Final Day in Europe!

Here is my final project for my study abroad program.  We created a webpage to summarize our experience and reflect on what we learned.  I made mine as an additional page to my online portfolio.  Enjoy!

Lauren's Study Abroad Webpage

Video Blog Synthesis

Video Blog 4

Here is my fourth and final video blog for the trip!  I wanted to reflect more on my experience and something that had already happened to me.  Although the 'Hours by Myself" were interesting, it was difficult to make them not seem artificial.  By talking about something that already happening, and having time to think about how it made me feel, seemed a lot more natural.  The Global Competency that fits this experience best is "Applying Information to New Contexts".  Although I am used to making plans and making decisions, it is very rare for me to be deciding important things with such a large group.  Also, when making plans I am usually with friends or family, so I am familiar with what is important to them or how they will react to certain situations.  With a group of new people and peers, there are many things that are uncertain which complicate decisions.

Hup Groen, Hup Wit! (Go Green, Go White!)

Day 17 - Maastricht, Netherlands

"The Spirit of Maastricht" Statue

This morning, Stef and I returned to UWC for another day with the primary school.  We had hoped we would have the opportunity to visit the UWC secondary school, but the principal was unable to find a teacher who was willing to have us come observe.  I'm really disappointed that we have not had a chance to see more secondary classes.  Although younger students are very cute, and the classes are still interesting, I was excited about the prospect of working with students in a different country that were more comparable in age to the students I will be teaching.

Today we got to work with the Year 1 Dutch classes for the morning.  Every Year is split into three levels of Dutch classes, so when it is time for "Nederlands", the students divide into beginner, intermediate, and advanced levels. The beginning levels are for students brand new to the school and the advanced levels are for Dutch students.  The classes coincide with whatever they are learning in their regular classes (so more bugs and insects today) but focus on language competency and integration.  I was left along with the class or two minutes while the teacher went in the other room and they were bouncing off the walls - I don't know how elementary teachers do this every day.

After all of our respective school visits, we returned to Zuyd University and met with the teacher prep students again for a class.  We had a really fascinating discussion about the differences and similarities between Dutch and American culture.  We all had the chance to ask each other about things we had observed, like why, when I pay for something, does nobody hand me chance directly in the Netherlands?  They also asked us things about America that they had seen in the movies, like if cliques in high school were real, and why do we drive our cars everywhere, even if we are going across the street?

We all had dinner back at the ho-tospital and had a relaxing night getting caught up on assignments.

Tell Me What You Really Think...

Today after our school visits we had the opportunity to return to Zuyd University in Maastricht and meet with more students from their teacher preparation program.  We had a lecture and discussion with them about international views of Americans and the differences we have all observed between Dutch and American culture.  The conversations we had have really stuck with me and I would like to explore a couple of the ideas even further.  The implications of traveling as an American, as well as our place in the world, is an important underlying issue during any study abroad.  In a way, we are constantly acting as ambassadors and representatives.  In a way, this is really exciting.  We get to interact with so many people and show them how everyday Americans look, act, and think.  While broadening our own horizons, we get to meet people who have sometimes never met an American.  On the reverse side of this, this is also very scary.  Anything we do poorly can only enforce stereotypes or negative opinions.  We have spent very little time actually talking about how the things we are seeing and experiencing relate to our lives as Americans, can potentially influence our teaching, and drawing conclusions about our lives on a larger scale.  I think that the meeting today really helped a lot of us see the purpose and intention of a program like the one we are on.

My inquiry question for this assignment has been a lingering issue since I arrived but has finally materialized after the lesson today.  How do others in the world view me as an American?  What do we do to enforce or change that while we travel?  And finally, how can I use any of that information as an educator? 

While talking to the Zuyd students today, we talked about many interesting observations about Americans.  Some of them were funny: We all like McDonald's, Everyone in the US has been to New York City, We drive everywhere.   One thing that several of them brought up, was the fact that Americans always seem to have an immense amount of pride and patriotism.  I think it is easy to initially be uncomfortable with this statement.  To me, intense patriotism is tied to flag-waving rednecks who think that the American way is the only way.  I think that I saw this reaction from several of my classmates who were quick to qualify that they did not consider themselves very patriotic. However, the more I think about it, I am extremely proud to be an American.  I know that I am lucky to have grown up the way I did and (as a history and politics nerd) think that the way our country came to be is fascinating.  We have a background like no other country in the whole world and  have accomplished things more successfully and at a faster pace than others.  That all being said, I am well aware that this pride can quickly turn to arrogance to the international audience.

I found some really interesting statistics from World Public Opinion and Pew Global Resources about the international view towards Americans and the U.S.  Both sites shows varied responses to the same question over the years.  At times of high military involvement or controversial international policy by the US, our reputation sinks.  However, European countries tended to have a fairly favorable opinion of us across the board, and it has been increasing since 2001.  

