SARAH
Elementary Education
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SARAH
Elementary Education
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Another week has passed in Siena, and I can’t believe how the time is flying.
This week in grade 2 we continued our water unit. On Monday, we made water filters! We briefly explained the large scale water filtration system to the students once again, supplied them with bottles and materials, and then set them loose! I gathered some muddy water from a nearby construction site, and started to pour it through their filters. One group, was able to get their water almost completely clear again! *See images below.* We had a big discussion about what they used, why they chose the materials they did, and what they would change were they to try and build a filter again. One of the biggest differences I've noticed between this school and schools where I've worked back home is the lack of traditional forms of assessment. Students are not taking weekly language or math tests. They aren't completing a worksheet for every single new idea they learn. Instead, their thinking about a topic is recorded, the process of their learning documented, and they usually do some sort of hands on project - like the water filters or the models of the filtration systems I wrote about last week. The IB places a much larger emphasis on action as assessment, rather than on traditional forms of testing. The idea being that if students are truly engaged in their learning, they will want to apply it in real life situations. Throughout the water unit, we have been encouraging the students to take note of the water-related problems they’re learning about and think about how they can be responsible and take action to solve these problems. Over the past few weeks in math, we’ve been working on calculating the amount of water we use to wash our hands. The tap in the bathroom is one of those automatic ones that you can’t stop - you just press the button and it runs until it’s done. First, we calculated how many plastic cups come out with one press of the button (it was 12 cups - not a cup as in the unit of measurement, just one of the little plastic cups the kids drink out of at lunch, a non-standard form of measurement). Then, we measured how many milliliters are in just one plastic cup. Finally, we figured out how many milliliters there were all together in the 12 plastic cups. It was tricky math for six and seven year olds, but the students were very motivated to find out the answer! At the end of the day on Friday, we had a big discussion about the findings of our math investigation. The students had discovered that we use approximately 4 liters of water with every push of the bathroom tap. We talked about how that made them feel and what they wanted to do about it. They were shocked by the amount, as was I! Some of the students wanted to talk to the principal about how to decrease their water usage. A group went to her office and asked if she had time to talk. She was very happy to listen to them and told them that she would find out if the amount of water that comes out or the length of time for which the water runs are things that can be changed. Other students came up with the idea to catch the water under the tap in a container so that multiple students can use the same water. They decided that they wanted to tell other students about this waste of water, and came up with multiple ideas as to how they might spread the word. This discussion was just the beginning of their steps toward taking action, and it will be exciting to see where it all goes, but it was truly amazing to watch their learning come to life.
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A Day In The Life
My days here in Siena have been packed to the brim with good stuff. I've got a nice routine going by now. When living abroad, I've found that settling into a routine you like is the best way to mitigate negative effects of culture shock and missing home. I start each morning around 7AM with a hot espresso (definitely going to need an espresso maker when I come home - so good!), some yogurt, and sometimes toast provided by my host. My morning routine is shorter here than it is at home, given that I don’t have to take my dog out for a walk - though I do spend a lot of time missing her - I don’t have to make my own breakfast, or wait for a whole pot of coffee to brew. I’m usually up and out the door in about 30 minutes from the time I wake up. The bus gets us to school about half an hour before we need to get there. Because of this, Molly and I have been spending our mornings on the “thinking bench” near a dog park by our school. We have second breakfast, talk about our day, and watch the various dogs playing the park. I really enjoy this part of the day. The kids start to arrive between 8:30 and 9:00, and we begin our day with a morning circle. We greet each other and talk about the day ahead. Unlike schools where I’ve worked in the U.S., the schedule in our classroom is far more fluid. This allows teachers to plan their day in a way that makes sense for their students. For example, on Monday, we were learning about water filtration systems (how water gets from its source to the tap). We watched a video and talked about the different parts of the process. Then, the students were asked to represent their understanding of how water gets to the tap using whatever methods or resources they felt were appropriate. They were SO into it. Because of their high level of engagement and enthusiasm, this activity, which began mid-morning, ran all the way until lunch time, and continued into the afternoon. The flexibility of the daily schedule allowed us to take our time, and for the students to create work that they were truly proud of. At lunch all teachers eat together with the students. Everyone eats the same lunch - nobody can bring their own. This is a rule that I’m not sure I quite understand. Something to do with allergies, religion, and the like. School lunch is pretty good though! It’s usually pasta or soup with a vegetable and a meat or other protein. They have all the options available for students and teachers alike: vegan, gluten-free, halal, kosher, etc. On Wednesday, we had a break in normal routine and went on a field trip to the water museum. We got to go underground and see some of Siena’s aqueducts and fountains. I definitely would have learned more if I knew Italian. All of the indoor displays and videos were in Italian. I can understand/read enough and see enough to get this gist of things, but I would have loved to learn about the history of Siena’s waterways in more detail. According to the teachers who speak Italian, the guide was far too technical for the students to understand, even the Italian native speakers. They loved it anyway, especially the underground part! After school, I walk home. It’s about a 40 minute walk along twisty, narrow streets: a view of the city of Siena on one side, the countryside on the other. When I get home, most days I go for a run in the countryside. It’s gorgeous, but exhaustingly hilly! I think I’m getting used to the hills, though, as my runs have been getting a little faster this week! We don’t eat dinner until 8 or 8:30PM. I usually get a run in and all my school work prepped for the next day before dinner. As much as I love our hosts and the amazing food they make, having next to no control over what or when I eat has been a bit of an adjustment for me! Especially as an active person, I love to cook and eat healthy meals whenever I want. This is far from a complaint, however, as one of the hosts learned to cook from her mother who was, apparently, the cook to a Belgian ambassador! Needless to say, we’re eating well! For the next post, maybe I'll try and take some pictures of our meals. |
AuthorHello! Ciao! I'm originally from the rural Finger Lakes region of New York state, but I've lived in Michigan, Japan, South Korea, and now, Siena! I originally got into the field of education after teaching English in South Korea. I've continued to study education because kid-brains never cease to astound me. Apart from spending lots of classroom time with young children, I really love to run. I am excited to explore the gorgeous Tuscan hills on foot. Hopefully all the hiking will balance out the ridiculous amounts of pasta and cheese I am sure to consume. Thanks for following along! Archives
May 2019
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