8th grade Shakespeare
Painting in the cafeteria of the Nepal International School. They are trying to raise money for the school.
Thursday
We went to the Zug school to observe again. First I watched the 8th graders perform a readers' theatre of Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet. It was really cool. I was with the same 6th grade that I was with on Wednesday. At the end of the day we had to present a reflection of the our time in the schools and workshops to the whole group. Mine was a poem. I'll post it below. I got the idea from the 6th grade English teacher I observed at the Zug school. She had the students read the poem by Shel Silverstein called the "Whatif" poem. I did a spin off of that to write my poem. It's funny because I had no idea what to write and I prayed about it and it all came flowing out.
Last night as I lay thinking here,
Some whatifs crawled inside my ear,
And pranced and partied all night long
And sang their teacher whatif song
What if I brought the world to my classroom?
What if my students walked away as a better citizen as well as student?
What if I held my students to higher standards than anyone before?
What if my students learned to be deeply caring?
What if I was the first person to take an interest in their lives?
What if I never gave up on them?
What if my passion sparks their passion?
What if I never got caught up in the daily routine?
What if they learn responsibility?
What if they find the answers to their own questions?
What if learning became a joy instead of a burden?
What if creativity and work ethic were the only things graded?
What if I don’t just prepare them for their next test, but I prepare them for life?
What if their thirst for knowledge never ceased?
What if it wasn’t about me, but about them?
What if they changed the world one day?
What if they changed the world tomorrow?
What if I gave them the tools to change the world today?
What if every teacher thought about theses things before class started?
What if each one of us took each of these things (what we’ve learned on this trip) into our classrooms?
As the wheels turn in my head
The last thing I want is to go to bed
Anything is possible when
The only barrier is within…
Can’t wait for the whatifs to strike again.
Friday
We got up early to go to a workshop at the Lucerne school. It was about teaching students learning a second language. It was very interesting. After the workshop we headed to the train station so we could catch a train to Geneva. It took about 3 hours to get there from Lucerne. On our way we passed through Lusanne. It is beautiful there. I really want to go back. Geneva is pretty too. Once we got to the train station, we were met by a bus who took us to our hotel in Crozet, a little town on the French side of the border. We have a beautiful view of Mont Blanc.
ThursdayWe went to the Zug school to observe again. First I watched the 8th graders perform a readers' theatre of Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet. It was really cool. I was with the same 6th grade that I was with on Wednesday. At the end of the day we had to present a reflection of the our time in the schools and workshops to the whole group. Mine was a poem. I'll post it below. I got the idea from the 6th grade English teacher I observed at the Zug school. She had the students read the poem by Shel Silverstein called the "Whatif" poem. I did a spin off of that to write my poem. It's funny because I had no idea what to write and I prayed about it and it all came flowing out.
Last night as I lay thinking here,
Some whatifs crawled inside my ear,
And pranced and partied all night long
And sang their teacher whatif song
What if I brought the world to my classroom?
What if my students walked away as a better citizen as well as student?
What if I held my students to higher standards than anyone before?
What if my students learned to be deeply caring?
What if I was the first person to take an interest in their lives?
What if I never gave up on them?
What if my passion sparks their passion?
What if I never got caught up in the daily routine?
What if they learn responsibility?
What if they find the answers to their own questions?
What if learning became a joy instead of a burden?
What if creativity and work ethic were the only things graded?
What if I don’t just prepare them for their next test, but I prepare them for life?
What if their thirst for knowledge never ceased?
What if it wasn’t about me, but about them?
What if they changed the world one day?
What if they changed the world tomorrow?
What if I gave them the tools to change the world today?
What if every teacher thought about theses things before class started?
What if each one of us took each of these things (what we’ve learned on this trip) into our classrooms?
As the wheels turn in my head
The last thing I want is to go to bed
Anything is possible when
The only barrier is within…
Can’t wait for the whatifs to strike again.
When we got back to Lucerne. Kacy and I went to visit the Lion Monument in town. It is very famous because it represents the soldiers who fought against the French.
FridayWe got up early to go to a workshop at the Lucerne school. It was about teaching students learning a second language. It was very interesting. After the workshop we headed to the train station so we could catch a train to Geneva. It took about 3 hours to get there from Lucerne. On our way we passed through Lusanne. It is beautiful there. I really want to go back. Geneva is pretty too. Once we got to the train station, we were met by a bus who took us to our hotel in Crozet, a little town on the French side of the border. We have a beautiful view of Mont Blanc.
"We're in France!!"
View from the bus...
Our hotel in Crozet
Saturday
This morning we got on the bus around 9 am. The bus took us through the area where the International Red Cross, UN headquarters, World Health Organization, and other international organizations are located. It was really neat. Then we met a tour guided for a walking tour through Old Town Geneva. It was really interesting. I will write more about it later. After the tour we went out on our own. My group of girls went back to the Red Cross Museum for a tour. It was really really neat. Then we walked down to where the UN is located to take pictures there. After that we headed back to the airport where we met the bus to take us to our hotel. It was a really good day. More to come later.
View from the bus...Our hotel in Crozet Saturday
This morning we got on the bus around 9 am. The bus took us through the area where the International Red Cross, UN headquarters, World Health Organization, and other international organizations are located. It was really neat. Then we met a tour guided for a walking tour through Old Town Geneva. It was really interesting. I will write more about it later. After the tour we went out on our own. My group of girls went back to the Red Cross Museum for a tour. It was really really neat. Then we walked down to where the UN is located to take pictures there. After that we headed back to the airport where we met the bus to take us to our hotel. It was a really good day. More to come later.
Roomies! Kacy, Alyssa, and me in front of the Opera house in Geneva at the beginning of the tour. 
Me in front of the monument that represents the Protestant Reformation. John Calvin was born in Geneva and started Geneva University.
Eating a yummy dessert after lunch.
Me in front of the monument that represents the Protestant Reformation. John Calvin was born in Geneva and started Geneva University.Eating a yummy dessert after lunch.Lady with the rabbit
The entrance to the International Red Cross Museum
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4 comments:
RACHEL!!! oh my goodness your trip sounds amazing! I am so glad that you are having a great time! I am kinda jealous! :) I hope that the rest of your trip is as great as the first part! You are amazing! cant wait to hear more when you get back! ~Becca
Aww thanks! You're the best!
HI,
Enjoying your comments, and love the poem.
Guess when the "Cake" fund in no longer needed, we will have to have a "Back to Geneva"fund!LOL
Love, Nana
Thanks Nana. That sounds like a good idea. You would love it here. Lots of chocolate and beautiful mountains.
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