Beate Berg

Campus Director
Southern States University

What inspired you to work in this field?
I have always liked teaching, since studying in high school I wanted to become a teacher. I love learning and want to make a difference in students’ lives. It is very rewarding to see students thrive and achieve their goals. 

What are the challenges you've faced?
People have very different learning styles, and sometimes it might be difficult to combine these in a classroom situation. Also, I find it difficult to motivate students who are being “forced” to study, e.g. by parents. If a student does not want to be in school, it is challenging for all: student, classmates, teacher. 

It takes great effort to convince these students that studying is a good experience, especially language learning since you don’t only learn the language but also about other cultures, countries, and lifestyles. Eventually, most students see the advantages of participating in class, interacting with classmates, and accomplishing their goals. 

What do you hope to achieve in the future?
I hope to keep contributing to my students’ success while learning from them so much at the same time. As the world continues to come closer together, I hope so will my students through their experiences in class, by overcoming language barriers, and by establishing friendships across the globe. 

If you can give 1 or 2 pieces of advice to our prospective international students, what would it be?
First of all — don’t be afraid! Don’t be afraid to make mistakes, don’t be afraid to reach out for help, don’t be afraid to experience something new! Realize that we are all in the same boat — learning something new every day, failing, stumbling, falling, getting up again to start over and eventually succeed.
Second — enjoy the experience of learning and make the most of it! Use all the resources available to you, appreciate the opportunities you have, be aware of what’s around you, be open-minded!

Most importantly — never give up!