Focus: Teaching a lesson
Because of the program's schedule, only 9 of our 10 visits took place on Tuesdays, so I popped in on a Friday to round off my semester.
The morning began with a bit of confusion on their part - they weren't used to seeing me on a different day - but they quickly settled to finish labeling and correcting maps they had drawn. I sat with A to help him complete his Venn Diagram, walking him through the process by which he would determine whether an item fell in one of the circles or in the overlap area. Students who had finished their maps and their Venn Diagrams completed a short microwriting session or added to the previous day's writing.
At 9:30, students engaged in quiet reading time. I pulled out K and I (and later M and J) to assess the progress they had made in reading comprehension since an intervention had begun for them in November. They each read a story that was 2 levels higher than where they had been initially and answered a few questions. If they answered all the comprehension questions correctly, they then tried another level up.
Mr. Barry later explained that the assessment was, in part, to test the method's effectiveness for each of the students as well as to determine their current levels. For many years, the school had simply thrown a variety of resources and supplements at students who lagged behind, hoping that something would work without knowing for certain. In recent waves of accountability, the focus has been on figuring out which interventions work and which ones don't. Interestingly, students who had tested on the same level initially and have been exposed to the same intervention have not all made the same progress. Some struggled with the initial test (2 levels higher than where they had started) while others excelled and completed tests at 3 or even 4 levels higher without issue. To me, this simply proved that students learn in different ways, and not every plan will work for every pupil.
For the rest of the morning, both before and after the break (which was sadly inside because of rain) the students researched different animals for their current science unit on food chains and predator-prey interactions. Mr. Barry explained to the students how they could create mind maps to organize the information they collected. I sat with W, who was eager to learn about sharks regardless of his partner R's absence.
Rain continued through lunch, forcing the students inside again. Containing the students within the small classroom proved treacherous as it removed their ability to put space between them and potential conflicts. More than one disagreement erupted as a result. Ms. Bryant and I took turns removing students from the classroom when the need arose. I had a particularly interesting interaction with J, who I would describe as introverted, but not shy. She has no issue interacting with other students, but I've seen her at times opt to work alone on an assignment when there is an odd number of students. She had been building with a pair of other students during the midmorning break and during the first part of the lunch hour (they eat their lunches right in the middle of the lunch hour, allowing them a chance to play before and then again after). During the last part of the lunch hour, she continued to build, but this time she gathered some materials and then found a quiet corner of the classroom away from other students. I checked in with her briefly and discovered that she was happy to be on her own. What I assessed as contented, however, Ms. Bryant thought to be loneliness. She subsequently tried to convince J to join other students, which she eventually did reluctantly.
After lunch, the students completed a short session of micromaths, followed by a chance to choose their own activities. 9 of the girls joined me for a dance lesson, although I ended up having to send 2 of them back to the classroom when they refused to listen to instructions. For those who remained, I opted for the animal game (in which they embody an animal and others try to guess) followed by the food chain game (a version of rock-paper-scissors that helps them understand the pyramid-nature of a food chain as only one person ends at the top and many more are at the bottom, with a medium number at the middle level) until it was time for the afternoon assembly.
Wednesday, May 14, 2014
St. Andrew's Visit 7: Planning a Unit of Work
Focus: Planning a Unit of Work
"A unit of work (sometimes described as a scheme of work in English schools) describes what earning is planned for students over a period of time"
This Tuesday was the first school day after a two-week holiday, so I was prepared for the students to be a little off their game. Their entrance was particularly morose (no one likes coming back to school after two weeks off) and the excessive chatting throughout the day indicated that their minds certainly had not joined their bodies in returning from the break.
Microwriting started the day, which went about as well as could be expected. Although the students all completed the assignment, they struggled to begin, so Mr. Barry tried to do a set on the board with them. He focused on adjectives and adverbs, which I decided to continue in their dance lesson that afternoon. As they completed microwriting, we collected their jotters and distributed FIFA World Cup sticker booklets, which they'll be using for their newest maths unit.
For the next few weeks, Year 4 will be learning to analyze and visually represent data. All the data will come from the booklets, which Mr. Barry was able to find for free. The data was particularly engaging for the boys, especially H, which was exciting because he either engages completely and does wonderful work or he doesn't engage at all and barely completes his assignments.
