29.10.2007 Structures and their consequences part 2

I found this revealing school schedule lesson plan at http://www.germany.info/ and there is a close link to my last blog photo - incidentally it shows the mail slots in a typical teachers lounge....do you see the similarities? The present school system breeds fragmention and "encourages" separation not deliberately but it "splits" and "divides" nevertheless and it does so in a 45 minutes rythm.

I have two DVDs in my shelf that show film clips of those few schools which have successfully overcome the negative consequences that are inherent in the box-like structure.The more far reaching one is called: Treibhäuser der Zukunft - or Incubators of the Future. It can be ordered at: http://www.archiv-der-zukunft.de/ . The other one stays closer to the existing framework of the present school policies of our State North-Rhine Westphalia and it has the defensive title of: It can be done ( ....inspite of the system's flaws ) - the italics are mine. It can be obtained free of charge at: http://www.selbststaendige-schule.de/ It has just been released and it provides very accurate background information about various types of schools and subjects. Both films make the learners, the teachers and the principals look human and very likable.

My prediction is that one far day the teachers themselves will use - or have to use - their own power in order to help create the kind of schools where not only the kids,the parents and the teachers want to belong but the sponsoring (business) community as well. These new schools will invent their own underlying structure which will then be free of the confining box structure ( see both photos ) - to make life enhancing learning and "thinking outside of the box" a common normality.

27.10.2007 structures and their consequences

When I read the blog entries of our three exchange students - who have only two more weeks to go in Belleville,Illinois - I can almost feel their enthusiasms and I am happy for them.Jan Schulze states that he prefers the US school system to the one here - it will be interesting to learn what exactly he is referring to.

Both systems have the same underlying structure and the attached photo may serve as a metaphor.The American system and the German system both rely on a number of boxes ( subjects ) that are taught without any links to each other i.e. the geography teacher may talk about the Arctic whereas the English teacher has Wales as his main theme and "the two shall never meet."

Even the layout of the schools in both countries are very similar.Long corridors with doors to wall enclosed classrooms one next to the other separated only by a wall (again see photo ).

What are the implications: Systemic Thinking can hardly be achieved in a school system based on such a fragmented and compartimentalized structure;the concept of Belonging in the sense of we are all ONE will be very difficult to achieve as well and strategies such as integration and holistic learning will most likely not get very far.

In America the National Center on Education and the Economy has just published a report which the commissioners titled:Tough Choices or Tough Times. In the report they press for dramatic changes in the entire field of education by stating :" we can get where we must go only by changing the system itself". Now that I am actively teaching again I am convinced that the German "box-based"system will also have to be replaced entirely.

21.10.2007 Dogs and Blogs

When I first discovered this cartoon in the latest edition of our popular Stern magazine I had to smile because I felt " ertappt" - for there is a certain truth in the picture when the dog compares his "marking-off territory" activity to the one we bloggers engage in. Bloggers want to leave their marks with high tech - dogs prefer to keep it low.

First we google and they sniff, then we post and they pee.....finally we wait for feedback and they for the wiff....doing it low-tech style only seems to be not very efficient for it certainly gets better results.

21.10.2007 A much awaited photo

Today I received this happy photo as an email from Dr. Allendorf....it came as an attachment to a mail that he had sent out to our three parents whose kids continue to benefit from their stay in Belleville.Apparantly our DAFK delegation had a safe although slightly delayed return trip from New York City - their second destination- yesterday. Dr. Allendorf's text states that our Paderborn youngsters are receiving high marks for their social skills and academic achievements.So pleased and also so relieved.

The photo shows from the left: Linda Driesner ( German teacher at Belleville East );Nils Sifrin ( Pelizaeus Gymnasium - his host partner Kyle Pointer - student at Belleville East - is unfortunately not in the picture);Katie McDowell ( German teacher at West Belleville Highschool );Robert Dahm ( principal of West Belleville HS );Doris Roach ( member and exchange coordinator at BSC ); Abigail Ernst - student at Belleville West; Bernd Broer ( President of DAFK ); Carolin Sale ( Pelizaeus Gymnasium - she is hosted by Abigail's family ); Jan Roland Schulze ( Goerdeler Gymnasium ); Jan's host partner - leaning on to the counter - is Luke Eckert - student at Belleville West.

I understand that we shall receive more details shortly and I look forward to post a photo of our entire delegation - including our smiling Landrat Mr. Manfred Mueller.

