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October 5, 2009 A Letter from the Chapter President: Liebe Kollegen und Kolleginnen, Greetings! I hope that your fall term has gotten off to a great and productive start. In this fall edition of Der Austausch you will find updates and reminders about the annual AATG Ohio Chapter conference to be held in Columbus on October 23-24. In addition to the guest speaker, film screening, and memos from across the state, we will be introducing a new event at this year’s conference – a lesson plan contest for members at any level. Read below for more details. Additionally, there is a call for nominations for the position of Second Vice President. If you would like to be considered for this position or if you know someone who would, please submit your information for a vote at the fall conference. I hope you enjoy this edition and look forward to meeting you at one of our upcoming chapter events. Thank you for all that you do to help maintain the teaching of German at all levels in Ohio! Servus und herzliche Grüße, Nikhil Sathe President, Ohio AATG Ohio University ******************************************** Seeking nominations for the Second Vice President Position The position of Second Vice President of the Ohio AATG remains open. If you would like to nominate yourself or someone else, please e-mail your nomination along with a short bio to Nikhil Sathe at sathe@ohio.edu After compiling all nominations, the election will be held at the Fall Conference. ******************************************** Fall Ohio AATG conference information 2009 ANNUAL FALL Ohio-AATG CONFERENCE IN COLUMBUS
I would like to invite all members to attend our Annual Fall Conference in Columbus this year. The meeting will be held October 23-24 at a new facility - the Holiday Inn- Columbus Worthington at 7007 N. High Street, Worthington, OH 43085 (Phone: 614-436-0700). If booked no later than October 9, the room rate is $89.00 plus tax. Rooms at our discounted rate are limited. Please tell them that you are attending the Ohio AATG meeting to get this rate. The final program of this year’s conference is still in the planning stage, but a few highlights can already be announced. Our guest speaker, Margaret Hampton of Earlham College, will give a workshop on strategies for teaching about ethnic diversity in Germany, in particular the population of Germans of African descent. A new event at this year’s conference promises to be very interactive – a contest for the best lesson using a German pop song! This contest invites everyone to devise a lesson structured around a specific song (“Alles Gute” by Silbermond) and then make a short presentation (3-5 minutes) at the conference in which they describe their lesson. The members will vote on the best ideas. The winners will receive prizes, and everyone will profit from the range of ideas that our members have shared. (See below for more details). Following the enthusiastic response for last year’s film screening, we will again have a number of films available, from which the members will choose the film to be screened. As is our norm, teachers attending our conference for the first time will have their registration fees waived. I look forward to meeting you in Columbus and wish you a successful and productive new school year! Best wishes, Nikhil Sathe * * Tentative Schedule Friday, October 23, 2009 4:00 – 4:30 Registration, Welcome, and Refreshments 4:30 – 4:45 Introduction and Announcements 4:45 – 6:00 Lesson plan contest: member presentations (see below for details). And (time permitting) “Zeit für Helden: Teaching with Wir sind Helden” by Nikhil Sathe, Ohio University. 6:15 – 8:00 Film Screening: (Membership’s choice) There will be a number of recent films from the German-speaking countries from which the members will choose the film to be shown. 8:00 Dinner (Reservations at a local restaurant)* We are currently planning dinner reservations for 20. In order to get a more accurate count so we can adjust our reservation accordingly, we ask that you indicate on your registration form if you think you will be joining us for dinner. Saturday, October 23, 2009 9:00 – 9:15 Welcome/Announcements/Introductions 9:15 – 10:00 Speakers to be announced 10:00 – 12:00 Keynote Speaker: Margaret Hampton (Earlham College). Topic: “Presenting a More Diverse Germany to a More Diverse Audience of German Learners.” 12:00 - 1:30 Lunch (in-house) 1:30 - 2:00 Speakers to be announced 2:00 - 2:30 Announcements and Updates from the membership Conclusion of the Conference Awarding of Door Prize and Membership Contest Prize 2:30 - 3:00 Executive Board Business Meeting (open to all members) * * Membership Lesson Contest: How can we use it in class? Pop music in German is an effective tool for enhancing your classes and motivating your students. With this contest, we want to get everyone thinking about and sharing ideas for using music productively for teaching language and culture. This contest seeks to achieve that by having members devise a lesson centering on a current pop song (Silbermond’s “Alles Gute”), which they will present at the conference. Fellow members will then vote on the best lesson. The winners of the contest will receive valuable prizes, but everyone will win, because we will leave the conference with concrete lessons and lots of creative ideas that we can apply to other music. The rules are simple:
