Help a science teacher at a school in Hannover, Germany

Details

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  Description

  Update March 2023: I'm back! However I'm still not teaching. I bought an apartment with friends that we renovate this month. Welcome if you'd like to help last minute! :) (March only as I go abroad after)
  
  Update April 22: since Februay I work part time and will continue so until mid July. I quit my job so I will travel again then. Come join me to school before that if you can and like! :)
  Btw: please refer to the content of my profile in your message, no copy paste, no one-liners, please. Tell us what you are interested in and hoping for!
  
  …Hello!
  I'm Laura, a nomad who is currently at home in Germany for a change. Mainly the pandemic made me decide to start a full time job in summer 2020, in a middle and high (comprehensive) school in Hannover. It's one of the largest and most modern schools here. Last year most students got IPads. I currently teach science and math in year 6 and physics in years 11-13 (ages 11-19). Welcome to join me! The majority of my students has a migration background, in year 6 we have several special needs kids. Most of my students are super sweet, motivated and work well. Some can be a challenge sometimes, some need a lot of support, also in upper secondary actually. I'm sure many will benefit from you in one way or another. I teach most topics for the first time, so I'm really busy and stressed at times. It's getting a bit better now though, since I switched to part time and the 13th graders' classes ended.
  
  How things go here depends a bit on your interests, talents and language skills. (I teach in German only.) If you are into math/science/teaching you can help me prepare the lessons, experiments, worksheets. Also you can just be there for the kids in the classroom. If you're interested in other subjects I might find another teacher for you to follow occasionally. If you're into animals you could help a bit in the school zoo (guinea pigs, birds, fishes, geckos). You should enjoy cycling, because I usually bike the 11 km to school (40 min). There's a tram but it takes the same amount of time.
  Furthermore you can spend time with my parents and possibly my friends' children, help in the garden, and please definitely help in the kitchen. Chopping veggies, making salads, creating meals, smoothies, baking, preparing sandwiches/snacks that we can eat during the sometimes long day at school... stuff like that. You are very welcome to be creative!
  We have a piano. Would be superb if you could teach my dad a bit (beginner).
  
  Two weeks is a good time frame for a start, possibly a bit longer if it goes well. We're not able to make long term commitments for several months.
  
  Some things about us:
  In my free time I train Karate, try to learn Japanese and spend time in nature and with friends. Some other interests of mine are photography, space science, travelling, hiking, climbing, boating... My parents (retired engineer and biologist) practice various sports several times a week as well. They love classical music and my dad loves jazz. We have huge collections of board games, books, CDs and Lego. I'm vegetarian, my parents aren't. Yet our cooked meals are mostly vegan. You are welcome to join all our activities and meals. My brother is a young architect in Leipzig and visits us occasionally.
  Until now I have lived in seven countries and through different platforms I have hosted and stayed with some 300 people. I came here to find those that like to stay a little longer and are interested in education. As workawayer I have spent some weeks on a Finnish berry farm and on a yacht in Southeast Asia.
  
  What you should bring, in order to enjoy your time here:
  - Interest in education, teaching or children and teenagers in general.
  - Some German skills and interest to improve your German. Fluency in English if your German is poor.
  - Ability to think for yourself and an open eye to notice what needs to or could be done (both at home and at school)
  - Interest to take part in our daily life (me and my 70 y/o parents)
  - Some energy. 80 min cycling per day and being surrounded by 1800 teenagers might require that ;)
  - Proof of vaccination
  
  What you should please not bring:
  - nit-picking when it comes to working hours. There's actually very little actual "work" that "must" be done here by you. I work at around 50, you do what you can and like. The time you spend with my students during class (up to 10 h if you like) should mainly be considered your time to learn (German and teaching) or your time to volunteer.
  - The belief that you can be of super great help here. We're doing this for fun! We like having guests, we like sharing and getting some new input. We can always find something for you to do and we do expect you to help a few hours each day. I think you will help us approximately as much as we invest time in showing or explaining stuff to you. ;-)

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  Types of help and learning opportunities

  Charity Work

  Language practice

  Elderly Companionship

  Teaching

  Gardening

  DIY and building projects

  Animal Care

  Babysitting and creative play

  Creating/ Cooking family meals

  Help around the house

  General Maintenance

  Help with Computers/ Internet
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  Cultural exchange and learning opportunities

  Please tell us what you want to do and learn!
  Basically you are welcome to join everything we do in our daily life. So besides my work at school that would be preparing food and eating it, visiting friends, sports, weekend trips... we love the outdoors, hiking etc.
  You can learn anything school related, German language, Arabic from my Syrian friends, and try new stuff in the kitchen.
  If you are interested you could meet our 83 year old neighbour or a 96 year old relative who have some stories to tell from the past.

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  Projects involving children

  This project could involve children. For more information see our guidelines and tips here.

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  Help

  Depends quite a bit on you and the current situation here.
  
  Most importantly:
  - Help me teach, plan and prepare experiments, create, scan, copy teaching material, grade tests or give feedback on homeworks, support special needs and immigrant kids, simply be with the kids so they get to meet someone new and are encouraged to speak English, possibly make your own project of any kind
  - Help in the kitchen
  
  Possibly or occasionally:
  - Teach piano
  - Speak English with my parents and friends and their kids (aged 3-12)
  - Play with friend's kids
  - A little gardening/plant care and house maintenance projects
  - encourage my dad to go running/cycling again
  - teach us some other sports/yoga/art/skill

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  Languages

  Languages spoken
  German: Fluent
  English: Fluent
  Norwegian: Intermediate
  French: Beginner
  Japanese: Beginner

  This host offers a language exchange
  You will improve your German here by immersion. I have several Syrian friends here with whom you could practice Arabic. My students, parents and friend's kids could improve English by chatting with you and I'm trying to learn learn Japanese.
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  Accommodation

  You will have your own room in our row house in a quiet Hannover suburb. Most likely you will have your own bathroom.

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  What else ...

  Just let us know what you're interested in please! We live 8 km (15 min by tram) from the city center, 5 min walk from a forest and 10 min walk from the countryside.
  We have hosted 100+ couchsurfers and most of them seemed pretty happy here. :)

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  A little more information

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    Internet access

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    Limited internet access

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    We have pets

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    We are smokers

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    Can host families

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  Space for parking camper vans

  Can park on the street just outside our house.

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  Can possibly accept pets

  We don't have any but we are generally open for pets.

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  How many Workawayers can stay?

  One

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  Hours expected

  Roughly 4-5 hours a day, 5 days a week

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