16.10.2007 Matsch Brötchen and Sloppy Joe

The other day I saw this sign at the counter of a small coffee stand at our central train station.What a great combo! Kids buy it.They finger a whole into the bread and stick the chocolate covered eggfoam into it.That's all they need for their next pausen-snack.

When I was at student in Eugene,Oregon I used to eat dinner on campus a lot - it was cheaper there and I enjoyed the company.One of my preferred evening dish was: sloppy joe - chopped up meat ( kind of Hackfleisch ) served on a toasted bun....I would add lots of pepper and ketch-up.

Now, if I were to prepare my "sloppy joe" dinner here in the evening and then follow it up with a serving of "matsch brötchen" the next morning would I then end up with a meshed brain by noon?

7.10.2007 The joy of giving

Each year I receive a certain letter from my former university.....it usually arrives in the summer.....well in time before the Fall trimester starts.This year's letter was no different and it began with: Dear Mr. E. Thank you so much for your ---- years of giving.Your support is very important to the University of Oregon etc.

At first these letters always seem to come at the wrong time.I usually let them sit - wishing they would just go away....but for some reason they linger on until they finally get my real attention.Today was such a moment.I didn't hesitate to enter my preferred amount, my credit card number and the designated purpose of my financial gift: in this case it is for the renovation of the International Center Project Fund.

I sealed the envelop and put on the needed stamps.Nothing more to do.And all the while I felt really good.Here I was - sending off hard earned euro/dollars to my former university - having feelings of appreciation and achievement.

It was so obvious once again: it may look like a paradox - I am sending away money that I could well use for myself - and it occurred to me that the very act of giving allows my mind to have the feeling that I can afford to do so - that I do indeed have these funds to spare.I realized once again it is the act of giving that creates the real joy...here, however, is the best part of this process: I believe that what you freely give to others will come back to you in even greater "numbers".

6.10.2007 Today is German - American Friendship Day

Some 20 short years ago President R. Reagan set aside October 6 to mark the friendship between the United States of America and of Germany ( then it was still called West-Germany ).The Wall was still up,the Euro hadn't been invented and the exchange rate of the Deutschmark was very much in favor of the US dollar...and just one year later the Deutsch Amerikanischer Freundeskreis - the DAFK - was founded.

Today we seem to live in a very much different world.We use the Internet and our mobile phones,we engage in virtual travels and yet when it comes to fly to the US it seems the excitement and anticipation haven't changed - as the delegates of our upcoming tour to Belleville and New York City will readily attest.May they have a great time during their explorations of the state of our current German-American friendship and a safe return.

1.10.2007 One hundred revised questions

Let us suppose one of our present exchange students from Paderborn wanted one day to immigrate to the US - live and work there for about at least five years and then he or she would want to apply to become a naturalized American citizen.Here are ten new and original questions from the one hundred he or she would have to study and then hopefully answer correctly.

How would they score on this test if they took it today?For the correct answers please visit www.iht.com/americas - that's where I found the questions as well.


10 Questions From the Redesigned Naturalization Test
Instructions: Read the following questions and write down your answers.


1. How many amendments does the Constitution have?
2. What stops one branch of government from becoming too powerful?
3. The House of Representatives has how many voting members?
4. There are four amendments to the Constitution about who can vote. Describe one of them.
5. What are two rights only for United States citizens?
6. The Federalist Papers supported the passage of the U.S. Constitution. Name one of the writers.
7. What territory did the United States buy from France in 1803?
8. Who was President during World War I?
9. Name one U.S. territory.
10. Why does the flag have 13 stripes?

How well did you - the reader - do?

1.10.2007 The joy of winning

A long time ago - when I received my Green Card at the American Consulate in Frankfurt I felt that I had struck gold:in that moment I had become a member of the winning team..a dream had come true....I was leaving my old Europe for a bright future with unlimited opportunities ahead of me....I would soon see the Statue of Liberty in New York - my city of choice...

And what a friendly welcome it was....no immigration hassles,no fingerprints, no intimidating questions and no fear of being sent off to prison or of being returned.I didn't have to worry of saying the wrong " lines "....the whole process at Norfolk Harbour took less than five minutes.I had arrived in the country of hope and her can- do attitude.

When I read the blogs of our three brave exchange students who are currently in Belleville,Illinois I am moved because one of them even states in his texts that he is having the best time of his life!( www.jan-in-da-usa.blogspot.com ) So apparantly there are two camps in the US right now: one that fears more 9/11 disasters and its negative consequences while the other continues to inspire and to attract.

When our Paderborn delegation arrives in our sister city on October 12 I know that they and their hosts will joyfully celebrate - for my America has been and always will be a welcoming place.