As a social studies teachers, I think that it is both my privilege and obligation to incorporate international themes in my teaching.  I think that exposing my students to as many different views and opinions as I can will help them make decisions and form their own thoughts.  European students are in a unique situation in that it is not as difficult for them to be exposed to many different people and cultures.  At the risk of making a large generalization, European students seem to be more aware of the diverse population that surrounds them.  In the US, it will not be uncommon for the majority of my students to have never left the country.  My hope is to help them understand how many different kinds of people there are throughout the world, and to take advantage of the kinds of diversity that already surround them.  

Where I've Been!

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Day 16 - Maastricht, Netherlands

Today Stef and I returned to the United World College International Primary School.  Everyone in the program was separated into pairs and we visited 7 different schools.  We will be at these schools for two whole days so that we can see a little bit more about everyday activities and class structures.  At first, I was a little disappointed to be back at UWC because I was left with such a strange impression.  After speaking with the principal and vice-principals more at Rene's party, I was a little more excited to visit again.  Although I may not agree with everything about the structure of the school (I think it is the acceptance process that makes me most uneasy) I was looking forward to seeing what a full day for their students looked like, and being back to somewhere that was at least a little familiar.  Stef and I were the only two to return to a school we had already visited.

We started the day in Year 5 (our 4th grade) and worked with the students on writing scripts for plays.  They are learning about different types of literature and got to practice writing dialogue for a story.  I worked with two students from Poland and one student from Slovenia.  They decided to write a story about a class trip they had recently taken, and then proceeded to take 15 minutes naming the two characters, only for me to find out later that they had settled on naming the student a 'bad word' in Polish.  After Year 5 we joined one of the vice-principals, who is also the school's ESL specialist, for a Year 1 (Kindergarten) ESL class.  In their regular classes they are working on a unit about insects so we helped the students draw and label pictures of 'minibeasts' to put into a class book.  It was really fascinating to see how they were beginning to process language and how they were all able to make connections.  We were able to talk to the main ESL teacher about her students.  She said that working with such young students is exciting because they are so eager to be able to figure out what their friends are saying on the playground.  They all use their mother tongues to piece together the information that they know and help each other learn the English words.  At the beginning of every unit they introduce, they are able to write anything they know about the subject in whatever languages they understand. Even though I am uncomfortable working with such young students, the excitement and immediate gratification from this age is very enjoyable.

After school, we came back to the ho-tospital to touch base and have a quick class.  Afterwards, I went grocery shopping to stock up on bread and cheese, and avoiding anything fresh (which is very disappointing).  No one seems too alarmed by the E. Coli scare but we are also not getting news on a regular basis.  I'm sure it is being taken care of, but we are all too nervous to eat fresh fruit or vegetables since we are uncertain of any protocol in the Netherlands about this type of thing.  Oh well, only a few more days and then I can eat a huge salad at home!

Holiday Weekend

This past Thursday was Ascension Day, which is a widely celebrated holiday throughout Europe.  From what I could tell, it was more of an excuse for everyone to have off school and work to enjoy the weather than it was to observe a religious day.  Since we did not have any school visits taking place Thursday or Friday, we decided to take advantage of the holiday weekend as well.  On Thursday morning, ten of us left for Bruges, Belgium.  Bruges is a historic medieval city that is known as the "Venice of the North".  It was one of the most beautiful place I've seen and there is no other word for it than "quaint".  Everything about it was perfect, we actually all said several times that we kind of felt like we were in Disneyland, and not in a real city, because everything about it seemed too perfect.  Little did we know, Bruges hosts a world famous Ascension Day parade and re-enactment.  We ended up catching it in the middle and watching most of the procesion.

On Friday we all rented bikes in the morning and tooka 5 mile bike ride to see windmills and explore the neighboring town of Damme.  It was nice to get some fresh air and exercise on a relaxing day after so much traveling.  In the evening, I left to go back to Amsterdam with Alesia, Allison, Mary, and Stef.  We spent two relaxing days souvenir shopping, having picnics in Vondelpark, and enjoying the Amsterdam nightlife.  It was a much needed vacation and chance to catch up on sleep after the whirlwind we have had the last two weeks.  

Video Blog 3

Part-Time Teaching...Part-Time Dedication?

One topic that has come up in several of the schools that we have visited so far is the issue of part-time teachers in the Netherlands.  All public schools in the country have staff members that are both full and part-time teachers.  Unlike long-term subbing in the US, these are teachers who have chosen to only work part of the day or part of the week.  According to laws in the Netherlands, schools have to accommodate these requests and schedules.  This allows teachers to have families and be at home more if they need or want to.  When I first heard this option at our first school visit, I was shocked.  I would never consider teaching to be a part-time job and I think it goes against a lot we believe in America concerning the difference between part-time jobs and careers.  This isn’t just a few people who chose to do this either, at most of the schools we have been to so far, almost half of the teaching staff are part time teachers.

