Professor Georg Von Laufenberg

I have been teaching for UMGC since 1985 and I still enjoy it tremendously! One of the fascinating elements is the wide variety of geographical backgrounds of the students, which always makes it rewarding to look at history in a global context and from multiple perspectives. Beyond conveying the relevance and benefits of understanding the past and the methods of historical research, I also emphasize the politics of history - how the world in which a historian lives affects his or her interpretation of history. Finally, I always find it instructive to learn students' perspectives of past events and individuals.

Regarding the teaching of German as a foreign language it is always challenging to achieve the students' communicative competence by adjusting the learning process to students' individual learner types and including their interests and hobbies. When working with students from German 1 through 4 it is also a pleasure to go on field trips together and get to know the students' friends and families - often, long-lasting friendships develop.

My personal interests and hobbies include bicycling, chess, (pedal steel) guitar, jogging, literature, travelling, vinyl records, and walking the dog.