IBH

Dr. Dagmar Bermig

She studied Education, Russian and Geography at the College of Education of Dresden. She completed studies in Russia and obtained her doctorate in the field of Applied Linguistics. Since 2000 she has worked as a freelance teacher at IBH and teaches German as a Foreign Language to students of the Technical University of Harburg as well as to immigrants who take courses preparing for academic studies. She is certified to teach German, Russian and English.

Ilse Beshir-Klar

She studied German at Justus Liebig University of Giessen and worked for some years as a secondary school teacher in the province of Hessen, Germany. Then she went abroad and worked for five years at the Goethe Institute in Khartoum, the capital of Sudan. There she taught German as a Foreign Language to children and young adults. This project was supported by the German School in Cairo. After having devoted herself, for a couple of years, to her own family, she taught literacy and language courses to children and juveniles in Hamburg.

As a member of IBH’s teaching staff she is glad to gain further experience with people of different nations and cultures and to help them acquire the German language.

Silvie Boyd

Shortly after graduation from high school, she started to teach languages at various institutions. During her studies she spent a year in Dakar where she worked for Goethe Institute and Inter Nationes in the field of Public Relations. After obtaining her academic degree in French, African Studies and Education in 2002, she worked as a foreign language assistant with a respectable consulting firm. Since October 2004 she has worked as a freelance interpreter/translator and as a teacher of German as a Foreign Language, English and French. She is still attached to West Africa. One of her favourite projects was the cooperation with the Senegalese female fashion designer Oumou Sy in 2005. As far as IBH is concerned, she likes in particular its intercultural approach. She likes to build up linguistic knowledge through creative methods, such as songs, word riddles and tongue breakers. In this way, you teach not only grammar, vocabulary and syntax, but also intercultural aspects. And this means fun for the teacher and the students alike.

Peter Bukowski

He obtained his M.A. in German and Slavic Studies at the University of Hamburg. For thirty years, he has taught German as a Foreign Language in integration and in special language courses and has conducted job application seminars. During the past years he has increasingly dealt with problems of migration and integration. In his view, intercultural competence is indispensable if one wants to get a realistic picture of the situation of immigrants. On this basis effective teaching will be possible. Necessary criteria are, among other things, relativity of one’s own cultural values and a sympathetic curiosity. Since October 2007, he has been on the staff of IBH and has taught integration courses. His students were mainly female immigrants from Turkey most of whom have lived in Germany for many years. He wants to promote the linguistic competence of his students so that their self-confidence will be strengthened, and they will feel better integrated.

Irina Dianova

After completing her university studies of German and English Philology in her native Russia, she moved to Hamburg in 2002 and worked on behalf of the Pedagogical Exchange Service as a foreign language assistant. The multicultural variety of the city filled her with enthusiasm, and she decided to study Education and Linguistic Research with emphasis on German as a Foreign Language at the University of Hamburg. While she was a student she worked as an assistant teacher of German for special classes at an all-day high school in Hamburg. At the University of Auckland, New Zealand, she gained as a language assistant teaching experience in postsecondary education. Since May of 2009 she has taught integration courses at IBH. As she learnt herself German as a Foreign Language, she can fall back upon her own experience as far as the conveying of a different culture is concerned. She can impart to her students the knowledge which she has gained by her own biography.

Britta Doll

She studied History and Geography to become a secondary school teacher because she wanted to work with children. When, in 1990, she started teaching in adult education, she thought that this was only a temporary job. But she soon realized that she would not like to change any more. The emphasis of her work is on German as a Foreign Language as well as on courses in professional development and on training for job application. Her aim is to transmit her motivation and energy to her students. Since 2004 she has taught various kinds of courses at IBH.

Caroline Fieseler

She was born in Herford, in the heart of Westphalia. She studied German as a Foreign Language and Spanish at the University of Bielefeld. As a student she already taught German as a Foreign Language at different language schools and abroad. After graduation from university, she spent six months in New Zealand. Afterward she taught full-time academic and integration courses. Since May 2006 she has been employed with IBH. She takes a keen interest in foreign cultures and languages. She enjoys traveling and has been frequently in Spain, Mexico and Chile for the purpose of study.