The assignment Tuesday was to choose four teams, find out the number of goals they had scored during the qualifying rounds, and draw a bar graph with the information. They then used the bar graphs to answer a series of questions. As is routine, Mr. Barry and I circled the room, providing assistance as needed. Unfortunately, many of the students hadn't been paying full attention when Mr. Barry had explained the instructions and the basics of bar graphs, which meant that I had to re-explain much of what had been covered all over again.
After lunch, Mr. Barry implemented micromaths for the first time, which is a series of short maths problems meant to keep the students' skills sharp and enhance their mental maths capabilities. They then changed into their PE kits for dance.
I led the class into the hall, where we started with the brain dance. Once they had warmed up, we talked briefly about the functions of adjectives and adverbs before they moved across the room based on different words. However, when I tried to put them into groups for the next part of the lesson - guessing adjectives I assigned - chaos ensued. It took nearly 7 minutes for them to settle, forcing me to rush the instructions.
After my lesson, we attended an assembly led by Mrs. East, the head teacher. She asked the students how their holidays had been and then taught them about William Shakespeare in honor of his birthday. After the assembly, Mr. Barry tested the students on time, which they had been learning before the holiday. He asked them each to answer a question before leaving, making sure that they didn't start to lose the progress they had previously made.
"A unit of work (sometimes described as a scheme of work in English schools) describes what earning is planned for students over a period of time"
This Tuesday was the first school day after a two-week holiday, so I was prepared for the students to be a little off their game. Their entrance was particularly morose (no one likes coming back to school after two weeks off) and the excessive chatting throughout the day indicated that their minds certainly had not joined their bodies in returning from the break.
Microwriting started the day, which went about as well as could be expected. Although the students all completed the assignment, they struggled to begin, so Mr. Barry tried to do a set on the board with them. He focused on adjectives and adverbs, which I decided to continue in their dance lesson that afternoon. As they completed microwriting, we collected their jotters and distributed FIFA World Cup sticker booklets, which they'll be using for their newest maths unit.
For the next few weeks, Year 4 will be learning to analyze and visually represent data. All the data will come from the booklets, which Mr. Barry was able to find for free. The data was particularly engaging for the boys, especially H, which was exciting because he either engages completely and does wonderful work or he doesn't engage at all and barely completes his assignments.
The assignment Tuesday was to choose four teams, find out the number of goals they had scored during the qualifying rounds, and draw a bar graph with the information. They then used the bar graphs to answer a series of questions. As is routine, Mr. Barry and I circled the room, providing assistance as needed. Unfortunately, many of the students hadn't been paying full attention when Mr. Barry had explained the instructions and the basics of bar graphs, which meant that I had to re-explain much of what had been covered all over again.
After lunch, Mr. Barry implemented micromaths for the first time, which is a series of short maths problems meant to keep the students' skills sharp and enhance their mental maths capabilities. They then changed into their PE kits for dance.
I led the class into the hall, where we started with the brain dance. Once they had warmed up, we talked briefly about the functions of adjectives and adverbs before they moved across the room based on different words. However, when I tried to put them into groups for the next part of the lesson - guessing adjectives I assigned - chaos ensued. It took nearly 7 minutes for them to settle, forcing me to rush the instructions.
After my lesson, we attended an assembly led by Mrs. East, the head teacher. She asked the students how their holidays had been and then taught them about William Shakespeare in honor of his birthday. After the assembly, Mr. Barry tested the students on time, which they had been learning before the holiday. He asked them each to answer a question before leaving, making sure that they didn't start to lose the progress they had previously made.
"Just don't eat my arm"
Although Spring Break had technically ended already, I still had one more adventure in the books: a weekend in Manchester and London. Around midday Thursday, Megan, Mackenzie and I grabbed our bags and headed back to the train station to catch our train to Bristol. Because of a delay, we missed our initial train to Machester, but we were able to grab the next train, getting us into Manchester at around 4:30. A bus took us to our hostel, where we dropped our bags, and then back into the city center.