This raises a lot of questions for me.  How could a teacher that works half the time be as dedicated as a full time teacher?  How do the students react to switching between teachers?  How much instruction time is lost on spending time getting the students and the teacher on the same page each day?  Does teaching part-time prevent burn out?  

The thing that strikes me the most about this issue is that whenever we are told about the part-time teaching staff during our school visits, no principals or administrators feel very positively about it.  I think that if it was the way the school worked and it ended up beneficial for everyone, I would just assume that this was an system that worked in Netherlands schools.  Instead, principals and other teachers make it seem like a hassle to work around and a frustrating accommodation for their staff.  

Last night at Rene’s dinner party, the many of the men and women hosts from the different schools we have visited were there.  I got the chance to talk to Nikki, one of the vice-principals at the United World College primary school.  We covered so many things, from our own backgrounds and teaching philosophies, to some of the differences in the schools we have both seen.  She grew up int he United Kingdom and has taught most primary grades in several different countries.  When I asked her about how she felt about part-time teachers in her school, she kind of rolled her eyes.  She said that she didn’t feel teachers were nearly as effective if they considered teaching a hobby.  She worries that not all teachers equally dedicated to their classroom, so the students she is responsible for get a wide range of attention.  She said that for some teachers, having the flexibility and option to continue teaching while raising a family is a wonderful alternative.   The can combine something they love without sacrificing time to either.  On the other hand, she said that most teachers who only work part-time, do so for selfish reasons.  They want more time off, less responsibility, and more choices.  She also said that she feels that part-time teachers ask too much of their administration.  They are attempting to do the same amount of work with half of the effort, and be rewarded for doing so.  

I can’t imagine a system like this ever working in the United States.  This is mainly due to the fact that I do not see how part-time teachers would fit into our unions as they are currently.  I also do not know how a school district would provide benefits or protections for part-time teachers.  This issue is not as pertinent in the Netherlands because of socialized health care.  

It seems like the two teachers would spend all of their time catching each other up on what happened on the other’s days off, and not get around to educating.  I think this would be a very complicated system for students as well without the proper structure and scaffolding.  To me, it seems like being an effective part-time teacher would take even more work than full-time.  In turn, I think this means that most part-time teachers are not being successful.   It was very difficult to find concrete evidence on how part-time teaching effects students, but I think speaking with Nikki as someone who deals with the issue everyday, is a great way to gain insight.  I would also be very surprised that part-time teachers are very willing to participate in any kind of research that may rule them unnecessary.  Overall, this is a really intriguing concept and I would like to learn more about the interaction between part-time teachers and their students.  Hopefully I will get a chance to see both a part-time and full-time teacher’s instruction during my time observing at the United World College next week.  

Day 11 - Aachen, Germany

Today we visited a comprehensive secondary school in Aachen, which is only about a half an hour drive into Germany from where we are staying in Maastricht.  I was really looking forward to this trip because we have not had the opportunity to see many secondary schools.  When we first arrived at the school, I was surprised at how much it resembled an American school - much more than any other had so far at least.  We met with the principal and an English teacher who introduced us to the school and gave us a tour.  We quickly found out that the German school structure is very different from both American and Dutch schools.  This, although interesting, was kind of frustrating because we didn't understand how a lot of the classes work.  I think we were finally all just getting the hang of Dutch classes, so to see something completely new was challenging.  We broke into small groups and were supposed to visit several different classes.  My group, which was supposed to go observe an English class, was sent away by three different teachers that did not want us to come in.  I think the teacher showing us around was very embarrassed and just said that it was because of discipline problems.  I was really surprised by this because I would think that having visitors from so far away would be exciting in any classroom.


I was most struck by the way the teachers at this school spoke about their students. They repeatedly said that their school was the last choice of anyone in the area and that it was full of students that were pretty much 'left over' after all of the more affluent students had chosen their schools.  She said that they had lots of discipline and behavior problems and that her students were overall really low performing.  Another thing that was really interesting to me was that at this school, the students stayed in the same classroom and the teachers rotated rooms when the subjects changed.  This meant that each room was not personalized and had nothing on the walls and no materials to use.  This really bothered me because I think it makes a really uncomfortable atmosphere for the students, and it was not inviting at all.  On that same note, when we asked if students participated in extracurriculars, the teacher and principal both kind of laughed at us.  They said that students were not interested in being at school any longer than they were forced to be.

After the visit we stopped by the Netherlands and American World War I and World War II War Memorial.  It was a really beautiful cemetery and monument that is maintained by the American government.  We got there right at closing so the manager let us walk to the flag pole and help take down and fold the flag for the evening.  We were joined by the Canadian group that is traveling with us, they helped take down the flag too and it was awkward.

