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8 MODERN FOREIGN LANGUAGES / HISTORY
Lower Fourth German Film
and Culture Study Day
Mrs Abbott-Imboden, Head of German
On December 5, twenty eight of our
L4 students took part in a German
study day. After travelling to
London, we were welcomed warmly
by the team of the Goethe Institut
in London. We were then led into
the private film auditorium and
received a brief introduction and a
bag of goodies each!
The private film screening was a full success
and all students enjoyed the film
Der Ganz
Groβe Traum
(Lessons of a Dream) directed
by Sebastian Grobler, loosely based on the
life of German football pioneer Konrad
Koch in the late 19th-century. In the film,
Koch is one of the first English teachers in
the German Empire, in Braunschweig. He
introduces his students to the new sport of
football, completely unknown outside of
England at the time, to get them interested
in English culture and the English language.
Koch’s liberal teaching methods upset his
conservative colleagues, the students’
parents, and local dignitaries. Our pupils
enjoyed the story not only because of the
historical background but also as it illustrated
the importance of friendship, teamwork and
how to overcome obstacles.
Afterwards, we headed to the Science
Museum across the road when our pupils
had to complete a fact finding mission in
German. All teams got involved and all found
many interesting facts not only about science
in general but also how the German speaking
world has influenced the development of
scientific inventions and how these have
changed the world and still continue to do so.
All in all, it was a very successful and
insightful day for our pupils when they not
only practised their German but were also
able to experience German language and
culture in a real life context.
Commemorating Raleigh
The 400th anniversary of
the death of Elizabethan
courtier and explorer
Sir Walter Raleigh, was
marked by a special
commemoration evening
at Draper’s Hall.
Four Lower Sixth historians
attended the event and
participated in a round table
discussion with students from
various schools about the
difference between sixteenth
century and twenty-first
century entrepreneurship and
a panel debate on Raleigh’s
legacy. The Bancroftians earned
praise from Jerry Brotton,
Professor of Renaissance
Studies at QMUL, for their
thoughtful contributions.
The evening ended with a
reception where the students
mingled with academics and
business people, getting tips
on setting up a company
and making several promising
contacts as a result.