How We're Preparing for Virtual Villages This Summer
Published: July 7, 2020
It's no secret that this summer at Concordia Language Villages is going to be a bit different. While we normally try to keep our programs as low-tech as possible, this summer we're going entirely online!
Ever since we received this news in the spring, the Betreuerschaft (counselors) have been working tirelessly to put together an entirely new online program for our villagers. And with programming starting next week, we wanted to share a behind-the-scenes look at what we've been up to!
Gesprächsgruppe (Familie)
For our one-week villagers, their core learning group has always been their Gesprächsgruppe (conversation group), also called a Familie (family), and this will be the same in our Virtual Village program. Villagers will meet with their Gesprächsgruppe 3 times a day for short language classes.
We've been testing classic Waldsee games like Hatschi-Patschi and Ja/Nein Baum (yes/no tree) to see if they work in the online setting, as well as coming up with new games and teaching ideas!
Unterricht
Similar to the Gesprächsgruppe for 1-week villagers, all of our LKTs (four-week high school credit villagers) are grouped into classes for Unterricht (class), though their classes will be a bit more formal than the ones for our 1-week villagers!
Together with their class, LKTs will learn German, play games, and work to complete Projekte (projects) based on different themes such as Identität (identity) and Natur (nature). Our credit teachers have been working hard putting together content and planning for this!
Veranstaltungsstunde
Veranstaltungsstunde (activity hour) is one of the most fun parts of Waldsee every day, so of course we couldn't have a Virtual Village program without it!
Veranstaltungsstunde will be asynchron (asynchronous) this year, and villagers will be able to choose from a variety of pre-recorded videos each day based on what they'd like to do!
The Betreuerschaft has been recording all sorts of fun Veranstaltungsstunde over the past few months, with options like Yoga, Backen (baking), and Maskennähen (mask sewing) among the list.
AGs
AGs are essentially like electives for our LKTs (credit villagers). For each two week period, they get to choose a topic that interests them and meet once a day with their group to learn and discuss about it.
AG-Themen (elective themes) for this summer include Kochen und Backen (cooking and baking), Theater, and Berlin.
Gesang
Singing is one of the most important things to us at Waldsee, and we didn't want to miss out on that this summer just because we're going virtual! Our Gesangsleiter (singing hour leaders) have been working over the past few months to figure out how we can best teach our favorite songs and be able to sing them together (Gemeinschaftsgefühl [community feeling] is so important!).
Gesang (singing hour) this year will be partly asynchron (asynchronous) and partly synchron (synchronous) this year. Every evening, villagers will be sent a video that teaches them the song for the next day in a fun and silly way. Then, the next morning when the entire village comes together for Gesang, we'll review the song and sing together!
Waldsee Abroad
The Grand Simulation is an important part of the CLV Way, and we didn't want to miss out on that this year either! Thankfully, we have a large number of Betreuer (counselors) who are currently living in Germany and Austria, and who have been able to record super fun videos showing us around places like the Bahnhof (train station), going Fahrradfahren (bicycle riding), and getting Eis (ice cream).
Villagers will also have the chance each day to talk with one of our Betreuer who is currently abroad all about what life is like in Germany and Austria right now!
Sonderprogramme
Sonderprogramme (special programs) like our Abendprogramme (evening programs) are always so much fun. And while we might not be able to have a real Lagerfeuer (campfire), we can certainly have a virtual one!
From Cluedo (Clue) to Märchenabend (fairy tale night) to Bankett (banquet), our villagers will still have the chance to experience all of these fun activities this summer.
Waldseemensch
Finally, for our extra-ambitious villagers, Waldseemensch (Waldsee person) is available as always this summer. Villagers who want to go above and beyond to become a true Waldseemensch must complete tasks like Küchendienst (setting the table) and going Zelten (camping) in order to receive some special prizes!
Are you joining us at our Virtual Village this summer? What are you most excited for?
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