MIRANDA
Grade 1 Teacher |
MIRANDA
Grade 1 Teacher |
Tonight is our last night in Switzerland. I am excited to move on to France, but I have really loved my experience here. Switzerland is an absolutely gorgeous place, with friendly people, and great food. We have seen two schools that are both very different from each other, and schools in America.
Our first school was a forest school, where students literally hike to the forest and learn from the forest. It was so different from anything I’ve ever seen before in an educational setting. The students transitioned with music, and were free to explore play, the environment, and through each other. I think that it is a beautiful way for Pre-K aged children to begin to view the world. I wish more people were taught to appreciate nature at a young age, and to learn from it. To break bread, sing, and dance with them was an experience that I’ll never forget. The next school was a public school in Switzerland, and I cannot believe how open it was. We walked right in without having to show any ID or credentials, and for an American teacher who is used to locked doors and lockdown drills it was almost jarring. It made me feel very safe, peaceful, and also sad for students in America that they don’t get to experience that comfortable school setting. I also loved how many windows there were and how it didn’t feel closed off to nature or the rest of the world. Students go to school from 7:30-12, I believe, and are able to ride their bikes to and from school. We learned that their playground was created with input from the students and it was wonderful to see. There were many places for students to congregate together. I also thought that it was interesting to see a space without classrooms for teachers to work in. As much as I enjoy having my own classroom space to work in, it would be nice to have a space to collaborate with peers more often. So far, this has been a wonderful experience and I am looking forward to our next adventure! -Miranda
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In just a few hours we will begin our exciting journey. I am feeling both anxious and excited for this trip! I am thrilled to be going to two countries I’ve never been to before, Switzerland and Germany. They are both countries that I have been wanting to visit! I am also excited to travel back to France and see what it’s like outside of Paris. I love experiencing the culture of new places and noticing how similar and different it is from what I’m used to.
I am feeling anxious because yesterday was the close of the 2022-2023 school year with my first graders, and it feels like time is flying by as I try to make sure I ticked all the boxes packing up my classroom for the end of the year and my suitcase for this new adventure! I am also anxious because these next three weeks will be the longest I’ve spent away from my husband, Andrew. He is my best friend and it will be an adjustment to not be able to immediately share all of my new experiences with him. I am happy that I will be able to use this space to reflect on my experiences, and share them with anyone who is reading along! -Miranda PS. This post is late due to technical difficulties! Thanks for following along! |