World lessons for the teacher
A Fulbright grant offers 2003 graduate Kris Imbrigotta an international view of education
By Jennifer Cochran
Kris Imbrigotta is a teacher, a learner, a traveler and an ambassador.
A native of Lakewood, Ohio, Imbrigotta had wanted to learn German since his mother taught him to count in that language at a young age. Now the recipient of a prestigious Fulbright grant is in Germany sharing his native English with students there after receiving two bachelor's degrees from Ohio University in 2003.
He teaches English grammar, general discussion groups in English, cultural lessons, computer classes with English computer games, and geography in English at the Hansa-Gymnasium, an academic secondary school in Bergedorf, Hamburg. German secondary schools house students in grades 5 through 13, so his students range in age from 10 to 21. Imbrigotta will finish his yearlong Fulbright experience in June 2004.
Because he plans to pursue a career in teaching, one of Imbrigotta's goals during his Fulbright studies was to gain insight into how other educational systems work. He has observed many differences between the U.S. and German systems.
"The behavior of the students is quite different from that of U.S. students," Imbrigotta notes. "German students have more personal freedoms in school, (with) no one watching over them most of the time. However, that freedom comes with greater responsibilities placed upon them by the teachers."
At his school, teachers move from classroom to classroom while students stay in one classroom throughout the day. Unlike most U.S. schools, the Hansa-Gymnasium offers little in the way of extracurricular activities aside from a few clubs. There also are no substitute teachers in German schools, according to Imbrigotta, so other teachers are asked to have "stand-in" lessons to cover for absent teachers.
Although he did experience culture shock adjusting to the European way of life, Imbrigotta has enjoyed his experience in Germany, particularly meeting new friends and teachers and improving his German language skills.
"The ability to live in a foreign city for such a period of time really allows for a total cross-cultural experience and a better understanding of how Europe functions," he explains. He also has had the opportunity to travel to other German cities, including Cologne and Berlin. Now the greatest challenge Imbrigotta faces is maintaining his native English skills. He says German now colors his English, and he sometimes changes word order and uses German spellings.
"It's very frustrating when a native English speaker writes 'musik' on the board and does not notice it," he jokes.
Imbrigotta often has political discussions with Germans who question the policies of the U.S. administration, but he finds most people "pleasant, thoughtful and tactful" with their comments and questions about the United States.
"Germans I know here are very hospitable people, and even though I'm an 'Ami,' (American) they continue to show a general interest in me and are eager to befriend me," Imbrigotta observes. "Best of all, I have been able to break down stereotypes of Americans they see in Hollywood movies or on MTV."
While a student at Ohio University, Imbrigotta served as a conversation partner in the Ohio Program of Intensive English and as a German language tutor. He spent a quarter studying in Salzburg, Austria, during his junior year and also interned with an environmental organization in Steiningen, Germany. After completing his year as a Fulbright teaching assistant, he plans to pursue a graduate degree that will enable him to teach German literature and linguistics.
"Kris was an outstanding, well-rounded candidate for a Fulbright award to Germany," says Elizabeth Clodfelter, assistant director of the Center for International Studies and Ohio University's U.S. Fulbright Program adviser. "His strong academic preparation as a double major in German and European Studies was complemented by the fact that he had successfully completed a month-long internship in Germany."
Already, Imbrigotta plans to return to Germany for another extended stay.
"This program has definitely changed my outlook on my goals," he says, "and has fostered the growth of new purpose for my future."
Sponsored by the U.S. Department of State, the Fulbright U.S. Student Program offers opportunities for recent graduates, postgraduate candidates, and developing professionals and artists to conduct career-launching study and research abroad.
Jennifer Cochran, MA '00, is assistant director of communications and graduate programming for Ohio University's Center for International Studies.
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