We ate dinner a few blocks away from the concert hall we would be sitting in later that night at a cute little Italian restaurant. I managed to find a dish that was mostly kosher for Passover - no pasta or breading on the chicken - which was a welcome surprise. We ate quickly, knowing we only had a limited amount of time before we had to be out. From the restaurant, we walked to the main feature of our visit: a Piano Guys concert! Although Mackenzie isn't as big of a fan, Megan and I were ecstatic to be there. We bounced giddily in our seats as they played our favorite pieces - "Secrets" for me, "Titanium" for Megan - and even Mackenzie jammed along when they closed the show with "What Makes you Beautiful." We returned to the hostel after the show and went straight to sleep, excited for the rest of our weekend to begin.
I spent Friday morning doing some important shopping in Manchester while Megan and Mackenzie found a cafe to do some work, where I met them in time to catch our midday train into London. Once we got into London, we decided that we needed to drop off our bags and then find something to eat (Megan's response to Mackenzie's complaint of hunger became the title of this blog), so we hopped on the tube to our hostel to check in. Once we had left our things, we took the tube back in and grabbed a late lunch (this time I found Passover-friendly salmon), followed by a quick scoop of ice cream.
We decided to buy tickets for one of those hop on-hop off buses and spent the rest of the afternoon seeing the landmarks of London from the top of a double-decker bus. Although it got a bit chilly on the top deck, we had a fantastic time seeing the city from a whole new perspective. After dinner at a normal time, we finally headed back to the hostel to plan our Saturday adventures.
My Saturday started a bit earlier than my roommate's. As part of our tour bus ticket, we could watch the changing of the guard ceremony with the tour company. Although Megan and Mackenzie weren't interested, I certainly was, so I headed into the city early and agreed to meet them afterwards for lunch. The tour left from Trafalgar Square and traveled to the oldest residence of the palace complex, the soldier's barracks, Buckingham Palace, and finally the Clarendon residence. Getting to watch the changing of the guard was fantastically fun, and I was glad to have taken the opportunity.
After the ceremony ended, I took the tube to King's Cross Station, where Megan, Mackenzie and I took our pictures at platform 9 3/4. We waited in line, growing increasingly excited each time we got closer to the front. When our turn finally arrived, I went first, announcing "Slytherin" when asked for my house. One of the women working there had wrapped the Slytherin scarf around her neck to demonstrate how to avoid crushing your fingers, and she had to be called over so that I could wear it for my photo. When she heard that I was a Slytherin, she cheered and gave me a high-five before handing over the scarf. While I posed, she chatted with Mackenzie. When I went to return the scarf, she asked me what I was doing hanging out with a Gryffindor. I joked that I was really friends with her sister the Ravenclaw, and all was forgiven.
After we took our pictures at King's Cross Station, we rode the tube to Westminster Station for a London Walk to see some of the locations used for filming the Harry Potter. The guide asked trivia questions, and we were proud to answer some of the more difficult questions. Our answers regularly earned stickers not just for us but for some of the younger participants. Unfortunately, we had to duck out early so that we could make it to London Euston Station and take our train to Watford Junction. From there, we caught a bus to the Harry Potter Studio Tour.
The Studio Tour was incredible. We walked through the Great Hall and marveled at the costumes and still-standing sets. We gaped at the various books and potions, amazed by the number of props that had been created for the film series. Outside, we met a pair of owls, who had played Hedwig and Pigwidgeon in the films. We climbed aboard the night bus and rode on Hagrid's motorcycle. We crossed the bridge that exploded in the last film ("BOOM!"). The second half of the tour brought us through the creation of many of the monsters, followed by a stroll down Diagon Alley. Finally, we reached the exhibit on model building and concept art, which led to the model of Hogwarts built for the last film. The moment of seeing that was overwhelming, as if for a moment, the fiction became reality, and every instant of the tour had led to it.
We explored the gift shop and grabbed a bite at the cafe after the tour before heading back into London, where we took the tube back to our hostel for the night. We had to be up early the next morning to get to Paddington. I waited there while Megan brought her sister back to Heathrow, and then we hopped on the train back to Bath. Back home.
