Image: The Germanic & Slavic Department at U.G.A. congratulates alumnus Brandon Wyatt, who recently accepted a faculty position teaching undergraduate courses at the University of North Georgia. One of the classes he will teach will be about German Cinema. We caught up with Brandon to learn about his new position and what made him want to teach German after his M.A. program. Q. What was your first experience with German? A. People tend to think that I chose to learn German because of family history or maybe because I have a friend/family member living in a German speaking country, but it's much less glamorous than that. My first time in a German class was in Oconee County High School as a sophomore. I knew I had to take a language to get to UGA. Spanish was out because everyone seemed to take that class. French was a no-go because all I ever saw anyone do in there was eat crepes and watch movies. I wanted to actually learn the language I took. I had learned on a whim in middle school how to count to 10 in German, and based on that solid reasoning, I chose to register for German I. Little did I know, I would absolutely fall in love with not only the language, but learning new languages generally! Q. How did your German studies prepare you for your plans after graduation? What path did you take to lead you to accepting your new teaching position? A. I knew I wanted to teach the language in some fashion once I switched majors in my sophomore year from International Business to German. The B.A. and M.A. programs at UGA offered a very well-rounded and in-depth course load that prepared me very well to teach an immersive and authentic German language course. I did take 1 year after graduation to try out teaching younger children, but ultimately, I think I am most effective teaching older/adult students the language and culture I love. Q. What are you most looking forward to teaching your students about German cinema? What do you hope students get out of your class? A. My favorite thing about taking classes about German films was always the unique cultural perspectives that a film can impress on the viewers. It's one thing to think about Germany from an American context, but when a film casts you into the life of an authentically German or European character or setting, it forces the viewer to see events and engage with topics in a way they possibly never have before. I most look forward to giving students an opportunity to engage with their own preconceived notions about Germany, the German language, and the culture of the German speaking world in an honest and thought-provoking way.