In the evening, Rene had a party for us at his house.  We were joined by the teachers, principals, and administrators that we had met so far.  It was a really nice opportunity for us all to talk more and interact informally.  The night was beautiful and it was a really nice way to spend the evening.

Video Blog 2

For this assignment we were required to spend one hour by ourselves doing something that pushed us out of our comfort zone.  I didn't intentionally chose a competency to address when I set out on my adventure.  I had an idea of how I would think and feel, but wanted to see where this would lead me.  I was actually surprised at how uncomfortable and unsure I felt during the activity.  This wasn't in an overwhelming or fearful way, but enough that I was consciously aware of it.  The global competency that this addresses most closely is "undertaking unfamiliar tasks" but also helped me deal with change.

Day 10 - Maastricht, Netherlands

Today we visited the United World College Preschool and Primary School in Maastricht.  This is an international preschool and primary school that is run very, very differently than most of the public schools we have encountered so far.  The school we visited was the temporary location of this school because they are currently working on completing a brand new $25 million campus on a private island on the outskirts of the city.  The school has students from all over the country working and learning together.  The classes are all taught in English, but there are certain times during the day they are able to talk to other students in the school in their home language.  We were given a beautiful presentation by the two vice-principals of the school about their philosophy, their student demographics, and the way their school works.

I couldn't help but feel like it was a little bit of a sales pitch.  I think it was a combination of the powerful effect that the previous visit to St. Maarten's had on me, and the utopian atmosphere that was created at their school, but it seemed almost eery to me.  The learning community that had been created at UWC was unbelievable.  They had students from every nationality and race working together and teaching each other about unity and understanding.  I think that the biggest thing that sat uneasily with me was the fact that there was an incredibly rigorous application process to become a UCW student.  There is also a yearly tuition which, although low, has a sever impact on the kinds of families that are able to send their students there.  I think that I need more time to reflect on this school and structure.

After the school visit we headed home, had a quick class with David, and were released for the evening. I completed my "Hour by Myself" assignment, which you can see in my Video post.  I actually had a great time finishing the assignment, even though I was very skeptical of it at the beginning.  I met Alesia and Stef in town for dinner at a sandwich shop where we met a girl named Amy from Australia that was traveling for 8 months on our own.  We shared stories and suggestions about traveling and had a great time chatting on a super rainy day.  This was one of the first night I've actually been able to relax and enjoy travelling and move at my own pace, which was very much appreciated.  We have been going non-stop and the pace is definitely catching up to all of us.

Seeking Alternatives...

For my second inquiry assignment, I chose to look into the alternative education system in the Netherlands. At home, I have worked with non-traditional learners in several settings between my GED classes, after school activities, and through time in a placement at the Lansing Alternative High School. After our school visit today, I was left with a feeling of both familiarity and surprise. I was unaware that a school like the one we visited today even existed. I especially enjoyed hearing how the national policies have effected the life of this school and how it has changed the services they are able to provide. I saw some of the students that I work with at home in so many of the students at the school today. At the same time, the issues that these students were facing as international refugees is something I can’t even comprehend.

Something that I have really found the most interesting about schools in the Netherlands is the ability for schools to choose what type of system or philosophy dictates their school. In the United States, a public institution would never be able to chose different pedagogical styles. This is something that, once I observed it in these classrooms, seemed so obvious. It is a completely novel idea that students should be allowed to guide their studies, or that a school would be more healthy if everyone in it subscribed to the same teaching philosophy. For such a small country, the diversity within the education system is huge.

This topic was difficult to find research on because I think so much of the language and ways to explain schools are different. As far as I can tell, there are not alternative schools, like we know them in the United States, available to students as a ‘last chance’ option. According to the Department of Education, homeschooling is an option, but is widely met with opposition. I feel that this is because of the array of choices families already have in placing their students. In the US, a family can homeschool a child if they don’t agree with the public system, but in the Netherlands, they have more options to find a school that better fits their families lifestyle.

International schools, like the one we saw today at Sind-Maartens College High School, are another option that is considered ‘alternative’ in the Netherlands. These schools provide a space for students who come from many different countries, to learn about Dutch history, language, and culture. Most of the students, at least at the school we visited today, were there with the intention of becoming Dutch citizens.

In the following week I would like to explore this concept more. I would also like to take the chance to look more at the policy side of the changes that are being made in Netherlands schools. Several of the teachers have mentioned that the overall shift to the right has been detrimental to the education system. I would like to find out what these changes look like, and some of the ideas behind them.