We ate dinner a few blocks away from the concert hall we would be sitting in later that night at a cute little Italian restaurant. I managed to find a dish that was mostly kosher for Passover - no pasta or breading on the chicken - which was a welcome surprise. We ate quickly, knowing we only had a limited amount of time before we had to be out. From the restaurant, we walked to the main feature of our visit: a Piano Guys concert! Although Mackenzie isn't as big of a fan, Megan and I were ecstatic to be there. We bounced giddily in our seats as they played our favorite pieces - "Secrets" for me, "Titanium" for Megan - and even Mackenzie jammed along when they closed the show with "What Makes you Beautiful." We returned to the hostel after the show and went straight to sleep, excited for the rest of our weekend to begin.
I spent Friday morning doing some important shopping in Manchester while Megan and Mackenzie found a cafe to do some work, where I met them in time to catch our midday train into London. Once we got into London, we decided that we needed to drop off our bags and then find something to eat (Megan's response to Mackenzie's complaint of hunger became the title of this blog), so we hopped on the tube to our hostel to check in. Once we had left our things, we took the tube back in and grabbed a late lunch (this time I found Passover-friendly salmon), followed by a quick scoop of ice cream.
We decided to buy tickets for one of those hop on-hop off buses and spent the rest of the afternoon seeing the landmarks of London from the top of a double-decker bus. Although it got a bit chilly on the top deck, we had a fantastic time seeing the city from a whole new perspective. After dinner at a normal time, we finally headed back to the hostel to plan our Saturday adventures.
My Saturday started a bit earlier than my roommate's. As part of our tour bus ticket, we could watch the changing of the guard ceremony with the tour company. Although Megan and Mackenzie weren't interested, I certainly was, so I headed into the city early and agreed to meet them afterwards for lunch. The tour left from Trafalgar Square and traveled to the oldest residence of the palace complex, the soldier's barracks, Buckingham Palace, and finally the Clarendon residence. Getting to watch the changing of the guard was fantastically fun, and I was glad to have taken the opportunity.
After the ceremony ended, I took the tube to King's Cross Station, where Megan, Mackenzie and I took our pictures at platform 9 3/4. We waited in line, growing increasingly excited each time we got closer to the front. When our turn finally arrived, I went first, announcing "Slytherin" when asked for my house. One of the women working there had wrapped the Slytherin scarf around her neck to demonstrate how to avoid crushing your fingers, and she had to be called over so that I could wear it for my photo. When she heard that I was a Slytherin, she cheered and gave me a high-five before handing over the scarf. While I posed, she chatted with Mackenzie. When I went to return the scarf, she asked me what I was doing hanging out with a Gryffindor. I joked that I was really friends with her sister the Ravenclaw, and all was forgiven.
After we took our pictures at King's Cross Station, we rode the tube to Westminster Station for a London Walk to see some of the locations used for filming the Harry Potter. The guide asked trivia questions, and we were proud to answer some of the more difficult questions. Our answers regularly earned stickers not just for us but for some of the younger participants. Unfortunately, we had to duck out early so that we could make it to London Euston Station and take our train to Watford Junction. From there, we caught a bus to the Harry Potter Studio Tour.
The Studio Tour was incredible. We walked through the Great Hall and marveled at the costumes and still-standing sets. We gaped at the various books and potions, amazed by the number of props that had been created for the film series. Outside, we met a pair of owls, who had played Hedwig and Pigwidgeon in the films. We climbed aboard the night bus and rode on Hagrid's motorcycle. We crossed the bridge that exploded in the last film ("BOOM!"). The second half of the tour brought us through the creation of many of the monsters, followed by a stroll down Diagon Alley. Finally, we reached the exhibit on model building and concept art, which led to the model of Hogwarts built for the last film. The moment of seeing that was overwhelming, as if for a moment, the fiction became reality, and every instant of the tour had led to it.
We explored the gift shop and grabbed a bite at the cafe after the tour before heading back into London, where we took the tube back to our hostel for the night. We had to be up early the next morning to get to Paddington. I waited there while Megan brought her sister back to Heathrow, and then we hopped on the train back to Bath. Back home.
Monday, May 5, 2014
"They wanted their independence, and when they got it, they didn't like it"
Although our spring break had ended, students in England got another week of holiday, so on the first Tuesday back, Andrew Butterworth led us on a field trip to the local American Museum. Housed in an old country house on the outskirts of Bath, the museum is the only one of its kind in the UK. There, we got a special tour courtesy of Emily, who interns at the museum.
