German Program Teaching Assistants 2020-2021
Maike Dockendorf
Hello! My name is Maike Dockendorf. I was born and raised in the beautiful area of Swabia between Stuttgart and Tübingen in Germany, and am of German-Irish-American heritage. I completed my undergrad at the PH Karlsruhe, Germany with a B.A. in Bilingual Elementary School Education. I also spent half a year teaching regular-, ESL- and special needs classes at the Claddagh National School in Galway, Ireland.
Next to speaking German and English fluently, I have decent proficiency in Spanish and French, and a little in Italian. I have spent a significant amount of time in Sicily, Italy, and have travelled to 18 countries.
At MNSU, I get to study Counseling and Student Personnel and will receive licensure in Mental Health Counseling, a field in which I am excited to work in after graduation.
When I’m not busy, I like to spend time with my friends, love to travel, go hiking and exercise, and learn more about my two passions, psychology and languages.
Lea Pienkoss
lea.pienkoss.2@mnsu.edu
Zoom: https://minnstate.zoom.us/my/pienkosslea
My name is Lea Pienkoss and I am a native of German from Pforzheim, Germany. After attending a bilingual secondary school in Germany, I decided for a Bachelor of Arts in Teaching English and Biology as well as a certificate for teaching content and language integrated with the University of Education Karlsruhe, Germany. During my undergrads, I spent a year abroad volunteering at a Kangaroo Rescue Station in Australia. I also did an internship with a German School in Riyadh, Saudi-Arabia, to name some of my travels.
Besides speaking English and German, I took Latin in High School, and although I can't speak it, I appreciate the knowledge of Grammar I gained from it as it helps me a lot in my language learning and teaching. It will be my second-year teaching GER 102, and I love spreading the German culture and helping my students become global citizens.
I am currently working on a Master's in Teaching English as a Second Language. After my graduation in May 2020, I plan to continue teaching and working towards a Ph.D. in Second Language Acquisition. In my free time, I like to hike, explore the surrounding national parks, practice yoga, boulder climb, and experience other cultures.
