New to Outschool? Get your first $20 free with this coupon code: JenniferBj2020. 

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Hello parents, hello students!

Thank you for giving me the chance to tell you a little about myself and the courses I teach on Outschool. I have been teaching German, composition, and arts & humanities for more than 25 years. I bring first-rate content knowledge and pedagogical expertise to the online classroom, plus a genuine love of working with young learners.

Students who complete my German classes truly learn to use their new language. They read authentic texts, express their opinions, and immerse themselves in the German-speaking world. Furthermore, they come away with a deep understanding of the way languages work and of the ways in which language is embedded in the larger culture. 

For example, in German 1, students read the book Cowboy Klaus und sein Schwein Lisa, learn about the Germans’ fascination with Native American culture and the Wild West, and discuss the potentially problematic aspects of this fascination. They also delve deep into the connections between German and English, picking out cognates such as “der Bär” and “bear,” laufen” and “leap,” and “das Zimmer” and “timber.” Joined together in a community of learners, students have many opportunities to discuss important questions, to take in great works of German art, music, and poetry, and to learn about contemporary Europe.

Because I have extensive experience at the college level, I know just where high school students are headed and can expertly help them as they prepare themselves for the next step. In the 2024-2025 academic year, I am offering German 1 and German 2 in a live format and for German 3, a mix of a one-day-a-week live class and self-paced classes. 

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FOR A PDF LAYING OUT A CLEAR "PATHWAY" THROUGH MY CLASSES FOR LEARNERS OF GERMAN, SEND ME A MESSAGE HERE ON OUTSCHOOL.
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Since you are considering “hiring” me for the most important job there is—providing you or your child with a high-quality education—let me give you a mini-resume:

Education
• BA in German, St. Olaf College
  minor in English
  concentration in Secondary Education
  magna cum laude; Phi Beta Kappa
• MA and PhD in German, University of Wisconsin-Madison

Teaching Credentials
• State of Indiana teaching license in both German and English Language Arts, grades 5-12 (#000013437, 6/5/2026)

Teaching Experience
• various courses on Outschool (since September 2020)
• college-level courses (18+ years)
  Valparaiso University: German language, literature, and culture classes 
  Valparaiso University: freshman seminar in arts & humanities, plus composition
  University of Wisconsin-Madison: German language classes
  University of Iowa: German language class
• homeschooling our son
  kindergarten, 4th and 5th grades
• Kinder lernen Deutsch courses
  St. Olaf College: exploratory German classes, grades 1-5
  Valparaiso University: exploratory German classes, grades 1-5
• student teaching
  New Prague High School: German and English literature classes, grades 9-12
• Fulbright teaching assistantship
  Gymnasium Petrinum: ESL classes, grades 5-13

Teaching Awards
• Excellence in Teaching Award: Pedagogy
  Valparaiso University, 2017
• German Collegiate Teacher of the Year, Indiana 
  Indiana American Association of Teachers of German, 2014

If you would like to see my full curriculum vitae, my statement of teaching philosophy, sample teaching materials, or the documentation that goes along with my Excellence in Teaching Award, please send me a message.

I would love to start a conversation with you about how we can partner together for your family’s German education!

—Dr. Jennifer Bjornstad