Our afternoon started in the heritage rooms, the museum's display on Native Americans. The space often hosts school groups and was designed to be very kid-friendly, including many interactive displays and a few dress-up stations, of which we took full advantage. Although the whole museum was fun, I have to say that one of the greatest moments was watching Andrew Butterworth don a cowboy hat.
All joking aside, we did have a task embedded in our trip. Andrew asked us to look at the exhibits not as visitors to the museums but as future teachers, bringing students of our own on a field trip. We talked about what ages would do well in the setting as well as how it could tie into different aspects of the curriculum. Emily shared some of her experiences working with school groups and developing materials for younger students.
From the heritage rooms we moved into the period rooms, which are extraordinarily unique. Each room is a space that has been transplanted directly from the US. Every aspect comes from the original room - wallpaper, furniture, everything. The rooms are arranged to move through history from just after the Revolutionary War (known here as the War of American Independence) through the early and mid 1800s. Each room features a volunteer who is knowledgeable about all the details of the room. For instance, the man who worked in the first room - an old tavern from the period immediately following the Revolutionary War - told the story of an early rebellion, which he summed up in the quote I pulled for the title of this post.
The woman who works in the lush New Orleans room, dated from the early 1800s, had a wonderful time pointing out the mustache comb and teaching us about the mirror, which was slightly curved so that no matter how close you stood to it, you could always see your feet. Although Andrew didn't quite understand why, we all delighted in walking up to it and discovering this fact for ourselves.
One of the other features in the museum is their vast collection of quilts and textiles. On the day we visited, they were actually hosting a quilting bee in the room where the quilts are displayed. The perfect place for a quilting bee, right?
At the end of our visit, we stopped in the café for tea. The chef appeared with a beautiful cake, which we topped with candles to celebrate Tory's birthday, which we had missed while on our break. When we cut into the cake, we discovered that the batter had been colored, revealing a bright, colorful tie-dye effect. Andrew brought out tea for the table, and we listened to a few of the folk tales Emily shares with students on her tours until it was time to go.
Our afternoon started in the heritage rooms, the museum's display on Native Americans. The space often hosts school groups and was designed to be very kid-friendly, including many interactive displays and a few dress-up stations, of which we took full advantage. Although the whole museum was fun, I have to say that one of the greatest moments was watching Andrew Butterworth don a cowboy hat.
All joking aside, we did have a task embedded in our trip. Andrew asked us to look at the exhibits not as visitors to the museums but as future teachers, bringing students of our own on a field trip. We talked about what ages would do well in the setting as well as how it could tie into different aspects of the curriculum. Emily shared some of her experiences working with school groups and developing materials for younger students.
From the heritage rooms we moved into the period rooms, which are extraordinarily unique. Each room is a space that has been transplanted directly from the US. Every aspect comes from the original room - wallpaper, furniture, everything. The rooms are arranged to move through history from just after the Revolutionary War (known here as the War of American Independence) through the early and mid 1800s. Each room features a volunteer who is knowledgeable about all the details of the room. For instance, the man who worked in the first room - an old tavern from the period immediately following the Revolutionary War - told the story of an early rebellion, which he summed up in the quote I pulled for the title of this post.
The woman who works in the lush New Orleans room, dated from the early 1800s, had a wonderful time pointing out the mustache comb and teaching us about the mirror, which was slightly curved so that no matter how close you stood to it, you could always see your feet. Although Andrew didn't quite understand why, we all delighted in walking up to it and discovering this fact for ourselves.
One of the other features in the museum is their vast collection of quilts and textiles. On the day we visited, they were actually hosting a quilting bee in the room where the quilts are displayed. The perfect place for a quilting bee, right?
At the end of our visit, we stopped in the café for tea. The chef appeared with a beautiful cake, which we topped with candles to celebrate Tory's birthday, which we had missed while on our break. When we cut into the cake, we discovered that the batter had been colored, revealing a bright, colorful tie-dye effect. Andrew brought out tea for the table, and we listened to a few of the folk tales Emily shares with students on her tours until it was time to go.
