School Life
Education Blog
The Life-Changing Power of Personal Encounters in Daily (School) Life
Weekly Update from the Director - September 27, 2024
Dear GISC Community,
On Tuesday, our school will become the newest member of the network of 135 German Schools Abroad (Deutsche Auslandsschulen – DAS). This milestone aligns perfectly with what we envision for our students—to be connected to a global community that shares our commitment to educating young people to become global citizens—multilingual and committed to the idea that exploring and understanding the world should never stop at national borders.
In contemplating our new status as a DAS school, I’ve spent some time reflecting on a term used by the DAS network—Begegnungsschulen—which could be best translated as Encounter Schools.
The Austrian-Israeli philosopher Martin Buber, who spent a significant portion of his lifetime residing and working in Germany, wrote extensively about the profound nature of an encounter.
On the one hand, Buber suggests that experiences and observations shape how we encounter the world and others. We are observers, intellectually making sense of the world and the people in it. These experiences may come in the form of traveling to another country, and observing how that country works, leading to some intellectual thought process whereby one compares and contrasts the culture and language of a country one has visited with that of one’s home country. Consider these experiences as Level 1 Encounters. These are valuable encounters.
On the other hand, he describes encounters as non-observatory but rather participatory events—transformative moments where both the "I" and the "You" of an encounter grow and change. Our students at school do not just experience encounters here each day – no, they are active participants in the life of our school. Encounters with other students and their teachers are broadening their understanding of the world, helping them develop as true global citizens. Our students are engaged and immersed in German language and culture within a U.S.-based school that also includes families that represent more than 25 countries. Our students are not just experiencing our school; they are “living” our school in daily Begegnungen that are “mind and heart-expanding.” It is the addition of the “heart” that makes the GISC experience a Level 2 encounter. These are life-shaping encounters.
Again, we look forward to becoming a DAS Schule, contributing to the notion of fostering Level 1 and 2 Begegnungen in addition to equipping our students with academic and intellectual skills to help them become true global citizens.
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On Tuesday, our school will become the newest member of the network of 135 German Schools Abroad (Deutsche Auslandsschulen – DAS). This milestone aligns perfectly with what we envision for our students—to be connected to a global community that shares our commitment to educating young people to become global citizens—multilingual and committed to the idea that exploring and understanding the world should never stop at national borders.
In contemplating our new status as a DAS school, I’ve spent some time reflecting on a term used by the DAS network—Begegnungsschulen—which could be best translated as Encounter Schools.
The Austrian-Israeli philosopher Martin Buber, who spent a significant portion of his lifetime residing and working in Germany, wrote extensively about the profound nature of an encounter.
On the one hand, Buber suggests that experiences and observations shape how we encounter the world and others. We are observers, intellectually making sense of the world and the people in it. These experiences may come in the form of traveling to another country, and observing how that country works, leading to some intellectual thought process whereby one compares and contrasts the culture and language of a country one has visited with that of one’s home country. Consider these experiences as Level 1 Encounters. These are valuable encounters.
On the other hand, he describes encounters as non-observatory but rather participatory events—transformative moments where both the "I" and the "You" of an encounter grow and change. Our students at school do not just experience encounters here each day – no, they are active participants in the life of our school. Encounters with other students and their teachers are broadening their understanding of the world, helping them develop as true global citizens. Our students are engaged and immersed in German language and culture within a U.S.-based school that also includes families that represent more than 25 countries. Our students are not just experiencing our school; they are “living” our school in daily Begegnungen that are “mind and heart-expanding.” It is the addition of the “heart” that makes the GISC experience a Level 2 encounter. These are life-shaping encounters.
Again, we look forward to becoming a DAS Schule, contributing to the notion of fostering Level 1 and 2 Begegnungen in addition to equipping our students with academic and intellectual skills to help them become true global citizens.
1726 W Berteau Ave, Chicago, IL 60613 | +1-773-857-3000 | info [at] germanschoolchicago.com
German International School Chicago (GISC) is an IB World School that prepares students to become well-rounded, creative, and responsible global citizens. Located in Chicago's Ravenswood neighborhood, GISC provides students with a German-English bilingual education in a supportive and individualized learning environment. GISC graduates are prepared academically and socially to succeed in an increasingly global world. Now enrolling Preschool to 8th Grade.
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