I have been working as a GET in two secondary schools (James Gillespie’s HS and Gracemount HS) and three primary schools (East Craig’s PS, Gracemount PS and Hillwood PS) for almost five months now. So far, I have had a great time in Edinburgh and am looking forward to working here for a further two months.
Not only does my job give me an opportunity to practice teaching, but it also gives me an insight into the Scottish school system, which is very different from its German equivalent. For instance, at the start of their fourth year in high school, pupils have to choose five of their subjects, on which they will focus from then on. They drop the others. Therefore, most of the pupils who choose German as one of their five subjects are interested in the German language. Even in my primary schools, many pupils are eager to learn German.
At James Gillespie’s High School, German classes are almost exclusively held in German and pupils tend to have exceptionally good language skills. At the other schools, fundamental sentence structures are being taught and the German language is being analysed in terms of grammar.
My main tasks as a teaching assistant consist of leading discussions in German about a range of topics, helping pupils when they have questions, recording German texts, and helping pupils to prepare for upcoming exams.
As a native speaker of the German language, I can support both the pupils and the teachers. The teachers always appreciate a little assistance while explaining complex sentence structures and sometimes like to be corrected when even they make an obvious mistake!
Additionally, since I have spent my whole life in Germany, I can also give the pupils an understanding of German as well as teaching them the language. Primary school pupils especially are interested in German culture and were surprised that I did not wear leather trousers on my first day in school!
My main support contact person is Michael Alexander from James Gillespie’s High School. Up to now, he has helped me whenever I had a question and supported me, for example, in filling in the PVG form.
Moreover, I really enjoy living in Edinburgh. Besides its stunning architecture, the capital city impresses with its many sights and breath-taking countryside. My flat is located next to “The Meadows” public park, and I am able to reach the city centre in less than twenty minutes by foot.
In my leisure time, I play a lot of tennis and meet up with other FLAs (Foreign Language Assistants). Edinburgh has a vibrant nightlife and I would always recommend climbing up Arthur’s Seat, which offers a view over the entire city centre.
In conclusion, I am very satisfied with my current situation and enjoy working and living in Edinburgh!
