Welcome to my home page! I am the German professor at Simpson College. Simpson College has made a commitment to building well-rounded students with the skills and preparation necessary to live in an increasingly complex world. Recent history has shown that understanding between our nation and others should be a central goal of our society. Since culture and language are inextricably intertwined, a society that practices "English only" will necessarily become isolated and out of touch with the rest of the world. It is only when we can view our own culture through the lens of another that we can truly reflect on our own cultural practices.
I am passionate about teaching courses in German that are interesting and give insight into the culture of the German-speaking countries, but recognize that students also wish their courses to be useful in a practical way. I further believe that students are most interested in expressing their own ideas and making their own connections to speakers of German. Finally, I believe that all students deserve to be taught by a dedicated, well-trained and enthusiastic professor at all levels of language learning. For these reasons, I use a communicative approach, and I teach all levels of language with equal energy and attention.
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I also regularly take students abroad. Students who major in German at Simpson are required to study abroad for at least one semester; most students participate in Simpson's own program in Germany, the Simpson German Semester in Schorndorf. This program is held from January - May every two years (the next years being 2003 and 2005). The most advanced students are also encouraged to conduct independent study on a cultural or historical point while in Schorndorf or after the Schorndorf Program here in Indianola.
Another of my passions is daily life in Biedermeier Berlin, and I spend much too much of my time working on my web page about it. Most documents have been translated into English, so please stop by and take a look.