How to access the contest song and the lyrics? There are a number of ways that you can get access to the recording “Alles Gute.” 1. If you use iTunes, the song is available at the iTunes store. 2. There are two fan sites on Youtube.com that feature the music. You can use these links to play the song from your computer: (The first link shows the lyrics along with the song, the second only has the music) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JVQVDismY-8 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jaFg0sFGWOQ&feature=related For additional information, visit the band’s official website: (http://www.silbermond.de/) Lyrics: Silbermond: “Alles Gute” Irgendetwas fehlt und lässt dich taumeln Tag für Tag Du willst weitergehen Doch weißt nicht wie lange, du das noch schaffst
Und du sehnst dich so nach diesem einen Atemzug Der dich am Leben lässt Und dir sagt, dass alles hier vergessen ist
Und alles bis hierher Zählt ab heut nichts mehr Denn alles Gute liegt vor dir Alles Gute liegt vor dir
Alles wird anders sein und deine Wunden heilen auch Gib dir ein bisschen Zeit sie legt Zuversicht darauf
Lass Wind in deine Segel und lauf auf zu neuen Wegen Gestern war noch nichts und niemand hier Und jetzt eine ganze Legion hinter dir
Und alles bis hierher Zählt ab heut nichts mehr Denn alles Gute liegt vor dir Alles Gute liegt vor dir
Alles Gute liegt vor dir Alles Gute liegt vor dir Alles wird gut ab hier Alles wird gut ab hier Denn alles Gute liegt vor dir
******************************************** OFLA Awards: Nominate your colleagues! We already know that German has the best language teachers in the state, but we need to make sure that they get the recognition they deserve, and the Ohio Foreign Language Association is an ideal venue for this. OFLA has several award categories. Nominate one of your colleagues today! The process is fairly easy and you certainly know about deserving candidates! You can find all the needed information here: http://www.ofla-online.org/index.php?module=webpage&id=6 Keep in mind that the deadline for submissions is December 1, 2009. ******************************************** AATG PAD TEST By Stephanie E. Libbon (Kent State University) As I reported in the last issue of Austausch, the downturn in the economy had a negative effect on the AATG travel awards. In the past, the national AATG had been able to offer 60 awards thus guaranteeing every State at least one award and in some cases two. This year, with only 36 travel awards available for allocation, not every Chapter was able to receive an award. The Ohio chapter was very fortunate in that we were one of the recipients. Congratulations Please join me in congratulating Emilie Watson of Tinora High School and her teacher Pam Reid. ******************************************** AATG and non-AATG affiliated professional development programs For German instructors at all levels there are numerous programs, both AATG affiliated and otherwise, for professional development, especially summer programs abroad. These programs are an excellent opportunity to refresh your German and to update yourself on contemporary Europe and to gain new knowledge and skills. There is a broad array of programs and for many there is funding available, but the application process starts very soon. Please have a look at the AATG and consider applying for one of these programs. The list is available here: http://www.aatg.org/prof-development ******************************************** Chapter Directory
President:
Nikhil Sathe, Ohio University, Dept. of Modern Languages, Athens, OH
45701. (740) 597-2723
First Vice President:
Richard Kiovsky, Hudson High School, 2500 Hudson-Aurora Rd. Hudson,
OH 44236. (330) 653-1416 Second Vice President: position open
Treasurer:
Cynthia Trocchio, Kent State University, Dept. of MCLS, Kent, OH
44242.
PAD Testing Chair:
Stephanie E. Libbon, Kent State University, Dept. of MCLS, Kent, OH
44242.
Editor, Der Austausch:
Nikhil Sathe, Ohio University, Dept. of Modern Languages, Athens, OH
45701.
Webmaster:
Mark Himmelein, Mount Union College, Dept. of Foreign Languages,
Alliance, OH 44601. (330) 829-8704
Listserve Master:
Stephanie E. Libbon, Kent State University, Dept. of MCLS, Kent, OH
44242. (330) 672-1811
March 16, 2009 A Letter from the Chapter President: Liebe Kollegen und Kolleginnen, Greetings! I hope this newsletter finds you well and enjoying the first signs of spring! As you may know, I became chapter president at the Ohio AATG conference in the fall of 2009 and I look forward to working with you all. I would also like to thank the outgoing president, Stepahnie Libbon of Kent State University, for all her efforts as president and for her continued help with planning and suggestions for our chapter. In this spring edition of Der Austausch you will find updates and reminders about the AATG and German-related events at the upcoming Ohio Foreign Language Association annual conference in April 2009. Additionally, there is a call for nominations for the position of Second Vice President, as well as a few updates about events and developments across the state, including preliminary information for the fall 2009 conference. I hope you enjoy this edition and look forward to meeting you at one of our upcoming chapter events. Thank you for all that you do to help maintain the teaching of German at all levels in Ohio! Servus und herzliche Grüße, Nikhil Sathe President, Ohio AATG Ohio University
