Babette Grünwald
Babette Grünwald is a German teacher at Philomath High
School, as well as a studio artist.
She was born in Paris, France and grew up in Switzerland. After getting married, she moved to California, then Mexico, New York, Washington and 10 years ago, relocated to Philomath, Oregon with her husband and three daughters.
After a career in agricultural research and farm management, she chose to pursue her passion in art, and went back to graduate school to get a Masters of Fine Arts at the University of Oregon in 2007. In order to supplement her income as an artist, she started subbing in the local high school and really enjoyed it. She was offered a part-time German teaching position and has now been teaching for four years. She finished a Master of Arts in Teaching at Western Oregon University in 2012 and is endorsed in Art, German, French and Spanish.
She was born in Paris, France and grew up in Switzerland. After getting married, she moved to California, then Mexico, New York, Washington and 10 years ago, relocated to Philomath, Oregon with her husband and three daughters.
After a career in agricultural research and farm management, she chose to pursue her passion in art, and went back to graduate school to get a Masters of Fine Arts at the University of Oregon in 2007. In order to supplement her income as an artist, she started subbing in the local high school and really enjoyed it. She was offered a part-time German teaching position and has now been teaching for four years. She finished a Master of Arts in Teaching at Western Oregon University in 2012 and is endorsed in Art, German, French and Spanish.
Philosophy of Teaching
Recently, looking at my resume, I realized that although I have had many professions and work experiences, teaching has been a constant throughout the years and that I really am a teacher at heart. I find it amusing that my mother was a foreign language teacher in a high school, as were many of my ancestors: my great grandfather funded a school, my grandfather taught the sciences. I think it runs in my blood. I enjoy this profession, finding it creative, constantly changing, and intellectually challenging.
I believe that everybody can learn. We all have different methods of learning and it is my responsibility to find which way is best suited for each particular student. I also feel that learning is a process that never ends, which gives me an attitude of openness to change, to furthering my learning process, and to being a constant learner. It is my conviction that foreign languages are important to every student’s development, as they not only develop the brain in different ways than other subject matters do, but learning a foreign language also helps understand your own mother tongue. After learning Latin and German in middle school, I understood language structure and grammar much better. Another important aspect of learning a foreign language is what students learn about another culture and another part of our planet. Learning a language opens minds to new horizons and creates citizens of the world. I would like to continue taking students to Germany for language exchanges, as these trips make the years of hard study worthwhile, by really experiencing the ability to communicate and the new culture.
I believe that everybody can learn. We all have different methods of learning and it is my responsibility to find which way is best suited for each particular student. I also feel that learning is a process that never ends, which gives me an attitude of openness to change, to furthering my learning process, and to being a constant learner. It is my conviction that foreign languages are important to every student’s development, as they not only develop the brain in different ways than other subject matters do, but learning a foreign language also helps understand your own mother tongue. After learning Latin and German in middle school, I understood language structure and grammar much better. Another important aspect of learning a foreign language is what students learn about another culture and another part of our planet. Learning a language opens minds to new horizons and creates citizens of the world. I would like to continue taking students to Germany for language exchanges, as these trips make the years of hard study worthwhile, by really experiencing the ability to communicate and the new culture.