Claudia Fischer

She studied Pedagogy for the deaf and Sociology at Hamburg University. Born in Hamburg, she thinks that her native city is a beautiful place to live, study and work. In the middle of her studies she began to teach German as a Foreign Language and kept teaching it ever since. Courses for beginners are her main concern. In her opinion, it is important to inspire beginners with confidence so that they will eventually master the new language. She has worked for nine years with different institutions. Since 2001 she has taught German courses at IBH, mainly for students of the Technical University of Harburg. Since August 2006 she has also given special language courses. She has one daughter, which means that there are “enough kids at home”. Hence, she enjoys teaching in adult education, and each time she looks forward to a new course.

Petra Gerigk

Since September 2007, she has been in charge of coordinating the integration courses of the Federal Office for Migration and Refugees. She counsels students when they register, explains them the placement tests, and organizes the final exams. She is always ready to listen to the smaller and bigger problems of the students.

Marion Himmelsbach

Since 1994, she has been the "switchboard" of IBH. She is ready to listen to every problem and has the perfect grasp of every administrative procedure. Whether business correspondence, payment transactions, accounting, or calculation – she manages everything with skill and a touch of humour. What she likes about her job is that it allows her to have contact with young people of different nationalities and to watch the linguistic progress of the students.

Beatrix Hösterey

She brought her frankness and straightforwardness from the Ruhr Region (in Western Germany), where she studied German and History to become a teacher, to Northern Germany where people are more reserved. In addition to teaching German as a Foreign Language, she has been in charge of the vocational language courses since 2001, and, since 2003, of the special language course for medical staff. She is also a member of the managing board of IBH. Hence, she is a workoholic with team spirit who likes very much to associate with young people, to help them to adjust to their new life in Germany, and who is always present when it matters to draft new projects for the linguistic and cultural education of young immigrants.

Annekatrin Holzweißig

She graduated in German Language and Literature and in Educational Linguistic Research with emphasis on German as a Foreign Language. She acquired a great deal of experience by teaching in schools, universities and at the Goethe-Institute in countries like England, Mexico, Indonesia and the Philippines. Since she has been funded herself by the DAAD (German Academic Exchange Service) and has worked at the University of the Philippines in Manila as DAAD Language Assistant, she is perfectly acquainted with the needs of foreign students, who plan to study or work in Germany. At IBH she is in charge of the summer courses, and teaches special language courses.

Aleksandra Jeszke-Zillmer

Sie hat Germanistik und Erwachsenenbildung in Posen und Warschau studiert. Als Reiseleiterin und Übersetzerin knüpfte sie unzählige Kontakte zu Menschen von nah und fern. Umso größer war ihre Freude, als sie sich nach dem Umzug nach Hamburg (1977) ihrem primären Beruf – dem Verbreiten der deutschen Sprache – widmen konnte. Seitdem hat sie diverse Deutschkurse geleitet, in denen sie u.a. berufsbezogenes Deutsch unterrichtet hat. In Integrations- und Alphabetisierungskursen konnte sie ihre fachliche Kompetenz unter Beweis stellen. Sowohl durch ihre beruflichen als auch ihre ehrenamtlichen Aktivitäten fühlt sie sich der Stadt Hamburg sehr verbunden. Daher ist ihr Unterricht oft eine Art „Heimatkunde“, in der Menschen und Orte aus Hamburg nie fehlen. Ihr Ziel ist es: Deutsch zu unterrichten, um die Integration der Migrantinnen und Migranten zu fördern.

Susanne Klockmann

A native of Hamburg, she studied German, History and Political Science in Hamburg and Cincinnati (Ohio), and completed her studies with an M.A. As a student she already taught German as a Foreign Language . Having completed university, she gained further teaching practice at vocational schools and at a private language school. Since March 2006 she has taught integration courses at IBH. In her classes she places emphasis on communicative and integrative aspects of language acquisition. She likes to promote exchange between students of different countries of origin.

