 

I’m planning to do the double degree and that was quite confusing in the beginning. But you don’t have to be afraid to ask for help, there are always a lot of docents ready to help you! Together we chose a lot of courses to sign up for and I’d recommend the double degree programme to students who’d like to have a little more workload. 

What I like most about the Teacher Education programme at HU is that it is so practice-oriented. Each year you have an internship at a school in the Netherlands, and each year your responsibilities slowly increase so that you get the chance to develop yourself further. By doing the internships, you get the chance to slowly become more confident standing in front of a class.  The more I did it, the more comfortable I became and the more I enjoyed it. You are always being observed by a teacher from the internship school, so that you receive feedback.

I chose to follow the double degree programme for English and German because I wanted to have the option to work in Germany, where two subjects are required. I would definitely recommend the double degree to other students as it gives you the option to work in different countries as well as giving you better chances to find a job.

Moreover, the teachers at HU always make time for their students if they have any questions or concerns. All lessons take place in the target language, and most teachers are also native speakers meaning that you are really immersed in the language.