German teacher Beth Gulewich is the 2015-16 Teacher of the Year.

  “It feels great to be recognized by your own colleagues,” German teacher Beth Gulewich said.

  Gulewich is a hard worker and has a lot on her plate being the only German teacher. She arrives at school around 6:45 a. m. and leaves around 5:30 p.m. She always has students coming in for help and tutoring before school, after school, and during both lunches.

  This is her 14th year teaching here at Broughton and she has loved every minute of it.

  “I think the best thing about teaching is getting to teach the students who want to learn, which makes me want to work harder and develop new topics that always have a global perspective,” Gulewich said.

  Gulewich has an immersion style classroom, where starting in German 1, students are taught by her speaking German the whole class. She feels that the students learn better when they have to listen and speak in German and that they pick up on more information the more they are around the language.    

  “If you can’t be in Germany, the next best thing is to speak it and feel like you are there,” Gulewich said.

  Gulewich has to work hard to keep up with all of her responsibilities as the sole German teacher.

   Her activities include German Immersion Weekend, German Day, tutoring, German Club, and the German Exchange Program.

   Gulewich takes pride in her students’ success and helps them see where they are on a national level through the National German Exam.

  Gulewich is always on her toes with her busy schedule, but she says she gets a lot out of it and would do it all over again if she had the choice.

  “I get to travel every day in my classroom and practice my speaking skills, and I get to build lasting relationships with my students because I have them for four years,” Gulewich said.

  Gulewich is also involved outside of the German department as the adviser for the Young Feminist Club. She is also involved in Raleigh Sister Cities, and as a group they sponsor a movie night every month.

  The biggest project she takes on as the German teacher is the German Exchange Program. Sixteen students from Germany have already visited here and spent time with their host families in Raleigh. Now Gulewich and her students are preparing to go to Germany for three weeks this summer.

  “The German department at Broughton has so much to offer and I am glad I am a part of it,” Gulewich said.