Day 9 - Maastricht, Netherlands

We have stayed at more strange places on this trip than I could have imagined.  First the Botel, and now our hostel in Maastricht, which we are lovingly referring to as the "Ho-tospital" because it is an old hospital that has been repurposed into a youth hostel and student housing.  I love the idea of reusing infrastructure, and there is a lot that can be done creatively, but this is pushing it for even me.  The problem that we are all having with the Ho-tospital is that it still looks completely like a hospital: signage and furnishings included. Did I forget to mention the fact that the first floor is actually still a hospital?  So bizarre.  The fact that this creepy place is now our home for two weeks, coupled with the fact that our arrival was in the middle of the night yesterday - we all were a bit shaken.  In the light of day, it is not nearly as bad and we are all anxious to get settled somewhere semi-permanent.

This morning we visited a school called St Maarten's Preparatory College.  This is a high school level school specifically designed for refugees and asylum seekers that have come to the Netherlands because of war and violence in their home countries.  The majority of the population does not speak the same language, so a majority of the lessons are done in a combination of English and basic Dutch.  Many of the students are from Somalia and Afghanistan, but there are also kids from Eastern Europe and other countries in the Middle East, whose families have tried to come to the Netherlands for better job opportunities.  In order to become a Dutch national, one of the most important steps is to learn the Dutch language and culture.  As we spoke with teachers and the director of St. Maarten's, we learned that understanding Dutch or English was literally a life or death situation for many of the students.  

This was by far one of the most interesting and heart-wrenching things I have been a part of.  The director explained to us that the Dutch government spends very little time and money towards efforts of this kind.  Overall, 90% of children and young adults that attempt to seek asylum in the Netherlands will be sent back to their home country.  We had a short meeting with the director and then split into small groups and visited classrooms.  I had the opportunity to two to a group of four girls; two from Poland, one from Belarus, and one from Ukraine.  Through a complicated dance of 4 different languages, we managed to have a conversation about school and what they like to do.  They also helped teach me a few   words in Dutch.  Although they were shy at first, all four of the girls were incredibly friendly and were excited to practice their English with me.  

My heart goes out to all of the students I met today because of the challenges they are up against.  Although they are in much different situations, they reminded me so much of my students at Advent House.  I have never seen perseverance or dedication like in those classrooms - even when the odds are stacked so high not int their favor.  Even knowing that these students come from terrible backgrounds, there was still a sincere and excited atmosphere in all of the classrooms.  The students were friendly and treated each other incredibly well.  Ironically, I thought here was a lot more happiness at St. Maarten's than we saw in any of the other schools.  

Day 8 - Paris, France

 After getting not nearly enough sleep at Mr. Bed City (our hotel) we set out for another full day of site-seeing in the city.  The five of us from the day before decided to stick together since there were a few things we didn't get to.  We headed directly back to the Eiffel Tower.  Although it was my 4th trip there in 24 hours, I am still completely in awe of the structure.  It is much larger than I had ever expected and both beautiful and structural at the same time.  there is an incredibly amount of detail in the iron work all over.  We waited in line for a few minutes and then got in huge elevators to head to the top.  On the second tier, you switch to smaller elevators that take you all the way to the 'summit'.  It was a beautiful day and there was a clear view of the city in every direction, I've never seen anything like it.

After the Eiffel Tower, we headed back to the Catacombs.  We got in line and were told it woud be almost a two hour wait.  We decided to go in shifts to grab something to eat so we could picnic in line while we waited.  Alesia and I stumbled across an awesome street market where I bought baguettes, cheese, and chocolate cake for us all to share.  I even ordered everything in French - I was very excited!

The catacombs were interesting but I wouldn't put it in the top of my list of things to recommend.  It was a unique attraction, but looking at bones for an hour is kind of unsettling.  We met a really nice guy from Penn State while we waited in line who went through the tour with us.  He was traveling on his own and decided to tag along with us.  We all decided to go to Pere Lachaise, the oldest and largest cemetery in the city on our way back.  I guess this was our creepy day in Paris.

After (another) long walk up hill, we found the cemetery and headed directly for Jim Morrison's grave.  This is the most popular area in the cemetery and we wanted to be able to say we saw it.  The entire area was fenced off but visitors had tossed in flowers, notes, CDs, and even a bra.  It was bizarre to see but also very cool to visit someone so influential and timeless.  We got back to the hotel just in time, hopped on the bus, and started our 6 hour trek back into the Netherlands.  Au Revoir Paris!

Paris Metro!

Paris at Night

Here is a video of us sharing a bottle of wine at the Eiffel Tower. It was magical at night and there were tons of people out relaxing. The city is like a new world at night!

