Jessica Wabler

  

 How did your major contribute to preparing you for your current career?

The process of learning a new language is invaluable, especially for a teacher! While most of my ELLs come from linguistic backgrounds other than German - Amharic, Arabic, and Spanish are most common - the fact that I have had the experience of learning a new language and the full immersion of study abroad has helped me so much in knowing how to communicate that process to others.  

How did you major influence your worldview?

Likewise, learning another culture really helped prepare me to work with learners from all over the world; to respect and work with their own world views and cultures, especially where it may impact how they learn or interact in the classroom; to realize the classroom is a two-way learning environment and that I am learning from their worldview and experience as much as they are learning from mine; and to bring new worldviews to my learners in a respectful way.   

 

How did your major help you cultivate interests and passions that extend beyond your career to a rewarding personal life?

I love watching German TV shows and movies! :) It's also really nice to be able to read non-English-language news and get a different perspective on world events.  My main hobby and passion beyond education is music, and I have sung a great deal of German music; and being able to understand the lyrics and communicate meaning and nuance to my chorus has been very useful, as well.   

 

What advice would you give to a student considering a major in German?

I would say - do it! My German major has been useful in a surprising variety of ways, even though I did not end up using it in a traditionally German-focused career.