Scarborough 2006 -Erlebnisbericht

In 2006, Jerry Sigmund and I, Timna Bartel, two students from the "Gymnasium am Mosbacher Berg " in Wiesbaden , went to Scarborough in England . We stayed there for four months in order to improve our English and to develop a better understanding of the English and their culture. We had applied at " Scarborough Sixth Form College ", which is like an “Oberstufengymnasium”, and we attended lessons from September to December 2006.

During this time we stayed with host families, where we felt most welcome and enjoyed our time thoroughly. I stayed with an elderly couple in a small house, which was quite comfortable. We got used to each other quickly although, because they were migrants from Ireland , I first had some problems to understand them. But I also learned a lot about their former life across the Irish Sea . The food was really good even though this may not often be said about English food. J No doubt, I had a great time with them.

At the College we had to choose four subjects and a CV+ course (a social activity or sport) first of all. In addition to these subjects every student has key skills, general studies and a tutor group. There is a variety of different subjects to choose from, also some subjects which are not familiar to us in Germany , like critical thinking, psychology and law. The classrooms are well equipped: every classroom has an integrated beamer, a PC and a television.

The relationship between teachers and students is different from that in Germany ; teachers and students are more on the same level. You can notice this, for example, when students call their teachers by their first names. The system at the College is based upon the idea that students who know what they want to do in their later lives are more independent learners so that there are many opportunities for career counselling. All in all, the system is more specialised.

The students at the College were very tolerant and open to other opinions. There is no dress code, but everybody dresses as he or she wants to. A great aim of the College is that the students will develop their own personalities and grow up to become independent. But at the same time, the students are strictly controlled by their tutors, who fill in all sorts of lists to register the attendance and behaviour of the students they are responsible for.

At the College in Scarborough there were many international students, for example from Spain , China , Russia , Ukraine and Germany , but the teachers know how to “cope” with foreign students. They helped us to feel welcome and to get along with our studies.

Scarborough is a small town in the north-east of England . It is located directly at the North Sea and it is a typical English town with pubs and houses which all look the same. The English people are very polite and proud of their country. We enjoyed our time there and would have liked to stay a little bit longer.