Hey! My name is Jakub, and since September 2023 I’ve been the English assistant, here at the FOSBOS in Fürstenfeldbruck as well as at the Orlando-di-Lasso Realschule in Maisach. I’m 23 years old and I was originally born in Poland, but I’ve been living in the United Kingdom ever since I was 7 years old, when me and my family moved to the Shetland Islands, in the north of Scotland. I also lived in Edinburgh, the Scottish capital, from 2018 to pursue my language studies. I also got to live in France for one academic year after my studies, in 2022, also working as an English assistant.
So what do I actually do as an English Assistant at the FOSBOS? In my working hours, I am either in class with English teachers, walking around and giving the pupils feedback on their work, or working with pupils in smaller groups, focusing on speaking practice.
I find working with pupils in smaller groups especially fun, whether it’s playing games or bringing up deeper discussions about social issues. It’s also really engaging to find out more about pupils’ varied opinions on the topics they’re learning about, with topics like the ethics of progress providing really interesting conversation topics.
I’m having a really good time in this project, and I appreciate the warm welcome I’ve received from the school and my colleagues. Indeed, I’ve really enjoyed meeting and getting to know more about the people I work with. Through spending time in their classes, I’ve also learned more about the varied techniques teachers use and how they build and maintain relations with their pupils. These are interesting topics to learn about, and something that I don’t have much experience in myself, so there’s lots for me to learn.
Outside of work, I’ve also enjoyed a variety of activities. While it can be tricky to get used to a new place, especially with language difficulties, I’ve found more and more opportunities to practice my German and to be in contact with lots of new people. Speaking with colleagues, volunteering, philosophy clubs and board game meetings have given me cool opportunities to meet more people in a new place!
Thanks for reading!