Check out the link to our Google calendar that lists our classes and events for the upcoming school year (2014-15). Events will be added or updated as necessary.
World Cup: German language broadcasts
Would you like to watch the Soccer World Cup with German language commentary? You can do so at Van Hise Hall, courtesy of Letters & Science Learning Support Services. See their announcement here (note: no food, absolutely no alcohol). These broadcasts are open to the public, not just the University community.
LOCATION: Van Hise Hall is located at 1220 Linden St., just West of Charter St. and between Linden Ave and Observatory Dr. Both of these rooms are located on the 1st floor of Van Hise Hall, feature auditorium style seating, and can seat around 100 people.
The rooms look like this: http://www2.fpm.wisc.edu/support/vanhise/VH104.jpg (104) and this:http://www2.fpm.wisc.edu/support/vanhise/VH114back.jpg (114)
And don’t forget to join us for the Germany vs. USA game at the Union Terrace on June 26 at 11 a.m. The broadcast will be in English, but many German speakers will be happy to add their own live commentary!
Registration is now open
Registration for the 2014-15 school year is now open. Please follow the registration link to read about the process. We offer a $25 discount for early bird registrations (registration and deposit by July 15 [deadline extended]).
Parents of children who were enrolled in 2013-14 will be sent an e-mail by a current teacher with a class recommendation for 2014-15. Parents of children who will be new students should pick the class that best seems to fit their children’s linguistic background and proficiency. If you are not sure about the right class for your child, please e-mail us so we can learn more about your child and his/her learning goals. Over the summer, class assignments will be reviewed for appropriateness, and teachers may contact parents prior to the start of Fall classes to discuss class placement. Teachers may also reassign students during the first two weeks of classes.
Curious about our teachers? Meet our fabulous team of teachers for 2014-15.
Soccer World Cup: Germany vs. USA
The soccer World Cup is just around the corner. The Isthmus has a nice round-up of locations that will screen broadcasts of the soccer World Cup in Brazil.
On Thursday, June 26th, from 11 AM to 1 PM, Germany will be playing the USA in the World Cup 2014. We invite everyone to come and join us at the Rathskeller in the Memorial Union to watch the game. Bring friends and family. Kids can also run around on the Terrace. See you then!
Am Donnerstag, 26. Juni, von 11.00 bis 13.00, spielt Deutschland gegen die USA in der Weltmeisterschaft 2014. Wir laden alle ein, mit uns das Spiel im Rathskeller in der Memorial Union anzuschauen. Freunde und Familie sind willkommen!
(In Deutschland nennt man so etwas inzwischen ein “public viewing.” Wer den Begriff für unpassend hält und damit eigentlich anderes assoziiert, kann sich im Sprachlog von Linguist Anatol Stefanowitsch darüber schlau machen, wie der Begriff im Englischen verwendet wird.)
See some familiar faces in this WKOW 27 video, posted on wkow.com, and read about reactions to the game in the Wisconsin State Journal.
GSoM Teacher and Board Member Chris Tabisz
Graduation Potluck
Curious about our school? Read the president’s welcome letter and join us and celebrate our teachers and students at our annual graduation potluck. Guests very welcome! Board members will be present to answer your questions about the school and the 2014-15 curriculum, registration forms will be available.
- Neighborhood House, 29 Mills Street
- June 1, 1:30-3:30 p.m.
- Coffee and tea will be provided, please bring some cake/dessert to share
Edited to add: Here are some impressions of end-of-year celebration. Parents enjoyed performances of songs and poems and students proudly displayed their certificates. Thanks to our teachers for all their hard work to make this event happen!
Deutsche Dachse graduation, with teacher Bhavani Nagaraj
Book club graduation, with teacher Iris Hengst
Deutsch 1 graduation, with teacher Dr. Catrin Weimbs
German School of Madison in the News
German School of Madison in the news: The Wisconsin State Journal recently published a great article about language schools for heritage learners in Madison. From the article:
In rented classrooms in central Madison’s Neighborhood House, the German School of Madison holds weekly after-school language lessons for children of native German speakers, as well as those with no German language background. Like the Russian school, the German school was formed by parents to give their children a linguistic link to their heritage. It started as something else — an informal group where adults got together a couple times a week to chat in their native language. “The adults would speak German with one another, and their kids would run around speaking English,” said Chris Tabisz, a teacher at the school. “The parents got to thinking they should have some sort of instructor or tutor to play games with the kids or do arts and crafts, and do it in German.”
In 2012, organizers began offering more formal German language classes for students from preschool through seventh grade who were growing up in German-speaking households. Last fall, the school added a class for children from non-German-speaking homes. The class proved so popular that the school had to add another section this spring. It plans to add more in the fall. For non-native speakers, “I’ve seen them really fall in love with the language,” Tabisz said. For the children of parents who grew up speaking German themselves, “it’s about keeping it alive.” The children “all go to public school and speak English all day long,” he said. “Even at home sometimes, their parents will speak German to them and they will speak English back. So this is really an opportunity to pull out whatever remnants they have of German.”
Read more:
German School of Madison 
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