Teaching Exposure

I stayed abroad in Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk, England, during the summer break of 2022. I was lucky enough to be invited by some British friends who offered me a spare room as they had recently moved into a new house. Living with them certainly facilitated connecting with the British way of life and its people. They took me to work, events, and pubs. I even met up with their own friends, family, and colleagues. While I enjoyed these advantages and the added freedom, not taking part in any stay-abroad program also had its disadvantages. It was up to me to ensure that I have as much exposure to the English language as possible every day. Thus, if you are rather shy or find starting and holding conversations difficult, I recommend participating in one of those programs that will provide abundant opportunities for interactions.

Fortunately for me, I found that British people are very talkative, open, friendly, polite, and forthcoming. Whenever I’m asked what I liked most about my stay in England, my answer is always its people. Whether it is at the weekly market, in pubs, shops, museums, bowling alleys or simply outside in the park, the locals were always happy to strike up a conversation which I appreciated immensely. If you are staying with a family, I advise choosing one that owns a dog. Your four-legged friend will make it exceptionally easy for you to start a conversation, especially with other dog owners when you go on walks. Another aspect I found remarkable was the British social cohesion. As Queen Elizabeth II. passed away during my stay, I experienced the touching funeral ceremony and a nation standing together in mourning.

During my last month, I gained insights into the British school system by shadowing classes at a secondary school. It was a wonderful experience, I found teachers to be much more present and immersed in school life than in Germany. The most striking difference to German schools is that security and safeguarding are taken very seriously. The school ground is fenced. Every morning, I had to request admission by looking into the camera at the entrance gate, and I had to log into a terminal which took a picture and printed an ID card for the day. To think that anybody can enter German schools at any time during the day seemed unreal. Also, if you are interested in working at British schools, you should contact them in time and sort out the DBS (a background check) they usually require.

I was also surprised by how extensive the school’s safeguarding efforts are as it actively intervenes in the student’s personal life. We had a situation where teachers assembled all the younger students to discuss controversial statements that were trending on social media at the time and therefore reproduced by the students. The teachers highlighted the impact these (in this case misogynistic) statements may have on other people, showing other viewpoints by diving deeper into the topic, and upholding tolerance. I was impressed and believe such actions are pivotal for the student’s personal development.

Finally, the highlight of my stay was the trip to Cambridge. It is a city full of history and sensational sights. Do take part in tours wherever you go as they are very informative and cover things you might miss otherwise. I was made aware of how much history is hidden in plain sight.

All in all, the stay abroad was a unique and wonderful experience. It is the best possible way to improve your accent and pick up idioms, but also to embrace another culture – a culture we as teachers want to bring closer to our future students. In retrospect, I regret having stayed for only three months as time truly flies by. It would have been better to have gone for an entire semester or even longer!