Ursula Koopmann

She studied French and Civics at the University of Hamburg to become a teacher. She worked as an au pair student in Marseille. Over many years, she has acquired a lot of experience by teaching literacy courses, French and German as a Foreign Language in institutions of adult education and vocational training as well as in companies. Her students came from all parts of the world. Since March 2005, she has worked with IBH as an instructor in integration language courses. In her classes she emphasizes the communicative approach. She is a passionate “player”, especially with regard to selfmade games. As a native of Hamburg, she likes in particular to acquaint her students with the many particularities of their new home.

Jan Mallesch

He studied Economics at Hamburg University and worked for four years as an assistant in a university department. Since 1989 he has been employed with various educational agencies in the field of adult education. From 1994 to 1998, e.g., he taught computer courses at IBH; between 1998 and 2003 he was an instructor of computer science, mathematics and business as part of IBH’s integration course program. Besides, he conducted the computer work group of IBH.

Ulrike Mestmacher

During her graduate studies of German and History at the University of Kiel, she already taught German as a Foreign Language at a language school. Even after 16 years of teaching students with various ethnic backgrounds in intensive, evening and summer courses as well as in individual training programs and in the new integration courses organized by the German Federal Office for Refugees, she has not lost her enthusiasm in teaching her native language. It is important for her to develop language awareness through an action-oriented approach and to motivate students to use the German language with self-confidence. She has been on the teaching staff of IBH since March 2005.

Jörn Meve

A freelance public relations consultant and an instructor of journalism and public relations. He studied German Language and Literature, History and Pedagogy at the Universities of Marburg and Hamburg, and received his diploma as a secondary school teacher. Thereafter he switched to public relations and became a special consultant in this field. He has been employed as a consultant with two Hamburg-based PR-Agencies for more than eleven years, of which the last four years as a manager. He also worked with Hamburg Medienpool, a training institution for unemployed journalists and other media specialists. Since May 2006, he has been self-employed. When the academic course “Public Relations”, a joint project of IBH and the University of Lüneburg, started in October 2007, he became an instructor at both institutions.

Therese Moll-Schneck

For more than 20 Years she worked in adult education. However, German language instruction was not her primary professional goal. After her exam as an elementary and secondary school teacher, she did a practical training as a cabinetmaker and taught vocational theory as well as civics and business to students who did a training as cabinetmakers. In 1992 she began to teach German as a Foreign Language to foreign students and immigrants from Russia. Since 2004 she has taught job application training, data processing and German as a Foreign Language in vocational integration courses. Since June 2006 she has also been in charge of registration for integration courses at IBH.

Dr. Renate Morell

She was born in Kassel and grew up there. She studied Political Science, Sociology, and German Language and Literature at the University of Marburg where she received her doctorate. She obtained a degree in German as a Foreign Language by correspondence course at the University of Kassel. A teacher of GFL since 1992, she has taught students of immigrant background in German and Philosophy. Since 1995, she has been involved in editing German dictionaries. Her areas of interest are art, music, cultural history and languages.

Edith Neuner

Originally she wanted to become a star in a Western movie, then a manager of an orphanage, but she ended up as an elementary school teacher, since this job met all her career aspirations. The native of Allgäu, a region in Bavaria, moved to Hamburg many years ago. Here she taught alphabetization courses at various institutions. At Goethe Institute she took a correspondence course and was in charge of the competence centre for German as a Foreign Language at the adult education centre of Harburg.
Since 2009 she has taught alpha-integration courses at IBH at Osdorf. She likes her job very much. Besides, she works as a coach with the project ProGrund-bildung (basic education), and she is a collaborator of the project Grawira at the adult education centre which deals with computer-assisted learning. In her lei-sure time she prefers to do nothing.

Thomas Peter

He was born in Frankfurt and moved as a youth to Northern Germany where he studied Sociology, Systematic Musicology and Education. A practical training in an institution for adolescents displaying behavioural problems aroused in him the wish to convey not only pure knowledge to his students, but also what is commonly known as nobleness of the heart. This would enable them to strive for a better future.

After in-service training at the “Goethe Institut” in 2004, he taught German as a Foreign Language to persons in business, au pairs and students. His work with IBH meets his vocation for teaching. Besides his passion for music (vocals, guitar) and sport, it is private life that ranks first for him.

