Katharina Fuchs
Before joining the International Teacher Education for Secondary Schools (ITESS) programme at NHL Stenden, Katharina had already spent nearly 2 years abroad in Estonia and Italy. These exchanges ignited her passion for travelling, learning new languages, and teaching, making her choice of programme a perfect fit. Determined to stay on this path and specialise in history, Katharina spent 3 weeks at the International School of Tallinn, where she not only practised her Estonian but also her newly acquired teaching skills.
“Choosing the ITESS programme was an easy decision for me – I’d always wanted to become a teacher who truly loves what they do. And thanks to an amazing teacher who showed me how to make history lessons fun and engaging, I knew history was the right specialisation for me. One of the main reasons I was drawn to ITESS was its international aspect, which doesn’t limit me to teaching in just one country. But what truly set NHL Stenden apart was its Design-Based Education approach and the opportunity to do four internships. I believe hands-on experience is essential. It’s much more exciting to try out what you’ve learned and see the results in real life than only on paper. I couldn't wait for my first Teaching Practice!”
Becoming a Tallinn-ted teacher
“As my Estonian was already pretty good, I specifically asked to go to Estonia for my internship. I researched schools in Tallinn and with the help of the TP coordinator, the International School of Tallinn accepted me for a 3-week placement. The school follows the International Baccalaureate curriculum, and it’s also pretty small, which gave me the opportunity to teach history across all Middle Years Programme classes from grade 6 to 10.”
“During my first week, I spent most of the time observing different classes, especially within Individuals and Societies, where history is integrated. I paid close attention to how the teachers balanced input with interactive tasks and how the students reacted to teachers and the kind of questions they asked. This really helped me tailor my own history activities to the different learning levels.”
“By the second week, I was ready to step in and teach. I started with six 20-minute activities before moving on to full lessons in the third week. That meant there was a great variety of history topics, students, and ways to teach. One day I was doing an activity on plastic pollution in oceans with grade 6, the next I was teaching the Silk Road to grade 7 or the Industrial Revolution to grade 8. It was fascinating getting insights into how an international school operates. And it has made me aware of my areas of improvement. Although my mentor teacher stayed in the room, they didn't intervene during lessons, which gave me a real sense of independence. I was responsible for everything from explaining historical content to helping individual students and maintaining a safe and supportive classroom environment.”
The best teachers make history
“I've learnt that teaching history isn't just about dates and facts – it’s about encouraging critical thinking, connecting past to present, and making complex events relatable. While teaching can be tough at times, it’s also incredibly rewarding to walk out of a classroom knowing that you made a small difference for your students and that your lesson plan worked just as you intended. And if it didn’t (which happens quite often), you usually find that your improvised approach was actually much better than the original plan. Every lesson, every unexpected moment, is helping you become an even greater teacher.”
Find out more about ITESS on the programme’s website.