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Introducing our new Vice-President: Richard Kiovsky At the 2009 Ohio AATG conference in Columbus, Richard Kiovsky was elected to the position of Vice President. Richard teaches German and Spanish at Hudson High School in Hudson, Ohio. He is completing his M.A. at Kent State University, completed his B.A. at Kent State University, and has studied abroad in Düsseldorf, Germany and has taught in Krefeld, Germany on a PAD grant from Fulbright. ******************************************** Seeking nominations for the Second Vice President Position The position of Second Vice President of the Ohio AATG remains open. If you would like to nominate yourself or someone else, please e-mail your nomination along with a short bio to Nikhil Sathe at sathe@ohio.edu After compiling all nominations, the election will be held at the Fall Conference. ******************************************** Spring 2009 Meeting Our annual spring business meeting will be held in conjunction with the OFLA conference in Columbus (April 2-4, 2009). The meeting will be held during the German Teachers Meet and Greet Session held Friday afternoon from 4:30 to 5:20 in the Senate A room at the conference facility (Hyatt Hotel on Capitol Square). This session is co-hosted by the Ohio AATG and the Department of Germanic Languages and Literatures at the Ohio State University. ******************************************** AATG PAD TEST By Stephanie E. Libbon (Kent State University) This year 25 Ohio schools and just under 700 Ohio students participated in the AATG-PAD test. Over 14% of our Level Two students (48 out of 335) earned a 90% or greater. At Level Three this fell a little to 11% (24 students out of 218) but then at Level Four the numbers rose again to 15.5% (19 out of 123). The downturn in the economy has unfortunately also affected the AATG travel awards. In the past, AATG has been able to offer 60 awards thus guaranteeing every State at least one award and in some cases two. Given the size of our Chapter, Ohio was often in the category of those receiving two awards. This year, unfortunately, AATG can only offer 36 total awards, which means many States won’t be able to offer any travel scholarship. Congratulations While we do not yet know whether Ohio will receive an award, the PAD testing committee nominated Emilie Watson of Tinora High School. Please join me in congratulating Emilie and her teacher Pam Reid. ******************************************** The status of the Reynoldsburg High School German program. By Carah Casler (German Teacher - Reynoldsburg High School) Upon hearing that the German program was being considered as a “cut” for the next school year, one senior German student decided that she would not let it happen without a fight. Erika Davis created a paper petition that circulated at the school and added an online petition where she had over 1000 signatures and comments about the importance of German and this program that had served her well. Then she organized a community meeting and rally, which was attended by parents and the Superintendent of Reynoldsburg as well as the Principal of Reynoldsburg High School in December. The German 4 students all spoke, provided German snacks and arranged for Stephanie Libbon of Kent State University to present the reasons and justification for maintaining this successful program. While completing all of these tasks, Erika initiated contact with AATG, OFLA and former German students and parents and solicited letters to be written to the Board of Education to save the German program. She has had two articles published in the community newspaper as well. At the January Board of Education meeting, Erika memorized a testimonial and plan for the continuation of the German program. Her presentation style was well received and she was commended for not only stating the problem, but offering a solution so that German classes would have the maximum number of students. The Reynoldsburg District is facing a massive deficit (approximately 12 million dollars) and has placed a 15.9 mill levy on the ballot for May 2. If the levy passes, there will still be cuts made and it has not been announced whether German would be one of those programs eliminated. I believe that German has a better chance of surviving if the levy passes. I am amazed and encouraged by the actions of this student and her peers. Thank you to all who have submitted letters and signed the petition, you will never know how much it means to me! ******************************************** German Programs around the State As the example of Reynoldsburg High School shows, the security of German programs in Ohio remains challenged by trying economic times, the struggle to remain viable and maintain strong enrollments, and competition from other languages, especially Chinese and Arabic, which come with the promise of federal funding. If your program becomes threatened, the AATG can help with providing tips for advocating for your program and for making contacts with others who have successes in this area. Additionally, if you have developed successful tactics for supporting German, please send them to us, so that we can share them in Der Austausch. ******************************************** Chapter Directory President: Nikhil Sathe, Ohio University, Dept. of Modern Languages, Athens, OH 45701. (740) 597-2723. sathe@ohio.edu First Vice President: Richard Kiovsky, Hudson High School, 2500 Hudson-Aurora Rd. Hudson, OH 44236. (330) 653-1416. kiovskyr@hudson.edu Second Vice President: position open Treasurer: Cynthia Trocchio, Kent State University, Dept. of MCLS, Kent, OH 44242. (330) 672-1810. ctrocchi@kent.edu PAD Testing Chair: Stephanie E. Libbon, Kent State University, Dept. of MCLS, Kent, OH 44242. (330) 672-1811. slibbon@kent.edu Editor, Der Austausch: Nikhil Sathe, Ohio University, Dept. of Modern Languages, Athens, OH 45701. (740) 597-2723. sathe@ohio.edu Webmaster: Mark Himmelein, Mount Union College, Dept. of Foreign Languages, Alliance, OH 44601. (330) 829-8704. Listserve Master: Stephanie E. Libbon, Kent State University, Dept. of MCLS, Kent, OH 44242. (330) 672-1811. slibbon@kent.edu
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