Day 7 - Paris

Our first full day in Paris!  Last night at dinner we planned out an itinerary for the day so that we would see all of the sights.  Stef was incredibly prepared and had all of the Metro stops marked out so we could get to places fastest.  We started our whirlwind tour of Paris at Notre Dame Cathedral.  Much like the Eiffel Tower, I think I was most surprised by the size of it.  I can't even comprehend building something so huge and intricate and skilled with no technology, hundreds of years ago.  After that, we went to the Bastille and then to the Arc d'Triomphe.  We had a picnic lunch at the base and then climbed the stairs all the way to the top.  Besides the Eiffel Tower, this view of the city and of the Champs Elysees is probably the most famous in Paris.  Much to my surprise, all 15 of us had managed to stay together, and enjoy ourselves, up until this point.


Next on our whirlwind tour was the Catacomb.  In the 1800's there was a huge shortage of burial space in the Paris cemeteries, so people were buried in mass graves in quarries that were underneath the city.  For whatever reason, I'm stil unsure of, the city decided to have the mass grave reopened and the bones reorganized to form patterns, rooms, and hallways throughout the quarries.  I was under the impression this was kind of a weird, off-the-beaten-path, type of thing to do, but when we got there the line was too long.  At this point we decided to split up for dinner.

Allison, Stef, Alesia, Mary, and I decided to do the fastest tour of the Louvre in history.  We basically ran in, saw the Mona Lisa, and then had to leave.  We took the Metro to the northern side of the city and headed up to Montmartre to find a place to eat.  This area is in the highest elevated place in the city and is home to the historically artistic and bohemian neighborhood.  After climbing lots of stairs, we made it to the top.  The Sacre-Coeur, which is the church in the center of the neighborhood is one of the most beautiful things I have ever seen.  It is bright white with a large dome and has huge wide steps leading up to the front.  We had dinner at a really cute cafe down the street, all of us had crepes and wine.  After dinner, we sat on the steps in front of the church and watched people sing and play music.  There were hundreds of people everywhere relaxing, talking, drinking, and smoking.  (The French smoke a lot of cigarettes).  We met a really nice guy, whose name we think was "Bobcat" from Morocco that was telling us about school and life in Paris.  It was by far my favorite thing in the city.  The atmosphere reminded me so much of being at outdoor concerts at DTE, except it was set on top of a hill with the best view of one of the most beautiful cities in the world.

On our way home, we stopped and bought a bottle of wine and headed in the direction of the Eiffel Tower.  We wanted to go to the top at night to see how the whole city looked but we got there too late.  Instead, we sat on the lawn, shared a bottle of wine, gave our feet a break, and enjoyed some Parisian people-watching.

Day 6 - Paris, France

 Bonjour from Paris!!

Day 5 - Rotterdam, Netherlands

Today we visited de Catamaran, a community school in an urban area of Rotterdam.  This school had recently just moved into a brand new facility.  The space was beautiful and had everything you could imagine in a school.  The kindergarteners had castle play-scapes in their classrooms.  Every floor had two community computer centers at each end of the hallways.  There were colorful and hands on activity in every classroom.  Every class from 2nd to 8th grade had a smartboard.  It was pretty unbelievable for a primary school.  We met with the principal and had a really amazing chat about the community school atmosphere and system.  The highlight of the visit was when we were joined by 6 students from Group 8.  They had a conversation with us in English about what we liked to do, what they did in their free time, and what their plans were for the future.  They asked us questions about college and the United States.  It was so exciting to finally get a chance to speak with students about their school and education.

A few things I have noticed so far.  (1) I blend in much better here than I did in Turkey, which is both cool and strange.  I like not feeling like such a tourist and it is encouraging that I can fit in with life here more easily.  The bad part is is that I can only imagine how confused I look when people try to speak Dutch to me.  No one really even attempted that in Turkey.  (2) The Dutch are very straightforward.  We were running late to our school visit this morning because Rene was lost (yet again).  When we walked in and introduced ourselves the first thing the Principal said to us was, "Well, you are not early."  (3)  I love the way the Dutch say Michigan - it sounds a lot like "Mitch - again"  with a heavy T in the middle.

Nederlands Uitval

One of the things related to education that I have become very interested in is when and why students chose to drop out of school. In Lansing, I teach GED classes and work with students every day who have dropped out of school before graduating. For over a year I have spent time getting to know these students and trying to understand why traditional education did not work for them. Every single student has given me things to be aware of in my future classroom. The attention and dedication that they received (or more importantly, did not receive) from teachers directly influenced their choice to not complete high school.

One of the things I have noticed so far about school in the Netherlands is that it seems a lot more rigid. Students are essentially put into tracks and set into a career path from the time that the are 12 years old. I’m still undecided on whether or not this system is necessarily better or worse, but to me, this seems like it would be a very difficult system for students that find their motivation later than 12, don’t have the support at home to push themselves, or find themselves dealing with personal issues out of their control. I have worked with alternative learners in several different settings over the last few years and the common thing that I find among them is that it took a while for them to see the importance of education. The thing I want to find more out about is the drop-out rate in the Netherland schools. Also, what types of programs and options are available to students that do drop-out, but want to finish their education?