Sunday, May 4, 2014
Spring Break Part 5: "I've never been serenaded by an accordion on the French metro"
I arrived back in France on Saturday morning and made my way to the hostel on the metro. Once I arrived at the right stop, however, I got a bit turned around and ended up heading in the wrong direction. Luckily, a number of kind locals helped me get back to where I needed to go. Megan and her sister Mackenzie arrived not long after I did, and we set off for the center of the city.
To get back into the city, we hopped back on the metro. Just after we got on, a gentleman stepped on carrying a speaker and an accordion. As the train began to move, he began to play, swaying with his music. Megan, Mackenzie and I just turned to each other, at which point Megan made the comment I pulled for the title.
Our first stop of the day was the Tour Eiffel, where we ate lunch. They served the food picnic style, basket and all, with each dish in a small tuperware. Although it was a bit expensive, how many times will you get the chance to eat a meal on the Eiffel Tower? The view was incredible and well worth the trip up. Although Megan and Mackenzie decided to continue up the rest of the tower, I opted to go back to the base. I wandered through the garden behind the tower for a bit and then met them when they returned. We decided it was time for a snack, so we found a stall selling crepes and at them as we walked along.
Our next stop was the Arc de Triomphe, which unfortunately was covered in scaffolding on one side. We walked along the Champs Elysees, passing the many restaurants and shops along its route as we headed toward the Louvre. We walked by three palaces on one corner and monuments to Charles de Gaulle and King Louis XIV (or maybe it was XVI?). We meandered through the gardens that led us to the Louvre, where we finally arrived. Although we didn't have the time to go in, we did get to see the courtyards and the pyramids within them.
Our stomachs started to growl, so we found a creperie around the corner and grabbed dinner there. After we ate, we found a bakery a few streets away so that we could buy macaroons to eat as a snack later that night. Snack in hand, we returned to the river bank beside the Louvre and bought tickets for a hop-on-hop-off boat tour that would bring us past many of the monuments. We hopped on at dusk and rode first to the Tour Eiffel, watching as it lit up for the evening, showered in gold light. We stayed on for the full tour, riding by the Notre Dame as we came around to the Louvre again. There, we hopped of for just a few minutes to see the pyramids again - now lit - and devour our snack. One of my favorite moments was standing in front of the Louvre and being able to look all the way down the Champs Elysees to see the Arc de Triomphe glowing at the other end. We rejoined the next boat to arrive, which brought us back to the Tour Eiffel so we could take the metro back to our hostel.
When we woke up Sunday morning, we had enough time to grab a leisurely breakfast and pack our things before heading back to the train station. We took the chunnel back to London, then the tube to Paddington Station, and finally a train back to Bath. Spring break had come to an end.
To get back into the city, we hopped back on the metro. Just after we got on, a gentleman stepped on carrying a speaker and an accordion. As the train began to move, he began to play, swaying with his music. Megan, Mackenzie and I just turned to each other, at which point Megan made the comment I pulled for the title.
Our first stop of the day was the Tour Eiffel, where we ate lunch. They served the food picnic style, basket and all, with each dish in a small tuperware. Although it was a bit expensive, how many times will you get the chance to eat a meal on the Eiffel Tower? The view was incredible and well worth the trip up. Although Megan and Mackenzie decided to continue up the rest of the tower, I opted to go back to the base. I wandered through the garden behind the tower for a bit and then met them when they returned. We decided it was time for a snack, so we found a stall selling crepes and at them as we walked along.
Our next stop was the Arc de Triomphe, which unfortunately was covered in scaffolding on one side. We walked along the Champs Elysees, passing the many restaurants and shops along its route as we headed toward the Louvre. We walked by three palaces on one corner and monuments to Charles de Gaulle and King Louis XIV (or maybe it was XVI?). We meandered through the gardens that led us to the Louvre, where we finally arrived. Although we didn't have the time to go in, we did get to see the courtyards and the pyramids within them.
Our stomachs started to growl, so we found a creperie around the corner and grabbed dinner there. After we ate, we found a bakery a few streets away so that we could buy macaroons to eat as a snack later that night. Snack in hand, we returned to the river bank beside the Louvre and bought tickets for a hop-on-hop-off boat tour that would bring us past many of the monuments. We hopped on at dusk and rode first to the Tour Eiffel, watching as it lit up for the evening, showered in gold light. We stayed on for the full tour, riding by the Notre Dame as we came around to the Louvre again. There, we hopped of for just a few minutes to see the pyramids again - now lit - and devour our snack. One of my favorite moments was standing in front of the Louvre and being able to look all the way down the Champs Elysees to see the Arc de Triomphe glowing at the other end. We rejoined the next boat to arrive, which brought us back to the Tour Eiffel so we could take the metro back to our hostel.
