Computerteach

Below are a few links to give you a taste of what we are seeing, living, and exploring.

Struthof Concentration Camp

Strasbourg France

Notre Dame Cathedral - Strasbourg

Bodensee

Friedrichshofen

Zeppelin Museum

Pfander Bahn

Meersburg

Lindau

Achern

Sasbachwalden

Oberachern

Sasbach - The front page picture is about fifty feet from where we are staying.

European Union

Berlin

Leipzig

Prague

Deutchen Bahn

I have had a few days to recover so I thought I might conclude the trip with a few thanks and thoughts.

I really would like to thank the parents for their contribution. They have worked tirelessly throughout the year. That includes parents from America and Germany. All have been amazing and we could not have done this without them. The teachers that took care of us in Germany were amazing. They fed us and let us work in their classrooms and allowed the students give presentations in their classes. The relationships that we saw among the teachers of all disciplines were amazing and I really enjoyed sitting in the staff room and talking to teachers. The teachers from Rangeview that allowed students to visit their rooms allowed our students to show the best of Rangeview. Especially those staff members that went out of their way to make the students welcome. I heard stories of kids doing Chemistry experiments, trying out for Poms, and even swimming at a meet on the boys swim team. The administrators from both schools deserve thanks for the support of this program. It is one thing to say we are trying to prepare students for the world but it is great for the administrators to back programs that actually put kids into the international market that they must compete. The students will have an understanding of the world that can’t be realized from reading a book. The students themselves deserve thanks for their efforts and all that they have put in for this exchange.

Some thoughts:

Students will truly need to understand the markets that they are entering. The students that participate in these programs have a decided advantage. These ideas need to be infused into courses. I think that World Languages, Social Studies, and Business have an advantage because we are all naturally pointed towards a broad world view. As a Business teacher I think I have been lucky because this easily fits into what I have been teaching and it made me realize just how important what I have been teaching is to students. I was amazed at how similar the concepts I was teaching in Business Law, for example, translate to German and European society. I have a renewed enthusiasm for my curriculum because I have seen how others are doing the same thing world-wide.

Environmental programs that I see daily spewing from the TV and media are very interesting after having visited a country that has strong environmental programs. I said to Waste Management a few years ago to stop the recycling program of picking up at my house. The reason was that they were charging me to do the right thing and they were profiting from the recycling. I was not willing to pay for them to receive more profit from me doing the right thing. I will try some of the recycling programs again but I won’t use Waste Management. Until the governemnt steps in and has some requirements about recycling we will never have a real program. I grew up with the deposit on bottles as a child but until we return to something of this nature we will always have a problem. I saw very few paper products for food service while in Germany and thus, much less trash. The Heimschule Lender has a student body of about 1800 students and they had real plates, silverware, and glasses. At the end of lunch I asked one of the ladies at the counter how much trash is generated for the entire school for lunch. They had 1 bag from preparation in the kitchen and 2 from the lunchroom for a total of 3 bags for a school of 1800. I also noticed that at the end of the lunch there were no custodians to clean up. The ladies wiped down the tables and ran a quick broom over the floor and picked up a couple of gum wrappers off of the floor for a school of 1800. I have more thoughts on this but it could go on forever, especially about cars.

I keep hearing in the media and other circles about how far we are falling behind other countries and after traveling to Europe I have some difficulty with this. I am impresssed with the programs that some other countries have but it is because they recognize a few facts. First, not everyone is going to go to college. I really want every child to have that opportunity if they and their families choose. I think we have more options than any other country and we need to exploit the choices. The school we worked with was a Gymnasium and is college prepatory. Other students are on a track for vocational and have the respect of community. We should expand the vocational opportunities rather than limit them and make more options for students that do not learn in the traditional way. The students at the Gymnasium are concentrated on going to university and most have the mindset that drives them. Second is that we need involvement of families and parents. I have always said this and I have heard this for the almost 20 years I have been teaching. I have seen very few programs that work and we see a drive towards charter schools and private schools. They have the single greatest advantage and many sieze the opportunity to require parent involvement for attendance at their school. As a teacher I know that a large majority of the time I will see A and B student parents at conferences and I can tell you why they are A and B students. It is the parental involvement. I enjoy the relationship that I see with successful students and their parents. It is the key to that success. Third is that when talking to students in Sasbach, most wanted to visit America and when you talk to them they will tell you that America is still the example and the goal. We have good teachers, good parents, good students, and good schools. We need to have pride in them and see them as others see them. Unfortunately, what we hear are the bad things and we need to take them with a grain of salt and relish our success and continue to get even better.

We are stuck with such a large country that it is easy to be isolationists. We need to go out of our way to give our kids the opportunity to travel and get a taste of the world beyond our school and homes. The family we stayed with for the last week had a French exchange student for 2 months and their three daughters were leaving as we did to other opportunities. Two daughters were going to France for three weeks, (One later going to Italy), and the other daughter was going to Ireland. This family and others at these schools in Germany embrace the chance to visit other countries and other cultures. They have the decided advantage of being in a much more compact land mass and because of the EU the travel is very easy. Unfortunately in Colorado we have several hundred miles to travel to get to another country but we should look for any opportunity to travel and see the world. To prepare kids for a world economy we need to show them a little of the world and it doesn’t come across in a book.