According to Nederlands Jeugd Instituut (The Netherlands Youth Institute) research on youth drop-out and unemployment. In 2009, the national drop-out rate for students aged 15-25 was 9%. This number is down from 15% in 2001. In comparison, the rates in the United States in 2008 and 2001 were 8% and 10.4%, respectively. The Netherlands government is concerned that this rate is so high and sees the importance of skilled and trained workers entering the job force. They set out a series of goals to help decrease the drop-out rate even more. These goals include:
            - Extra attention for a smooth transition from preparatory to intermediate vocational education
            - Better career orientation, academic study selection and guidance
            - More and better care in schools
attractive education, with sports and culture
             - More attention for preparatory vocational education students who learn best by doing
             - More tailored solutions to prevent school drop-out

Although these goals sound great, they leave some very important questions regarding actual implementation and practicality. The goals are more like guidelines than they are an actual plan to combat drop-outs and unemployment.

I spoke with Renee, our host in the Netherlands, about this matter as well. He said that there are programs available to students who chose to continue with their education after dropping out. Similar to programs in the United States, it is not the exact same as a high school diploma but is supposed to offer an equivalent level of education. He also mentioned that there are programs for parents who are less educated who chose to take additional classes in order to help their students with coursework.

I would like to explore these types of programs more in the coming weeks. I am fascinated by alternative education and non-traditional students. Everyone learns in many different ways, and I think it should be the goal of schools to find as many possibilities for students as they can. I would also like to know more about the priorities of the education policy makers - for instance, is drop-out prevention something they work hard to combat or are other things more important? I think learning more about the contrast between alternative programs in the US and the Netherlands would be an interesting avenue to investigate as well.

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Day 4 - Amsterdam and Rotterdam, Netherlands

Today was our last day in Amsterdam as a program.  Half of the group had a final school visit and the other half (my team) had a free morning in the city.  After breakfast, we all took the ferry back into the city and caught the tram to the Van Gogh museum.  We are all going to be public transportation professionals at the end of this trip.  The museum was beautiful and it was really interesting to see such iconic pictures first hand.  My favorite piece is his 'Sunflowers' installment.  In addition to Van Gogh's work, there were displays of his contemporaries and artist that influenced him over the years.  It is fascinating to know how all of these famous artists used to collaborate and hang out.

After lunch in the city and our museum visit, we headed back to (finally) say goodbye to the Botel.  We took a bus to the city of Rotterdam, checked into our hotel and had a wonderful dinner on the patio.  I am really liking the fact that people in Europe seem to enjoy and value their time a lot more than in the states, particularly at meal time.  Our dinner, which ended up being a huge four course feast, took about 3 and a half hours to complete.  I was especially happy because we happened to eat a a turkish restaurant, my study abroad worlds collided in the best meal of the trip so far.

The Hotel Bazar, where we are staying, is very interesting and eclectic.  They have food and decorations from all over the entire world.  Our room in particular looked like a southwestern pueblo.  Upstairs the girls had racy Spanish comics as wall paper and shrines to the virgin Mary.  Very strange but it was the best sleep we all gotten on the trip, we were just thankful to not be in a hotel that moved.  We have one full day in Rotterdam tomorrow and then on to Paris!

Day 3 - Amsterdam, Netherlands

We woke up early this morning for our second school visit to De Springstok, a local community school in the center of Amsterdam.  This school is in a neighborhood that is currently in transition.  The area had traditionally been home to lower income families but has recently seen a lot of artists, writers, and architects move into the area in attempts to revitalize it.  (It sounds very similar to what is happening in Grand Rapids and parts of Detroit.)  The population of the school was noticeably more diverse than the first school we visited, there are many more immigrant families in this section of the city.  A community school was not like anything I had seen before.  It was a combination between a traditional primary school (grades kindergarten to 8th group) and an active community center.  In addition to the normal school functions throughout the day, they offered daycare services, preschool, after school extracurriculars for students and neighborhood children that do not attend the school, Dutch language classes for parents, and computer classes for unemployed adults in the area.

The idea behind a community school is that it takes an entire village (neighborhood or community) to raise children.  They want their school to not only be a prominent part of their child's education, but also an important and visible part of everyday life in the community.  There were areas where parents could come and spend time and have a coffee in the center of the building so that they were surrounded by what was going on at school that day.  The philosophy at this particular school, which is not true of all community schools, is that students should become educated through "natural learning".  The way this was explained to us was that a student should learn by expanding the things they already know and are interested in, rather than just being told what they don't know yet.  They also made it very clear that although they adopted some of the same practices, Montessori education is a 'system' and Natural Learning is a 'concept'.  The director seemed slightly offended to be compared to the Montessori structure, even though they are very similar from observations.  I'm assuming there are some long standing rifts between these two educational structures.

