17 December 2006

Teaching Globally


I was fortunate enough to become friends with a fellow Teacher in Germany. In the past year since we began talking and comparing educational systems of Germany and the U.S. it has made me so sad for the youth of America. My friend also teaches on the secondary level but the content levels are so vastly different. November was Holocaust Awareness Month and I decided to collect one page biographies of Children of the Holocaust for the students to read and begin QAR (Question-Answer-Relationship) on. I asked my friend to give me insight from a modern German's perspective, one that I could share with my classes. He is a Philosophy and Ethics Teacher. The material was wonderful but I knew would not be comprehended. When I sent a sample of what we were working on he was shocked. The reading and comprehension levels were that of what he would provide to 5Th graders. It was very disheartening to know that the students who need the most get the least.

Of my school, I have so many wonderful students who want to learn and grow. It breaks my heart to see the discouragement due to the behavior of a handful. Why must there be such a difference in education across the world?

My cousin spend 6 months with his fiancee (in photo) traveling through South and Central America teaching in small villages. They experienced what few of us have the opportunity to do, a selfless act.

My fellow Teacher is coming to the States on an exchange program for a few weeks in the spring. I am frightened to have him attend a day in the classroom with me. After listening to the wonderful projects and activities he has his classes work with. I am afraid my students would chew him up and spit him out. If the field trip to the Holocaust museum is any indicator. They managed to ask the most inappropriate questions to a young German man who was presenting a film. Questions like, "Were your family Nazi's?" "Why do you talk so funny?" "Are you a Nazi?" This poor young man managed to complete his presentation and walk away. I do not want them to do this to my friend but the boundaries are not set for these kids. They feel they can ask anything. Which can be a blessing and a curse.

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