My final thought is about my luck. I am lucky in ways that I can not count. I have a great family that loves to be active and involved. I am lucky to be at a school that treasures these experiences and doing what is right for kids. I am lucky to have people to work with like Patrice Dovas-Hudson who continues to work long hours to be everything she can for students and not just give them a curriculum but an experience. I am lucky to live in a country that is a leader in business, education, and opportunity.

We had such interesting luck with the trains during our time in Leipzig that I was very worried about the trip and catching the plane. So as you can guess, everything went perfectly. The train was on time, the plane was easy to check in and didn’t charge us even though a couple of the bags appeared to a little over. The wait was pleasant. We had a farewell pretzel and got on the plane. The flight was wonderful. I little bit of problems with an obnoxious group that went to Croatia. Other than that it was great. The food on the flight was better than expected. We flew through customs and had no problems, even though we brought a jar of jam from Nathalie’s mother that I forgot we had. The drug sniffing dog at the airport gave Kaila a scare because we thought he might get a hit on her Pringles, but the gods were on our side and Kaila smuggled in 14 chips from Germany. Our ride was there and we were home in record time from the airport. Where was this kind luck when I was chasing trains in Prague? When we got home it was time for some dog-dad time and we sat and told each other what had happened for the last month. The dog stayed about a foot from me the rest of the night. We had such wonderful food for the previous month we had to commemorate our return with a trip to Sonic. Dawn loves the crushed ice there and we were unaware that there seemed to be a hidden law in Europe that ice was against the rules because Dawn couldn’t find any while we were there. The next morning we all were up at about 5:30 or 6. (2 in the afternoon in Germany) I walked to the store, (Why break the trend?) and got rolls, butter, orange juice, and strawberries for breakfast. We had a nice breakfast and then it started again, Dawn was off to a wedding, Kaila was making plans for the day and I am sitting here mumbling to myself as usual.

Kaila and Alyssa getting up for the trip>

Prague is an ancient and historic city. We roamed buildings that had their origin in the 880’s. A couple of hundred years before the Vikings traveled towards North America. The idea that something can be that old is mind boggling. Some of the teachers of History in Germany were asking what the American History teachers did with all of their spare time since they only had 300 or 400 years to worry about. While I was there I also had the chance to get the perspective of Europe by reading History books in German and reading their take on history in America. This led me to the city of Prague and the home of greats like Kafka. Even Albert Einstein lived in Prague in the 1910’s. This was a city of strength and culture. The Prague Castle is one of the most impressive sights I have seen in Europe. The way it rises above the city and stands as a sentinel is inspiring. It holds court over the city in a very stately manner. The church and Palaces are unbelievably beautiful. But, of course, it was up a steep hill in our efforts that make me climb and go up tall things. It was a trek up the hill but it was worth every ounce of energy spent. We had the opportunity to visit the Cathedral of St. Vitius which can only be described as magnificent. We also spent time in the gardens and taking pictures of Prague from high above. We spent time in the Old Town Square. The old City Building was a treat and contains a clock that has a show every hour as it rings. The other churches and stately buildings in the square we also very enjoyable and gave you the sense of history and of respect for ancient people and the things that were accomplished. The only blight on the Square was a makeshift memorial to Michael Jackson. It seemed so out of place and inappropriate in such beauty and graceful surroundings. We had a new item to eat that I had not seen before. Simply put, they are cinnamon rolls that look like a tube. When you look at all of the pictures from the trip make sure you see the Prague pictures to see this delicacy. This was a very ling day because of the three hour train ride but it was worth every minute and every effort to see it.
I almost forgot the historic St Charles Bridge. It is a great monument and has the look of a postcard romantic bridge for a stroll. It is surrounded by wonderful statues that are well crafted and have great soul. The bridge was undergoing renovations and clean up so it was not showing the full face of it’s glory.
One last train story. The train we took to Prague was a little different and the style we were taking back was another type altogether. We got off at one of the train stations near the downtown area and as we prepared to leave that evening, (the only train back to Leipzig that night), we decided to get there early and check on the train. Because the day had gone smoothly it was time for a disaster. When we got there and checked the station they said that it actually leaves from another station across town. We all dived into the Metro and got to the other station and jumped on the train in time. With only a couple of minutes to spare we were there and ready to travel. Here is where it takes an even more interesting twist. Apparently they have added a stop to this train as it leaves Prague and now stops once to pick up passengers. Guess where??? You got it! The train station we were at to start with. We didn’t need to dash across town but we do now have an appreciation for the good quality Metro trains they have in Prague.
There was one thing that struck me as I walked through Prague. I have been noticing in Berlin and Leipzig the great renovation and rebuilding that has been going on since the fall of the GDR and the reunification. I had heard a few of the German people in the West grumble about the reunification tax to rebuild the country but it was obvious that the Czech Republic isn’t as lucky and doesn’t have the financial resources after Communism. It is taking linger and I suspect will be about another thirty or forty years before the see the level of success that they are seeing in Leipzig and Berlin. Prague was dirtier and more run down when you left the tourist areas and it was obvious that there was a seediness that we hadn’t seen as much of in Berlin and Leipzig.