We had lunch at a cafe that was the absolute epitome of a European bistro.  It was cozy and eclectic and the food was great.  After lunch, we went back to the Botel and had class for a few hours.  A couple of us had different sorts of plans for dinner so we went our separate ways.  I went to the Anne Frank House and Museum with Stef, Mary, and Alesia.  This was the house that the Frank family hid in for two years during the Nazi occupation of the area.  Otto Frank, Anne's Father, was the only survivor of the concentration campus of the eight people that lived int he house.  This was a really amazing thing to see in person.  The museum itself is very modest and understated but did a wonderful job in conveying the uneasiness and fear that the residents must have experienced.  It served as both a monument to all of the victims of the holocaust while still telling the story of only one girl. On our way out we each left a leaf on the digital Anne Frank Tree that serves as an ongoing and living tribute.  At night, we went out for a few drinks in the city to toast our last night in Amsterdam.  On to Rotterdam in the morning!

Day 2 - Amsterdam, Netherlands

This morning some of us got to go on our first school visit to a Montessori elementary school (students aged 4 - 12) in the city center.  At first I was disappointed that I didn't get to explore the city more but I really enjoyed our time there.  The liaison for the school was incredibly excited to have us and had just as many questions for us as we did for her.  I got to sit in on a Kindergarten class and they sang me "If You're Happy and You Know It" in English.  I'm really upset that I haven't been able to pick up any phrases in Dutch because I would have loved to talk to them.  A little boy named Peter told me a whole story and I would have loved to at least know what he was referring to.  We are in an extreme minority around here for only speaking one language.  We talked about the structure and intentions of Montessori schools and then got a tour of their classroom spaces.  It is funny how different the building looks from traditional American schools because there was still a very natural 'school' vibe.  The classrooms were all open to each other with a lot of common learning areas.  Every classroom had a designated reading corner with comfy chairs and pillows that students were allowed to use whenever they wanted.  There were also huge windows and skylights at every turn.  The building was designed intentionally so that you could see between almost all of the classrooms, so that no one class was isolated.  The Montessori philosophy is really fascinating.

After our visit we went out to lunch at a beautiful cafe down the street.  The weather today couldn't have been any more perfect for walking around all day.  We met for our first "class" and to go over our assignments for the week and then Renee took all of us on a canal tour of the city.  Even though we had walked around a lot by this afternoon and are becoming more and more familiar with the area, this was a really interesting way to see it.  There are canals, both natural and man-made, that run throughout the entire city.  There are also over 1,000 bridges.  This city really is unlike anywhere I have been before and I'm really excited to learn even more about it.  

Day 1 - Amsterdam, Netherlands

The plane trip was great and quick.  If I could always travel via direct flights, I would.  It was very surreal to fall asleep watching a movie (Country Strong was the best choice available) and wake up in a new country.  The Netherlands is beautiful so far but kind of overwhelming.  There is so much constantly going on, and there are people everywhere.  The weather was nice, sunny and about 60, but very windy.  We all met at the airport, and then took a train (and then a ferry, and then walked) to out hotel on the outside of the city.  Our host took us on a walking tour of the city and pointed out a few important landmarks so that we can find our way around the city.  He also showed us how to use all of the different types of public transportation so that we can get around easily.  One of my favorite things was the flower market along the water - it was so refreshing to finally see such beautiful colors after a bleak winter.

We got dinner at a great outdoor restaurant and listened to music and people-watched.  After dinner wandered around the city for a few more hours and then all met for a few Amstel's at the bar near our hotel.  Overall it was a great first day.  I was incredibly exhausted from traveling all night and I think I will enjoy having a fresh start to the day in the morning.

Here I Go!

I'm all packed, ready, and waiting at the airport for my flight.  My nerves have finally calmed down and I feel very excited.  For the next three weeks I will be visiting schools in The Netherlands, France, and Germany with a group of MSU students to learn more about the education structure in these countries.  I'm really looking forward to meeting some students and talking to them about their experiences in school.  I spend so much time in schools and thinking about education in the American school context, it will be very eye-opening to experience a model that is so different  More specifically, we will be examining technology integration and use in international classrooms.

 I'm am so excited about being able to travel again.  My first study abroad experience completely changed my life.  I grew as a person, learned how to be more independent, and had the chance to see so many things.  I've now had four years to reflect on that opportunity and grow up.  I can't think of a better way to book-end my college experience.  I studied abroad for the first time the summer after my freshman year.  I had no idea what I was getting myself into and was still unsure about what I wanted to do with my life.  Now that I have decided on a career that I am passionate about and am ready to start teaching, I think it will be a great chance to gather my thoughts and experience something new before starting on the next step of my life.

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