Uwe Peters

He was born in the Hanseatic City of Lübeck where marzipan, a confectionery, is made. He studied Education, History and Theology in the Hanseatic City of Hamburg. After his second state exam, he worked from 1990 to 2007 as a teacher of German as a Foreign Language with adolescents and young adults at various institutions of vocational education. He has also been in charge of peda-gogical guidance and has been a school principal. From 2000 to 2007 he taught at IBH job-oriented integration courses, intensive language courses for foreign students and special language courses for foreign medical doctors. Since 2004 he has been a board member of IBH.

Natalja Rapsilber

In her early days she had already a liking for German language and culture. Hence, she studied German and English in Russia and worked subsequently as a teacher of German at secondary schools, and as a university instructor. In addition, she has many years’ experience as an interpreter and translator in industry. She takes a keen interest in the biographies of immigrants from Russia and their motives to settle in Germany. Since 2005 she has been on the teaching staff of IBH where she teaches German as a Foreign Language in integration courses. She profits from her own experiences, and this helps her to understand students and to further their learning process.

Ute Seedorff

She studied German Language and Literature as well as English Language and Literature at the University of Hamburg and spent one year at the University of Georgia in Athens, USA, where she also taught German as a Foreign Language to college students. Moreover, she worked as an instructor for English as a Foreign Language at Georgia Southern College. For several years, she has worked with IBH as a freelance teacher in vocational language courses.

Monika Siegert

She is a network fan. In her view, network is motivating and offers the opportunity to meet many interesting people both among colleagues and students. She likes to discuss current topics of various professional fields, and this creates a lively atmosphere in the classroom.

She has studied English and Educational Linguistic Research with emphasis on German as a Foreign Language. During her career as a teacher and journalist in Germany and abroad she has met a lot of people.

At IBH she teaches English, German as a Foreign Language and integration courses, sponsored by the Office for Migration and Refugees.

Norma Tartakovskij

A social worker by training, she has been with IBH since 2003 where she is in charge of counselling students of language courses which prepare for academic studies. She also counsels participants of special language courses for medical doctors and university graduates in the Humanities. Moreover, she is in charge of social services to those who receive unemployment benefits. She organizes leisure time activities and takes care of providing accommodation for course participants. In addition, she is involved in a course called “Creativity and Cross-Cultural Competence in Cultural Social Work” at the College of Applied Science. Finally, she is involved in study programs sponsored by the European Union.

Mechthild Vogedes

Originally she wanted to become a librarian, but handling books and doing paper work was eventually not to her taste. She worked as a businesswoman and studied Pedagogy, Psychology, and Sociology at the University of Hamburg. Psychological counselling and supervision of people who are in precarious situations are the focus of her work. Since 2001, she has been involved in working with immigrants. She considers project work as an important part of her teaching of German as a Foreign Language. She wants to impart optimism and joy of life to those she tutors. To organize intercultural events, to put together a multiethnic cookbook, or to edit a newspaper for immigrants –all these activities make everyday life more colourful and show that learning should also take place outside the classroom. Since 2005, she has been employed with IBH.

Marc Schumacher

He studied Political Science, Latin American Studies, and Philosophy in Hamburg and Barcelona. He has taught courses in civics, and has been employed with IBH since 2008 where he teaches literacy courses and German language courses for foreign students, who are registered at the Technical University Harburg. He is primarily concerned about promoting autonomous learning.

Natalia Werner

She studied German for the teaching profession in Russia. After she had moved to Germany in July of 2004, she began to study at the University of Hamburg in order to become an elementary and secondary school teacher. While she at-tended classes for instruction in methods of teaching, she realized that she was more interested in working with adult students. Therefore she decided to enrol for the study of Social Pedagogy with emphasis on Adult Education at the Col-lege for Applied Sciences in Hamburg. Since July of 2010 she has been respon-sible as a social pedagogue for students of the vocational German language courses. Within the ESF and BAMF programs she works as a job coach. It is a matter of concern to her to assist the course participants on their way to profes-sional integration.

Angelika Wilhelm

A trained lawyer assistant, she belongs to the administrative staff of IBH and is responsible for integration courses. She is responsive to the bigger and smaller concerns of students and teachers alike. Even on turbulent days she remains unperturbed, counsels on the phone and on the spot those who ask for the appropriate course and has them complete the placement test.