The next day we tried again with the train and it worked perfectly. Well almost! The trip there was perfect but on the way back the next adventure began. They had a situation where World War II reared its head 60 years later. There was an unexploded bomb from that time near a track and it delayed everything for the day. They then moved our train to another track but didn’t announce it until it was seconds from leaving and we could not get there in time. We were now stuck in Berlin and no tickets to get home to Leipzig. We discovered another train leaving and we just jumped on and took our chances. When the conductor came around, Walli spoke with them and was very powerful in her persuasion and they allowed us to travel with no additional tickets or cost. We made it home but an hour later.

When we got to Berlin it was wonderful to see the size of the city. It has over 4 million people and is truly a national capital in sight, sound, and feel. We decided on a tour bus which is something I have never used because I love to walk and explore, but we decided to see the highlights and lay plans for our next visit. We saw the church dedicated to Kaiser Wilhelm I. It was a once beautiful building that was almost completely destroyed by the bombs in World War II. It stands as a monument to peace. We than visited Checkpoint Charlie and had a chance to visit the museum dedicated to the Berlin Wall and the eventual removal and reunification. It was a strong reminder of tyranny and the effect that it has on people. We had a chance to visit the GDR museum in Leipzig and this was a continuation of the theme. The resilience of the people is amazing and it was great to see the courage and bravery of the people of both Germanys’ during this time. I can’t tell you how it makes you feel to see the piece of the wall that is still standing and the feeling that the separation of families, communities, and a country elicits. This seems similar to how the country must have felt during the Civil War but that time is so far removed it is hard to grasp but this is still a fresh wound.

The next stop was the Brandenburg Gate and it is one of the most impressive sights we have seen so far. It is a powerful sight as you approach and to think that for many years much of it was obscured by the Berlin Wall. It was also a chance to see the American Embassy that is there as well. The students had a chance to see some street performers that were amazing and some dancers that that were as good as I have ever seen. We spent the rest of the time walking back to the train station and had a chance to walk by the Reichstag Building. It also has an air of nationalism that was evident in the people as they walked around. It must have been the same feeling we had when we visited Washington DC earlier this year. The trip back was uneventful and we had a great time. Tomorrow we will travel to the Czech Republic and visit the city of Prague.  I will not put up any pictures of this stuff until I return so please look for them when I get back. We finished the day with a wonderful dinner at a restaurant that sits on a beautiful lake. You would never guess that this lake was a strip mine for brown coal during the time of the GDR and has been rehabilitated. It now stands as an example of good environmental practices that they have taken since the reunification.  Berlin was a great day and I would love to spend several days there. I did notice a decided upturn in tourists traveling here and in Prague. It was a stark difference to what we encountered in Achern but it is important to see these wonderful things to really get a full sense of Germany. Germany is a dichotomy of rural and city life and it really makes it seem like we have enjoyed that full experience. If you travel to Limon in Colorado and then Denver you will have a different experience and I think we have been lucky to have both.

Our next adventure was to get from Achern to Leipzig and to our next destination. We had tickets for Monday morning and were going to have to make several transfers with a lot of luggage. Unfortunately, we missed the first transfer in Karlsruhe and this made the adventure last one hour longer. We were lucky to be met by our friends Walli and Kai. They have a beautiful flat in Leipzig near the train station. They have three daughters, Eliane, Alina, and Christina. They have an exchange student also staying with them from France. There were ten of use but we all fit very comfortably and everyone had their own space. We had a great adventure getting here but we are glad that we are here in Leipzig.

Our next adventure was to visit Berlin on Tuesday. We had to take a train from Leipzig to Berlin. We all got on the train and waited for it to start. We waited, and waited, and waited. After over an hour we decided that we would not have much time in Berlin so we decided to try the next day and took Tuesday to spend in downtown Leipzig and explore the community. We had a great time and saw things that were mind boggling. We had the opportunity to walk inside the same church that Bach worked for 27 years from 1723 to 1750. It was awe inspiring to know that we stood on the same ground as someone with that kind of talent and to visit his grave. The church is another exceptional example of the churches of Germany. We also had a chance to visit the church that was the starting point of the resistance and the movement towards the reunification of Germany in 1989. St. Nikolai is a beautiful church but it stands as a strong focal point to the importance of freedom and connection for the German people. We also had a chance to visit the tallest building in Leipzig and venture to the top observation deck. Have I mentioned that I am afraid of heights? It was wonderful to get this kind of view of the city. They have a huge greenbelt that runs the length of the city and is several kilometers wide and several hundred kilometers long. It is a chance to see a forest and wildlife inside of the city.