When we woke up Sunday morning, we had enough time to grab a leisurely breakfast and pack our things before heading back to the train station. We took the chunnel back to London, then the tube to Paddington Station, and finally a train back to Bath. Spring break had come to an end.
Spring Break Part 4: Hamburg, Germany
As night began to fall in Venice, I rolled my suitcase onto my first night train, which would take me to Munich. From there, I jumped on a train up to Hamburg. I took the tram to my hostel before I set off for the small neighborhood of Harburg.
You're probably thinking - why Harburg? It's a valid question, and one that I was asked often. Each time, I had the same response.
In the late 1920s, my grandmother was born in the suburb of Harburg-by-Hamburg. Her family fled in the mid 1930s to America, and she's never looked back. She'll tell us stories about growing up in New York, like how her older brother used to sneak her under the subway turnstiles, or about the day that she got home and met the man she would later marry studying with her brother, but Germany is off limits. To this day, my grandmother has never returned to the town where she was born. In fact, to my knowledge, none of the family has been back.
Until me.
I couldn't do much while I was there. Because she won't talk about her old life, we don't know exactly where she grew up, or what school she went to, or anything like that. I was, however, able to find a few buildings that were built in the late 1800s, old enough to have seen my grandmother's childhood. I wondered often whether she ever knew they were there.
After an emotional afternoon in Harburg, I returned to the city center and wandered through the botanical gardens. After the flowers in Italy had been in full bloom, it was amazing to see the buds in Germany just beginning to open up. I took the trams back to the hostel and found something to eat before going to bed.
The next morning, I set off just after breakfast, leaving my suitcase in luggage storage once again. I spent the morning near the center of town, exploring the Brahms and Telemann museums, honoring a pair of musicians who called Hamburg "home" at different points in their lives. From there I saw St. Michael's, the most famous church in Hamburg, and then it was off to the old town hall, called the "Rathaus" (which I pronounced as "rat house" but I'm not sure if that was right), where I picked up a late lunch.
I spent the afternoon down on the harbor, including a visit to the Miniature Wonderland. I'm not an artist, so the precision of the work there was absolutely incredible. Tiny people lived in little houses. Day became night and then day again. The USA area was particularly entertaining, featuring Mount Rushmore and Las Vegas as the main attractions.
I took the trams back to the hostel to pick up my bag and then went back to the central train station, where I bought dinner until it was time for my train. The second night train would take me to Paris, the last stop on my spring break.
You're probably thinking - why Harburg? It's a valid question, and one that I was asked often. Each time, I had the same response.
In the late 1920s, my grandmother was born in the suburb of Harburg-by-Hamburg. Her family fled in the mid 1930s to America, and she's never looked back. She'll tell us stories about growing up in New York, like how her older brother used to sneak her under the subway turnstiles, or about the day that she got home and met the man she would later marry studying with her brother, but Germany is off limits. To this day, my grandmother has never returned to the town where she was born. In fact, to my knowledge, none of the family has been back.
Until me.
I couldn't do much while I was there. Because she won't talk about her old life, we don't know exactly where she grew up, or what school she went to, or anything like that. I was, however, able to find a few buildings that were built in the late 1800s, old enough to have seen my grandmother's childhood. I wondered often whether she ever knew they were there.
After an emotional afternoon in Harburg, I returned to the city center and wandered through the botanical gardens. After the flowers in Italy had been in full bloom, it was amazing to see the buds in Germany just beginning to open up. I took the trams back to the hostel and found something to eat before going to bed.
The next morning, I set off just after breakfast, leaving my suitcase in luggage storage once again. I spent the morning near the center of town, exploring the Brahms and Telemann museums, honoring a pair of musicians who called Hamburg "home" at different points in their lives. From there I saw St. Michael's, the most famous church in Hamburg, and then it was off to the old town hall, called the "Rathaus" (which I pronounced as "rat house" but I'm not sure if that was right), where I picked up a late lunch.
I spent the afternoon down on the harbor, including a visit to the Miniature Wonderland. I'm not an artist, so the precision of the work there was absolutely incredible. Tiny people lived in little houses. Day became night and then day again. The USA area was particularly entertaining, featuring Mount Rushmore and Las Vegas as the main attractions.
I took the trams back to the hostel to pick up my bag and then went back to the central train station, where I bought dinner until it was time for my train. The second night train would take me to Paris, the last stop on my spring break.
Saturday, May 3, 2014
Spring Break Part 3: Venice, Italy
From Florence I took a train to Venice, arriving in mid afternoon. I checked into my hostel and then set off to explore the beautiful city. Although you can get a map of Venice, they don't help all that much. It's easier (and more fun) to just follow the signs from one place to another. I spent my first few hours just exploring, wandering through the narrow streets and over the innumerable canals.
Unexpectedly, I found the old Jewish quarter on my travels. After learning about it in my Mythologizing Shakespeare class (we covered The Merchant of Venice among other plays), it was intriguing to see its remains. To this day, the area is populate by Jews. The restaurants in the area are kosher, as is the little grocer's stall. Shops sell Jewish jewelry and art. Around every corner was a sign wishing residents and visitors a happy Pesach. After exploring the area a bit, I noticed the sun had begun to set, so I headed back to the hostel to grab dinner and get to bed.
The next morning, I woke up early. I packed my things and brought my bag to the luggage storage that the hostel provided before grabbing a cup of tea and a light breakfast. I set out for the Ponte Rialto and the Piazza San Marco, two of the most famous aspects of Venice. One of the greatest parts of waking up early was that when I arrived at the Piazza, very few tourists had woken up. I got to see the monuments without the crowds that would appear later in the day. I wandered around for a bit and then headed for Academia, an area filled with art schools and galleries. I found a cafe for lunch, and then treated myself to gelato before going back to the Piazza to go into some of the monuments I had seen earlier in the day.
I started with the Doge's palace, which was probably my favorite site of the day. I especially loved the golden staircase, so named because of the gold leaf covering much of the ceiling. After spending a good portion of the afternoon there, I toured the inside of the Basilica and then walked across the Piazza to a museum made of rooms that were once the Empress's chambers. It was so interesting to see the two different living areas on opposite ends of the square. Though originally inhabited at different times, they both had the same royal feel.
Finally, I made my way back toward the train station. I grabbed a bite to eat and picked up my bag, moving my belongings around so that I would be ready for the train that would take me to my next stop: Germany.
Unexpectedly, I found the old Jewish quarter on my travels. After learning about it in my Mythologizing Shakespeare class (we covered The Merchant of Venice among other plays), it was intriguing to see its remains. To this day, the area is populate by Jews. The restaurants in the area are kosher, as is the little grocer's stall. Shops sell Jewish jewelry and art. Around every corner was a sign wishing residents and visitors a happy Pesach. After exploring the area a bit, I noticed the sun had begun to set, so I headed back to the hostel to grab dinner and get to bed.
The next morning, I woke up early. I packed my things and brought my bag to the luggage storage that the hostel provided before grabbing a cup of tea and a light breakfast. I set out for the Ponte Rialto and the Piazza San Marco, two of the most famous aspects of Venice. One of the greatest parts of waking up early was that when I arrived at the Piazza, very few tourists had woken up. I got to see the monuments without the crowds that would appear later in the day. I wandered around for a bit and then headed for Academia, an area filled with art schools and galleries. I found a cafe for lunch, and then treated myself to gelato before going back to the Piazza to go into some of the monuments I had seen earlier in the day.
I started with the Doge's palace, which was probably my favorite site of the day. I especially loved the golden staircase, so named because of the gold leaf covering much of the ceiling. After spending a good portion of the afternoon there, I toured the inside of the Basilica and then walked across the Piazza to a museum made of rooms that were once the Empress's chambers. It was so interesting to see the two different living areas on opposite ends of the square. Though originally inhabited at different times, they both had the same royal feel.
Finally, I made my way back toward the train station. I grabbed a bite to eat and picked up my bag, moving my belongings around so that I would be ready for the train that would take me to my next stop: Germany.
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